Lay It Down (Al Green album)
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| Lay It Down | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | May 27, 2008 | |||
| Genre | Soul | |||
| Length | 44:31 | |||
| Label | Blue Note B2-48449 | |||
| Producer | Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, James Poyser | |||
| Al Green chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Metacritic | 81/100[1] |
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
| Entertainment Weekly | A−[3] |
| Los Angeles Times |  [4] |
| Mojo | [5] |
| MSN Music (Consumer Guide) | A−[6] |
| Pitchfork | 6.8/10[7] |
| PopMatters | 9/10[8] |
| Rolling Stone | [9] |
| Spin | 8/10[10] |
| The Times | [11] |
Lay It Down is the 29th studio album by American singer Al Green, released May 27, 2008, on Blue Note Records.[12] The album was produced by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson and James Poyser. The album features guest vocals from Anthony Hamilton, John Legend, and Corinne Bailey Rae.[2]
Lay It Down peaked at number 9 on Billboard's Top Album charts,[13] and has received widespread acclaim from critics. At the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, the album was nominated for Best R&B Album but lost to Jennifer Hudson's self-titled album. "Stay With Me (By the Sea)" won Al Green and John Legend the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal award, and "You've Got the Love I Need" won Green and Anthony Hamilton the award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.[14][15]
Lay It Down has received much critical acclaim. It currently holds a rating of 81/100 on review aggregator website Metacritic, based on 22 critical reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[1]
The album was applauded for bringing in younger producers which critics claimed gave the album a more youthful sound. Thom Jurek for AllMusic commented: "What happens when you put that amazing soul-drenched voice in the hands of hip-hop producers Questlove and James Poyser, and add a slew of superstar guests? Answer: a killer Al Green soul album".[2] In a review for Blender, Ben Ratliff remarked that Green had "created a natural-sounding album with occasional horns and strings, taking cues directly from [his] best old records".[16] "Lay It Down" was number 15 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.[17]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Al Green.
| No. | Title | Featured vocalist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Lay It Down" | Anthony Hamilton | 4:30 |
| 2. | "Just for Me" | 3:58 | |
| 3. | "You've Got the Love I Need" | Anthony Hamilton | 4:14 |
| 4. | "No One Like You" | 4:31 | |
| 5. | "What More Do You Want from Me" | 4:13 | |
| 6. | "Take Your Time" | Corinne Bailey Rae | 4:37 |
| 7. | "Too Much" | 3:30 | |
| 8. | "Stay with Me (By the Sea)" | John Legend | 3:23 |
| 9. | "All I Need" | 3:41 | |
| 10. | "I'm Wild About You" | 4:51 | |
| 11. | "Standing in the Rain" | 3:03 | |
| Total length: | 44:31 | ||
