January 08, 2004 @ 8:54 am

Al Green - I Can't Stop (Blue Note)

Tom Terrell

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His is a story of biblical contours: the ’70s rise and spiritual fall from grace, his ’80s redemption as a gospel-singing Memphis pastor, and his ’90s resurrection as a concert attraction.

His is a story of biblical contours: the ’70s rise and spiritual fall from grace, his ’80s redemption as a gospel-singing Memphis pastor, and his ’90s resurrection as a concert attraction. To the delight of loyal fans, Rev. Al Green reunited earlier this year with members of his old band and producer/arranger Willie Mitchell to record an album’s worth of new R&B love songs—fittingly titled I Can’t Stop—in the same Memphis studio that yielded their finest hours three decades ago. Their sessions resulted in this inspired collection. On songs like “Rainin’ in My Heart,” where he moans and howls the pain out; “Not tonight,” a bittersweet version of Green’s vintage hit “For the Good Times”; and the euphoric “Million to One,” Green reminds us of an era long gone. Though age has dirtied up Green’s once angelic tenor, all it takes is a swaying guitar-organ, cooing harmonies, surging horns, and rapturous lyrics (“There must be a reason why I feel so free / I can’t stop from loving you loving me” he sings on the title track) to conjure up his ol’ black magic. For that reason alone, Green can’t stop, not even if he wanted to.

Article tags: Al, Green, Can't, Stop, Blue, Note 

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