Customer Reviews

I Can't Stop

5 star:		(30)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Al Green is my second all time favorite singer (behind only Merle Haggard). In the mid to late 70's, I wore out every one of his albums. Al has one of the greatest (and most unique) voices I've ever heard. Most of my original Al LP's are worn from constant use, and I replaced most of them on CD. I had heard nothing about this CD until the day it was released. I read a couple of reviews, and ran out and bought it. Al has done a lot of excellent music since he turned to recording gospel, and I own every album (except "Love is Reality", which I had but traded in. He got too far away from his sound on that one). Whereas a couple of other CD's flirted with a return to soul, this one goes all the way. The familiar sound is back, and Al's voice is (amazingly) almost completely intact. No one will be disappointed with the singing here. Furthermore, the musicianship is excellent, with many of the "Hi team" in place. The songs are uniformly good, and several tracks stand out ("Rainin' in my heart", "My problem is you", "Not tonight", "Too many"). There are no songs here in the class of Al's absolute best, but excellent Al Green is better than anyone else (certainly compared to todays excuse for R&B!). Even though there is a retro element to this CD, it does not sound dated to me. I can certainly distinguish the sound from the 70's Al. It is a little fuller in sound. I have been hoping (as, I'm sure, many of you have) to hear another Al Green soul album. I am grateful that Al and Willie (and the musicians) got back together to give us this wonderful disc. Please don't be foolish enough to listen and complain that there is no "take me to the river", or "love and happiness". Is there any great artist from the 60's or 70's (or even before that) that has equaled their best work this late in their careers? Many have come close (Merle, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and some others have put out excellent music in recent years), but I consider it an incredible event when one of the few remaining greats releases top rate music for us to enjoy. I haven't heard a singer of this caliber since, and I'm afraid we may never hear one again. If you like Al Green, buy this disc. You will not be disappointed (and you probably will be thrilled!). If you are not an Al Green fan, I can't help you!

An absolute classic. I am in my 30's so I didn't exactly grow up with Al Green but I have to say that I am sorry I didn't. I have Al Greens Greatest Hits CD and after listening to I Cant Stop, I feel you can take 4-5 songs out of that album and start another greatest hits cd. Thank you Al for saving us from the music that is out there today. The singing is pure soul without any kind of computers or studio assistance to make Al sound one way or another. He doesn't need that kind of help like some of today's singers. The title track is just a classic get together with your loved one, dancing close, kind of track. A Million To One is a song that I constantly put on for my wife in our car. Willie Mitchell is brilliant and I cant wait for these two legends to come out with another album. Every Britney/Justin/Christina/ kind of singer out there should listen to this CD so that they can hear what it really means to sing a song and what real music is. Give us more, Al. Give us more....

This is one of those CD's that remind you what true musical talent really sounds like. From the opening track Al Green transports us all back to a time when singing about love and desire didn't involve crotch grabbing, scantilly clad woman or graphic language.

Al Green's smooth delivery combined with a serious bass track, makes you want to pull your car over to the side of the road and move your feet for just a moment. I found myself shaking my head at the wonderfulness of it all when Al hits his patented high note on some of the slower tempo tunes.

I have listened to Al Green for years and he is in constant rotation in my car. Nothing feels like a ride up to Napa on a warm summer day with Al Green playing in the background reminding you of other summer days gone by.

Anyone who has watched any of the American Idol type shows would do well to take a listen to this magnificent CD before the new batch of shows start to get a clear understanding of musical genius. A truely outstanding piece of work.

I was really an infrequent AL Green listener through the years. The most Al Green I have listened to was when I borrowed my boss' Best Of cd while I was working in the office. While out shopping, I picked this up,curious that Al Green had signed with Blue Note's jazz label. This cd is smoking from the first song. It's almost like Al had never left the music scene. Hopefully, he will reteam with his producer again for a couple of more albums because this is the real deal. It's like, jazz, R&B, and blues all rolled into one. If you can't get down to this, you should check yourself for a pulse.

Al hints at the ecxtacy and moans at the pain which exponentially heightens the expression of the soul....a point todays R&B artists are sorely missing.Court and dance with your seductee... don't grab their genitals..(or yours!)! This release serves as a reminder of how feeling is truly communicated musically. Check the last one and one-half minutes of 'Rainin in my Heart' and yeah, "My Problem is You'..... 'You' is such a classic mid-tempo driving melody it could easily be inserted into any 60's soul collection.You can take a man out of the church but you can't take the church out of the man....at least when it comes to soul singing.Al Green IS soul..... through and through!

OK...first let me say that when I bought this CD, I listened to the first song, "I Can't Stop", and just couldn't wait to get the CD home to my daddy to listen to. I played the CD for my daddy and he sat there and listened to the whole entire CD without getting up. He has never done that!!! My daddy asked my momma to marry him with the song "Let's Get Married" in the '70's. This CD takes you back but also lets you know you're in the present.

