The Reverend Al Green's
album
While some performers age
gracefully, Al Green, now a preacher as well as a singer has lost
some of his polish but can still shine with the right song. I
enjoyed this disk and tried real hard to love it but it was just
missing something. I listened to it several times before I concluded
that it was the songwriting. The songs themselves were just not as
good as some of his past efforts. His voice is still great, some of
his deliveries were a bit slower but with the right song he could
still have a hit.
Like Stevie Wonder's 'A Time
To Love', this disk also has a reissue; in fact it has two! Now you
have twice the incentive to buy this disk of new songs.
I've skipped the first seven
tracks as the disk didn't seem to come alive until the eighth track.
I also skipped a few other tracks for the same reasons.
Track 8: 'I Want to be Your
Man' – Good tune, could be a little faster.
Track 9: 'Magic Road' –
This could be a movie theme song. Best new example of songwriting
on this disk.
Track 10: 'I'd Like to Hold
You' – A good old fashioned Isley Brothers sounding tune.
Track 13: 'Let's Stay
Together' – A great one reissued.
Track 14: 'I'm So Tired of
Being Alone' – The other reissue, still great after so long.
Track 16: 'Raining in my
Heart' – Worth a listen.
Track 18: 'My Biggest
Problem is You' – Sounds like my wife and I.
I picked out the best tracks
I could find. If you already have the two reissues I wouldn't
recommend getting this disk unless you are die hard fan like I am
(plus the fact that it was in the discount bin). Al who was once
known as 'The Green Machine' for the string of hits he had can still
sing, he just needs a new song that is well written if he wants us to
sit up and hear him again. The lack of great songwriting shows when
the best songs on the disk are the reissues. It's nice to see him
still performing but not as nice as it would be if he had something
worthy of his talent. I'd go see him just for those older songs but
not for these newer songs.
