Al Green is invariably and undeniably a soul singer. In fact, he owns a piece of the genre that few, if any, would dare to take away from him. He sang to you and yours in the confines of the bedroom without being intrusive or awkward. He provided us with a sonic quilt of sorts, and we took it upon ourselves to lay under the lush patterns and the varied textures of that vocal print. The clichés of romance: the smoke and silk, the early sun and the nights of hasty, sinful decisions, they come as a package. Al Green has always been a part of that bundle. Evidently, he has no plans to take himself out of the equation now.

Green’s latest project, Lay It Down, is a solid collection of love songs. Yes, the reverend’s gospel roots are omnipresent in every note he releases, but all in all, the man makes love songs—and good ones at that. James Poyser and Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson play the roles of co-producers as well as pianist/organist and drummer, respectively. Their contributions to a large percentage of neo-soul artists’ careers over the past decade or so (D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, Joss Stone) make them logical choices for the positions. Producer Willie Mitchell guided Al Green’s career through classics like, 1971’s Al Green Gets Next to You and 1972’s Let’s Stay Together and in part, made Green the legend we know today. Poyser and Thompson’s respect for that same sound is apparent, and they tip-toe very softly (and possibly painfully) around the idea of altering it. Even The Dap Kings (of Amy Winehouse fame) give what they are expected to give on more than a handful of these numbers: nostalgic brass arrangements that evoke the feeling of old school satisfaction.

“You’ve Got the Love I Need” is unmitigated, classic 70’s soul. Even with the help of Anthony Hamilton, it in no way reflects anything current. It’s genuine and familiar, as is “I’m Wild About You” and “What More Do You Want From Me”. John Legend offers his compliments on “Stay With Me (By the Sea)”and Corrine Bailey Rae stays in character beautifully on “Take Your Time”. Some would argue that Mr. Green recruited these voices to make himself relevant in this new age. But let’s be fair. These artists are Al Green’s children. He taught them what they know. We love Hamilton, Legend and Rae, not because they are the new talent of the millennium. We love them because they remind us of the emotions that artists like Al Green forced us to experience. They’re not new. They’re reincarnates. Their placement on this collection is only to be expected.

Make no mistake. This is not an experiment in innovation. This is not an invention of a style that suits the tastes of the ADD afflicted. This is comfort music. This is drenched with the expressions and grooves we’ve seen over and over again. This is an intimate era revisited. Our parents made us to this soundtrack. We’ve already been closely acquainted with it. Now here we are again. And contrary to popular belief, it’s just as good as the first time.