Just As I Am [Vinyl LP]

One of the sacred texts of 1970s R&B (not to mention '70s pop), JUST AS I AM goes toe to toe with STILL BILL for the lofty position of being Bill Withers's best album. It features Withers's unique blend of pop, gospel, and soul, filtered through an acoustic-guitar-based singer/songwriter sensibility. The two big hits (the lovelorn "Ain't No Sunshine" and the bittersweet, nostalgic "Grandma's Hands") are staggering enough, but between striking reinventions of others' material (folkie Fred Neil's "Everybody's Talkin'," the Beatles' "Let it Be") and lesser-known songs that nearly equal the smashes, JUST AS I AM is incredibly consistent, and captivating from beginning to end. Stack this one up alongside any classic Stevie or Marvin album as one of the milestones of the era.

Limited 180-gram vinyl LP pressing of this 1971 album from the soul singer/songwriter. And the remastering brings with it an intimacy the previous editions couldn't quite boast of. "Ain't No Sunshine," "Harlem" and "Better Off Dead" are beloved tracks that have stood the test of time, and listening to them again here reminds us why. Even Withers's covers are handled with great care and intensity-treated as if they were his own compositions. 12 tracks. Get it now. Music On Vinyl.