Al Green’s voice is beyond criticism. It has to be one of the sweetest sounds known to man. And on The Best Of The Gospel Sessions it’s a real treat to hear the voice applied to songs such as “None But The Righteous” and “Jesus Will Fix It.” This is classic gospel music through and through. It’s raw and soulful, bluesy and authentic and most of all incredibly infectious. Partly, that’s because all of the songs here are songs of hope, which makes this music that lifts the soul. A humble, earthy but unbreakable sense of hope finds its way into the nooks and crannies of the lyrics and the music.

If you enjoy the likes of Sam Cooke or Aretha Franklin, then this is a no brainer. But more than just being good within his genre, Al Green’s greatest strength (other than that voice) is his ability to write and perform songs about his faith that are informed by the rough realities of real life, yet never lose hope. This is beautiful music.

Five out of five stars