To all of our favorite music icons from years past,

Please take notes from Al Green, whose new album, “Lay It Down,” sounds perfectly 2008 without coming across as if he’s trying to compete with Usher, Chris Brown, or any of the other young bloods singing R&B music these days. Rather than try to keep up with today’s TRL fixtures (ahem, Janet Jackson), he’s enlisted current popular young things (John Legend, Corinne Bailey Rae, ?uestlove, and Anthony Hamilton) to work for him in a way that shows off his strengths. Because, you see, you’re considered iconic for a reason. Why throw away the trademark that made you unique and earned you your fiercely loyal following in the first place? Take Green’s single, “Lay It Down,” for instance. It sits on his MySpace page next to classic gems including “Simply Beautiful,” and “Let’s Stay Together,” and manages to stand on its own. The same can’t necessarily be said for some of your work (we’re talking to you, Prince, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Michael Jackson) in the last ten years–as much as we madly adore all of you. Prince, it wasn’t until you stopped singing jazz and started playing with sexual innuendo again that you really got a rise out of us. While some icons have mastered the art of reinvention (think Madonna, who treats us to a new persona with each album, or Tina Turner, who went from rhythm and blues Ikette to MTV rock singing Mad Max vixen in the span of decades), others work best when staying true to their signature, the way Al Green has done here. And remember, these words come from love.

xoo,

Team Muse

Posted: June 20th, 2008  Category: Sounds  Comments: No comments#