Al Green

During the halcyon years when Al Green was notching one gold record after another,
reviewers began to wonder aloud how much more mileage the singer and his producer,
Willie Mitchell, could get out of their "formula." Now the hits are coming less frequently, but
the formula, if that's what it is, is intact. It seems that Green and Mitchell are capable of
going on and on in the same vein. Their music may not spark that exhilarating fla... More >

Although the Buck Owens cover isn't up to the Willies and Krisses of yore and the hook riffs remain in slight decline, there are definitely more good songs here than on Al Green Is Love. They repay textual analysis, too. Last time the mind-boggler had Green improvising nonsense verse at robbers and other interlopers; this time he assumes the persona of God the Son ("I can see you but you can't see me") and makes you love it. After all, visionaries are supposed to be far out, and this is one of the few we've got. (Grade: A-)