Like Green's classic work, LAY IT DOWN blends Southern soul, funk, jazz, blues, and balladry into a gorgeously smooth concoction that is steamy, surging, mellow, and moving all at once. The title track, a duet with Anthony Hamilton, kicks things off in style with a floating, string-sweetened vibe that showcases the restrained prowess of both singers. (Hamilton also appears on the groove-driven "You've Got the Love I Need.") Other highlights include the ballad "No One Like You," and duets with John Legend and Corinne Bailey Rae. Brilliant in its controlled passion and silky, atmospheric mood, LAY IT DOWN is a latter-day soul gem from one of the genre's masters.