'A handful of contemporary soul names join Al for his first studio album in three years.'

George Luke reviews the latest albums from Al Green, Salvador, Jaci Velasquez and Omega Bugembe Okello

Use the picture or text links to buy the albums from amazon.co.uk and Christian Aid will receive part of the sale price

Al Green

I once read somewhere that when Al Green started performing ‘secular’ songs again after becoming a preacher, he used to sing the word “maybe” because he couldn’t bring himself to sing “baby” anymore. If there’s any truth to that story, then one thing Al’s new album Lay It Down proves is that he’s fully overcome that hang-up.

A handful of contemporary soul names join Al for his first studio album in three years – including ?uestlove (sic), drummer for the band The Roots, who co-produced the album alongside James Poyser and Al himself.

Sultry

Musical backing is provided by the Dap Kings’ horn section – recently heard on Mark Ronson’s and Amy Winehouse’s hit albums. John Legend and Anthony Hamilton also lend their vocal talents, but the standout singing collaborator is Corinne Bailey Rae, who gives a sultry performance on the duet “Take Your Time”.

Lay It Down is vintage Al Green. It’s a bit short (total playing time’s just under 45 minutes), but that’s all the time Al needs to remind you why he’s such a legend. A gospel track or two wouldn’t have gone amiss, though. Maybe next time, Reverend Al?

Salvador

One of my highlights of last month’s Pentecost festival was seeing Salvador’s first ever London gig at the Astoria; a particularly sweaty evening with lots of mad salsa dancing. You had to be there…

Aware is Salvador’s sixth studio album. Nic Gonzales (the band’s lead singer and principal songwriter) recently became a dad for the first time, and the experience has clearly made his songwriting more reflective this time round.

There’s less of Salvador’s trademark Latin sound than usual on Aware. Traces of it can be heard on “Fly Again” and “What Would It Be Like” – but the only ‘real’ Latin track here is “Llévame”, written by Nic’s wife, the singer Jaci Velasquez. Jaci also makes a guest vocal appearance on “Everybody Needs You”.

Jaci Velasquez

It’s been quite a busy time in the Gonzales household lately. A baby’s been born, Nic’s released an album with his band, and Jaci has a new album out too. And if married life has made Nic more introspective, it seems to have had the opposite effect on his missus.

Jaci is clearly in the mood for some soul baring on her new album, Love Out Loud. That much becomes evident right from the first lines of the opening track, “Nothing But Sky”:

“I’m here/with all the scars and the tears/I’ve survived.” Though not written by her, the song was written for and about her, and sums up rather succinctly all the ups and downs she has been through in the last few years.

Marriage

On “Tango”, Jaci gives us her perspective on her marriage. “Love is a fiery dance of give and take,” she observes, before going on to inform us that Nic’s the cool one in their relationship while she’s the drama queen.

“It’s Not You, It’s Me” focuses on another man in her life. According to Jaci, this was the song that helped restore her relationship with her father – a relationship that became strained following her parents’ divorce. The “aaah” factor gets turned up to eleven when Nic duets with Jaci on “Por Escrito”.

Honest, charming and funny in places, Love Out Loud is Jaci’s most personal album to date, and definitely one of her best.

Omega Bugembe Okello

It always makes a refreshing change to meet someone who doesn’t conform to tired old stereotypes. And Omega Bugembe Okello is a million miles removed from the ‘off the rails and off their face’ caricature so many ex-child stars wear so well.

Omega was just a toothless four-year-old when she was chosen to be in the African Children’s Choir. She toured the world, sang for heads of state, and shared the stage with Hollywood A-listers – all before she turned 10.

Now grown up, she’s put a promising career as an Obstetrics & Gynaecology research scientist on hold to return to music. Kiwomera Emmeeme (it is sweet to the soul) is her debut album, released on her own label.

Great

All the songs on Kiwomera Emmeeme are sung either in Swahili or in Loganda, the mother tongue of Omega’s native Uganda. The celebratory “Mujje” revels in God and life being great.

“Utama Wa Mapenzi” is a love song dedicated to Omega’s husband, while “Tugilabilile” is a plea to everyone to take better care of the environment. Lazy guitars and shuffling percussion provide a cool backdrop for the more laid-back songs.

Her days as a child singer may be long gone, but Omega’s voice still has an almost childish innocence to it, and listening to her sing just fills you with a sense of hope. It really is sweet to the soul.

Amazon links

• Buy Al Green – Lay It Down

• Buy Salvador – Aware

• Buy Jaci Velasquez – Love Out Loud

• Buy Omega Bugembe Okello – Kiwomera Emmeeme

Use the links to buy the albums from amazon.co.uk and Christian Aid will receive part of the sale price

• Read other Tunes columns