Starting in 1971 with
Al Green Gets Next to You
,
Al Green
albums became necessities.
Livin' for You
is
Green
's sixth album, and the fourth to be certified gold. (Its predecessor, the classic
Call Me
, was still on the charts when this was released.) Each of
's albums with
Willie Mitchell
are singular, with their own distinct style, and
is no exception. It takes a more relaxed approach and offers some of his best
ballads
; the title track is
at his most engaging, even when he sang potentially mood-interrupting lines like "I'm tired of your bright ideas about leaving me."
"Home Again"
and
"So Good to Be Here"
are romantic if not hypnotic, offering subtle drumming, economical keyboards, and gentle vocals. The biggest track here, the proficient and smooth
"Let's Get Married,"
has
being a little wishy-washy as he sings, "I didn't mean to say all the things I said/The way I felt in my heart it came out that way." Although the originals here rank with his best,
also did good cover work too. The often useless
"Unchained Melody"
shows up and benefits from
's methodical delivery. In many ways,
is the perfect, intimate album for his fans. ~ Jason Elias