Still Bill

by

Bill Withers

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One of my all-time favorite albums. Following his big surprise hit with "Ain't No Sunshine," Withers insisted on the right to produce his follow-up album, and the results, as you can hear, were stellar. He rounded up some pals from the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band, guys that he jammed with regularly in the 'hood, and the tight, compact ensemble sizzled their way through his latest set of plainspoken, soul-piercing funk ballads. This album includes chart-topping hits such as "Use Me," "Another Day To Run," and "Use Me," but it also has lesser-known emotionally raw powerhouses like "Who Is He (And What Is He To You?)" and "I Don't Want You On My Mind" that tend to get forgotten in the foggy haze of various best-of collections. "Lonely Street, Lonely Town" is another fine example of Wither's empathic humanist world view, a soft folkie sentiment with a killer funk groove to back it up. Amazingly, this is the first time this album has been reissued in its entirety: snap it up while you can, and enjoy one of the best records the early 1970s had to offer!