Bill Withers – Just as I Am (1971/2005) [HDTracks FLAC 24bit/96kHz]

Bill Withers – Just as I Am (1971/2005)
FLAC (tracks) 24-bit/96 kHz | Time – 35:58 minutes | 753 MB | Genre: R&B, Soul
Official Digital Download – Source: HDTracks | @ Columbia Records
Recorded: 1971 at Sunset Sound, Wally Heider Studios, Hollywood, California

Just As I Am is the debut studio album by Bill Withers and was first released in 1971. It was recorded at Sunset Sound and Wally Heider Studios in Hollywood, California and produced by Booker T. Jones. The album features the classic hit single “Ain’t No Sunshine”, which has been ranked #280 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In a career laden with highlights and hallmarks in the annals of soul history, Just as I Am gets rather overlooked as one of the best soul debuts ever issued. Remastered and repackaged as a part of Sony’s DualDisc series, Just as I Am gets cleaned up and presented to a new generation of listeners who may have missed out the first time. And with this remastering comes an intimacy, warmth, and immediacy to the recordings that was only hinted at with previous versions; it’s almost as if Withers is in a living room singing to a small group of people, rather than making a record. Of course, the instantly recognizable anthem “Ain’t No Sunshine” gets all of the acclaim it so richly deserves, but tracks like “Harlem” and “Better Off Dead” also warrant kudos for the intensity and maturity of their performances. Even when he’s doing covers, Withers treats them as if they are his own compositions and handles them with great delicacy. And while the audio performances are top-notch, the new documentary on the making of the record, as well as rare performances of “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Ain’t Her Daddy,” and “Harlem” are the icing on the proverbial cake. Kudos to Sony for not only reissuing a long lost masterpiece, but for doing it in such a classy fashion. -AllMusic Review by Rob Theakston

Tracklist:
1 Harlem 03:25
2 Ain’t No Sunshine 02:06
3 Grandma’s Hands 02:03
4 Sweet Wanomi 02:35
5 Everybody’s Talkin’ 03:28
6 Do It Good 02:54
7 Hope She’ll Be Happier 03:51
8 Let It Be 02:39
9 I’m Her Daddy 03:20
10 In My Heart 04:22
11 Moanin’ and Groanin’ 03:00
12 Better off Dead 02:15

Personnel:
Bill Withers – guitar, vocals
Stephen Stills – guitar
Chris Ethridge – bass
Jim Keltner – drums
Booker T. Jones – guitar, keyboards
Bobbye Hall Porter – percussion
Donald “Duck” Dunn – bass
Al Jackson, Jr. – drums

Download:

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