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Elly Roberts reviews
Blue Note (EMI)
- Released: March 2005
- Rating: 10/10
- Cat.no.: ALGR01
Bag yourself a real treat with Al Green’s new album Everything’s OK.
Secular music hasnt been Reverend Al Green’s remit for several decades. The Baptistminister has been releasing Gospel/Blues albums on a regular basis (winningGrammys on the way), so this comes as bit of surprise, as he swaps his pulpitat the Full Gospel Tabernacle in Memphis for the recording studio.
Possessing one of the most outstanding and distinctive voices on the SoulScene, this is an immaculate return to form. Commercially, Green peaked in theearly ’70s with a string of memorable and sensual love songs – Tired Of BeingAlone and Lets Stay Together.
Green started singing professionally aged 9 years, when he and his brothers formed a gospel quartet,The Greene Brothersin their home town of Forest City Arkansas. They toured gospel clubs in theSouth, then began performing around Michigan when the family relocated toGrand Rapids. At 16, he formed Al Greene and the Creations with schoolfriends, releasing a single Back Up Train in 1967 under Al Greene and theSoul Mates. It peaked at #5 on the national R&B chart.When he went solo, he dropped the last e in his surname.
Renowned bandleader, arranger and trumpeter Willie Mitchell predicted hesbe a star, so he signed up for his Hi Records label. Working together, theyrecorded eight albums until 1976 with sales over 20 million. Finding his ownvoice wasnt easy as he admits, “I was trying to sing like Jackie Wilson,Wilson Pickett, James Brown and Sam Cooke. Willie said, ‘Just sing like you.’I said,’I didnt know what that was’ and so we just had to find that balance.”
Nearly 30 years later the pair reunite for this spirited and soulful masterpiece,which once again, showcases his remarkable vocal range. Theres strings, brass,funky grooves and huge splash of earthiness (with six self-penned songs) thatmay not make commercial sense, but will endear everyone who hears it. Clearly,Green is revitalised, so it may not be too long before hes seen running downthe aisle with a new batch of songs to record.
The full list of tracks included are :
1. Everything’s OK
2. You Are So Beautiful
3. Build Me Up
4. Perfect To Me
5. Nobody But You
6. Real Love7. I Can Make Music
8. Be My Baby
9. Magic Road
10. I Wanna Hold You
11. Another Day
12. All The Time
Elly Roberts passed away in 2011, but he was a man who was so passionate about all types of music and loved meeting his musical heroes, such as Mick Hucknall at a book signing at the Trafford Centre, Manchester in 2007.
A former teacher and also a music journalist, DJ and radio presenter on local community station Calon FM, plus appearances on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio 2, Elly started doing reviews for DVDfever.co.uk in 2004 and he did the majority of the CD and concerts reviews on the website.
I know also that he loved getting away for the summer to Spain and I hope that wherever he is now he is enjoying the hot sunshine and, as one of his friends has said on his Facebook page, that he is interviewing his musical heroes.