Nearly forgotten by all but serious fans, is 's debut. Released in 1967, when he was still billed as "Al Greene" and before he worked with producer , the record is a perfectly serviceable slice of slightly sweet period -- perhaps a little generic, but never less than pleasant. Much of the record was either written or co-written by the album's producers, and , who were not just part of , but in , 's previous backing band. Though they're fine as producers, they didn't have strong material as songwriters, never producing something as limber and memorable as 's lone songwriting credit, Musically, this number, along with a few other cuts, suggest the tight, sexy sound of his seminal albums, but they're nowhere near as seductive as those slow grooves, nor are they as effortless. Still, it's possible to hear their roots throughout the record. 's voice, while not as smooth as it would be just a few years later, shows enormous talent, he's equally comfortable with and funky workouts, and the production, while dated, is quite appealing in how it falls somewhere between the grit of Memphis and the sweetness of Chicago . is good enough that if hadn't gone on to greater work, this would be the kind of record fanatics would treasure and trade, speculating on what might have happened if had been given another shot. Of course, went on to bigger, better things, and this stands as no more than a footnote to his career, but it's an interesting, enjoyable footnote all the same. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine