Al Green - I Can't Stop

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Music reviews of I Can't Stop

Music Review: One of 2003's very best releases!
Rating: 5 Stars

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!

Description of I Can't Stop

Blues CDs

• Music > Styles
• Pop
• R&B