The horns, the strings, the background vocals, the groove, the funky rhythm, that BASS and Al's expressive and creative VOCAL PROWESS just takes you on a journey. Willie Mitchell, the producer, is showing his genius once again. Their reunion, Al & Willie, couldn't have come at a better time. THEY BETTER GET A GRAMMY FOR THIS ONE!

I have no favorites on here. They all are worthy...AMEN!!!!! Sing Rev. Al Green...you are and have always been my hero...even though in the past you've done songs by AL B. SURE, Jodeci, and Narada Michael Walden...You and Willie should stick together forever....GOD BLESS....and BUY THIS CD...NOWWWWWWWW!

I almost fainted while reading one of the reviews and the reviewer (thank goodness only one) stated that this album could have used a little R. Kelly. OH H$%^ NO. It was good to hear that Al did not fall into the Ron Isley trap, even though I do enjoy some of his new stuff, and kept to his roots. There are a few songs on this album that are blah but the first 8 tracks are hitting, track 9 is decent, skip the last three songs. I would have rather had him cut some of the filler songs and extended the good stuff, old school style.

Rainin' In My Heart is a straight up classic in my opinion. And I could see any of the other first 8 tracks being considered classic depending on the tastes of the listener.

I came to Al Green in a roundabout way: I'm a big fan of Talking Heads' "Stop Making Sense" movie and CD. They record Green's "Take Me to the River" which led me Green's other music. My all time Green fav is "Let's Stay Together," but he's got many memorable tunes.

This CD, released on Blue Note(?!) last year is a return to Green's 70's roots with producer/arranger Willie Mitchell. When it was released, this album took a beating from some critics that complained that it all sounded like the same ole Al Green. That's a bad thing? It is great to hear these horn/string arrangements, Green crooning up to his trademark falsetto moans, and some incredible Hammond Organ playing by Robert Clayborne. It reminds me of Solomon Burke's recent release, "Don't Give Up On Me," classic music from a great musician. Just because a musician sticks with what he knows and doesn't want to stick a rap in the middle of a CD just to sell it to the younger audience doesn't mean that the artist doesn't still have something to offer. If you yearn for some 70's soul music, check out the Rev. Green.

While many contemporary R&B artists are paying much due homage to vintage R&B, Al Green's decision to reunite with producer Willie Mitchell couldn't have come at a better time for me as I can't get over how amazing this release is. Although I usually am not fond of nostalgia, this CD sounds like it was released during Al Green's heyday, BUT the surprise it does not sound dated in the least bit.

Furthermore, the decision to go back to many of the musicians who helped Green craft his distinctive, Philly soul-meets-gospel sound the first time around is genius because it brings a piece of the past into the present with stellar results. I would have hated to see Mr. Green try to turn to hip-hop/rap artists to give him street credibility or even worse, put his comeback into secular music into the hands of Dianne Warren or other write by the dozen writers.

Having said that, there are some surprises to be found as there are some B.B. King influences added to the light string arrangements, complementary harmonies, crisp horn sections, and crackling guitar, arrangements that make songs such as "I Can't Stop" (single of the year as far as I am concerned) "You", and "I'd Still Choose You". I also love "Not Tonight".

As usual with any Al Green recording, the focus is on the man's impressive range, which is second to none and somehow sounds better than it ever has. This is classic contemporary soul and I did not think that I would ever get to hear new songs that both managed to capture a sound of a very particular time when R&B was king and also have it presented it in such a way that it feels familiar yet as alive and new as the best of today's crop (D'Angelo, Angie Stone, Raphael Saadiq, among others) who are carrying the torch of their forefathers. Al Green just happens to be around carrying his own torch and side by side with his protoges, we get to enjoy real music not prepackaged and disposible junk.

In a nutshell this is a funky, fun record that further proves to me that Al Green is in a category all by himself. Although sometimes he's only been as good as his material or the people he's worked with, here we have a release that reaches back and and the result is not a bland imitation. Al has as much charisma, stylish interpretation, and joy that is found in his must have recordings. And then there is that falsetto, which proves that there is a God.

I give this 5 stars because I love it. It may not be a "classic" as there are a couple of songs that don't hit as hard as the rest, but even those are head and shoulders above a lot of what is passed off as R&B today. While you are at it, if you like real R&B check out Ron Isley's recent release as well as Raphael Saadiq's "Instant Vintage".

I am listening to this CD right now and I like it even more with each play. Enjoy!

15 November, 2003

Reviewer: Jim Harvey from United Kingdom

27 years after their last secular music collaboration, AL GREEN and the producer of his classic 70s music, WILLIE MITCHELL, returned to the famous Royal Studios in Memphis and time stood still......

In particular, "Rainin' In My Heart" and "My Problem Is You" are worthy of inclusion to the list of the most wonderful REAL SOUL music that Al Green and Willie Mitchell have created. Ever.

A REAL singer, REAL musicians, REAL horns, REAL strings, SUPERB arrangements & production plus wonderful background vocals.

This is REAL SOUL - a REAL return to form - BUY IT!!