Hi Rhythm : On the Loose
Al Green's Hi Recording Studio band cut out on their own on this 1976 release which caught the ear of rock critic dean Robert Christgau. He gave On The Loose an A-minus rating:
In which Al Green's sidemen, perhaps disgruntled at Al's unwillingness to record their material, get together and cut it. Some stickler for detail is sure to point out that the singing on side two is completely out of tune, but that's OK--so is most of the singing on side one, which I prefer to Full of Fire. One of the more carefully thought out tracks features a mildly malicious lyric about Green himself, but it's the eccentricity of the music, which sounds as if it includes a banjo, that does him in. Loose indeed.
The song that apparently takes a shot at Al Green is called "Superstar". In any case, it doesn't take many listens to realize that while Hi Rhythm provides outstanding grooves, you'll be missing Al Green's smooth and effortless vocals. Still, this is a hell of a lot better than what The Meters released in '76.
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