 Al Green Oh, yeahhhhhhhh. It is the definition of soul. The voice! When he tells you to call him, by damn, you better call. Sweetness and seduction, a body like Arnold with a Denzel face. Enough with the buzzwords, let get it on goddamnit! Sure, you can't get away from these songs at Starbucks and whatever, but as with everything bad in my life, I blame "Ally McBeal." Let's move on. Taken mainly from Al Green's golden years (1971-74, with a couple bonus tracks taking us up to 1977), the Greatest Hits is the perfect introduction to the truly original Memphis soul sound of a man who ought to be declared a national treasure. The songs simmer more than cook, manipulating the medium tempo like Patrick Swayze dancing up and down Jennifer Grey, and Al's voice in its prime is a shockingly perfect instrument, capable of gospel shouts or feverish sexiness depending on the song. The instrumentation is simple: guitar, bass, organ, drums, background singers, and those undeniable horns, with the occasional string section. Sonically, this is one of the best-recorded sounding groups ever: present, punchy, crystal clear, and more immediate than virtually any rock or soul band I can think of. From the opening moments of "Tired of Being Alone," the CD sets a mood and lays you out while it works you over. The first few times I heard it, I liked it but couldn't explain why I kept wanting to hear it again. After about ten listens it had burrowed into my brain, and now I can't let it leave. Is this CD made of some powerfully addictive drug? I can't tell anymore … but I am powerless without it. The songs: "Tired of Being Alone," "Call Me," "I'm Still in Love With You," "Here I Am," "Love and Happiness," "Let's Stay Together" … that's just the first six. Classic, totally fresh stuff. Makes you wonder how bands like Matchbox 20 ever got a contract. A&R guys should sit bands down in an office and play them Al Green's Greatest Hits and say, "So, do you still think you should get signed? You'll never make music this good. Go home and work at Kinko's, you ugly shits." Drawbacks? Maybe "I Can't Get Next to You," if I had to pick one. But Al's voice is so frickin' great it excuses the song, which suffers from TIRED syndrome. And sometimes I put this on and it seems sort of oppressive in its soulful grandeur. But honestly I'd have to say that this is one of the most fully satisfying CD's available. Need more proof? "Let's Get Married," "Livin' For You," "Sha La La," "L-O-V-E," "Full of Fire," the incredible "Belle" &3133; I'm just listing the songs, and it says more than I could say by heaping on all the praise I could muster. Eight of Al's albums are represented, with a maximum of three tracks from any album, so the great thing is, this is a greatest hits album that serves as an introductory sampler without rendering the rest of the catalog obsolete. Al Green is love, as Al Green would say. Perfect music for sexing up that special someone, holding "Big Chill" style reunion weekends when one of your friends commits suicide, or cruising the strip for runaways. And by the way: the man has still got it. I saw him at Chicago's Gospelfest several years back, and he was living proof that finding the Lord won't kill your soulful squeal, Glen Campbell notwithstanding.
Review by Pops Pitten |