Al Green - Al Green Gets Next To You

180 Gram Vinyl! Remarkable, Sultry Vocals! Green is Highly Energetic and Intensely Expressive!
Al Green was the first great soul singer of the '70s and arguably the last great Southern soul singer. With his seductive singles for Hi Records in the early '70s, Green bridged the gap between deep soul and smooth Philadelphia soul. He incorporated elements of gospel, interjecting his performances with wild moans and wails, but his records were stylish, boasting immaculate productions that rolled along with a tight beat, sexy backing vocals, and lush strings. The distinctive Hi Records sound that the vocalist and producer Willie Mitchell developed made Al Green the most popular and influential soul singer of the early 1970s, influencing not only his contemporaries, but also veterans like Marvin Gaye.

Born April 13, 1946 in Forest City, Arkansas, Al Green began singing in his family's gospel group. His distinctive vocal talent and extraordinary ability to master pop, R&B, and gospel genres has enabled him to become an international superstar. Green is Hi Records' most awarded singer and songwriter. In a phenomenal career spanning more than thirty years, Green has charted six #1 hits and been inducted into the prestigious Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

The follow up to Green Is Blues, Gets Next To You is the definitive masterpiece by the Mitchell-Green LTD. Improving on the characterization of the trademark HI sound, Willie Mitchell's decision to switch from the gritty syncopations of deep Southern soul to a slower and more seductive base supports an Al Green probably at his best. There are no false steps here, since every single track on the album is a pillar of the genre, from the opening massive cover version of the Temptations' "I Can't Get Next To You", which is reinvented with a lethal dose of irresistible groove, to the perfect 1-2 pitch of "Tired Of Being Alone" followed by "I'm A Ram." If you are a romantic, this is your absolute soundtrack!

"After the shaky start of Green Is Blues, Al Green and producer Willie Mitchell established their classic sound with Green's second album, Gets Next to You. The main difference is in the rhythm section. Abandoning the gritty syncopations of deep Southern soul, the Hi Rhythm Section plays it slow and seductive, working a sultry, steady pulse that Green exploits with his remarkable voice. Alternating between Sam Cooke's croon and Otis Redding's shout, Green develops his own distinctive style, and Gets Next to You only touches the surface of its depth. Although the album is filled with wonderful moments, few are as astonishing as Green and Mitchell's reinterpretation of the Temptations' 'I Can't Get Next to You,' which turns the original inside out." - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

"With the release of the album Al Green Gets Next To You, the music of Hi Records is brought to wholesome fruition. Green, simply, is one of the most highly energetic and intensely expressive... singers around, with a master's ability (notably, Charles and Redding) to subordinate lyrics to the urgent rhythmic primacy of their sounds, while suffusing them with their corresponding emotional feeling." - Aaron Fuchs, Rolling Stone

Recorded in 1971 at Royal Recording Studios, South Lauderdale, Memphis, Tennessee

Features:
• 180g Vinyl
• Limited Edition
• Audiophile Re-mastering by Ray Staff at Air Mastering, Lyndhurst Hall, London

Musicians:
Al Green, vocals
Wayne Jackson, trumpet
Ed Logan, tenor sax
James Mitchell, baritone sax
Jack Hale, trombone
Al Jackson, drums
Leroy Hodges, bass
Charles Hodges, keyboards
Mabon "Teenie" Hodges, guitar

Selections:
Side One
1. I Can't Get Next To You
2. Are You Lonely For Me Baby
3. God Is Standing By
4. Tired Of Being Alone
5. I'm A Ram
Side Two
1. Drivin' Wheel
2. Light My Fire
3. You Say It
4. Right Now Right Now
5. All Because