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.