Lay It Down.
| Al Green
Lay It Down.
Lay It Down is the 29th studio album by American recording artist Al Green, released May 27, 2008, on Blue Note Records. The album was produced by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson of The Roots and James Poyser. Four tracks feature guest artists, two with Anthony Hamilton, and one each with John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae. Lay It Down is Green's first Top 10 Album since 1973, and, according to Metacritic, has received widespread acclaim from critics. "Stay With Me (By the Sea)" won Al Green and John Legend a Grammy award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group given in 2009. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
Producers and session players Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson and James Poyser of the Roots team with The Greatest Living Soul Singer and manage to evoke the supple groove of Al Green's early-70s classics.
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Consequence of Sound
Green can carry a song by himself of course, his voice sounds like it hasn’t aged a bit. His range may be hampered some, but the feeling and passion resonates throughout.
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Rolling Stone
It’s hard to find fault with songs like the electrifying title track, where Green whoops, “I want to love you more and more and more!” — a prayer equally fit for the altar or the boudoir.
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Pop Matters
Leave it to a seasoned veteran from the red dirt of Arkansas to deliver not only the Soul album of the year, but remind us that artistic excellence is still attainable in this age of mediocrity.
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BBC Music
Al Green will still be knocking 'em dead both in the chapel and the concert halls.
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Goldmine Magazine
When much of what passes for R&B these days is simply bland, derivative or formula-fed, Green reminds us how a stirring voice and a singular presence can take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. With Lay It Down, the Reverend Al ups the ante with talent and tenacity.
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Music OMH
Following his Definitive Greatest Hits collection from last year, legendary ’70s soul singer Al Green continues the revival of his classic soul sound with Lay It Down, his third release for the Blue Note label.
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NPR
The album may be closer to the retro-soul Green helped inspire than to the originator's best work, but that's not entirely bad.
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All About Jazz
Singer Al Green's Lay It Down leaves the impression of still being in the heady heyday of Green's dominance of the rhythm and blues charts circa 1973.
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All Music
There is no better place to spend 45 minutes than in Lay It Down's dreamy, sensual, gritty, and tender sound world.
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S.F. Gate
"Lay It Down" continues the work of Al Green
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Soul Tracks
This is essential listening.
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Something Else Reviews
Al Green’s Secular Comeback Was Made Complete With Lay It Down.
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Robert Christgau
Green spends more time supplicating than celebrating, and probably fabricated the whole scenario. But he knows his subject, and he doesn't need Jesus to lay it down.
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The Independent
He's back in the Hi-style secular groove, shuffles, wiggles, choogles and all, horns bracing, rim-shots clicking.
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SPIN
Lay It Down (with tasty guest spots from John Legend, Anthony Hamilton, and Corinne Bailey Rae) makes it clear that Green’s devotion to the primacy of his music’s groove has only deepened with age.
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A.V. Revolution
A good stereo should provide the separation needed to really make this album sing, and when heard as intended, few albums sound better.
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All Hip Hop
Al Green is going just as strong as ever. Lay It Down was created with the kind of care he deserves.
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Compulsive Reader
As almost always before, Al Green’s work here throughout the album Lay It Down is much less about ideas and issues than sensibility (a soulful sensuality) and expressivity (urgent desire and exultant spirituality).
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Creative Loafing
The 62-year-old soul singer shows he still has what it takes.
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Cleveland Scene
Lay It Down stands as Green's most organic album in decades.
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NOW Toronto
Good.
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Audiophile Audition
I highly recommend Lay It Down for old school soul fans and neo-soul fans alike. For a man of 62, Green has barely missed a beat and his voice sounds as pure and magical as ever.
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L.A. Weekly
Lay It Down, Al Green’s latest effort for Blue Note Records, is comparable to the music that the Reverend recorded in his prime.
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