Bill Withers' first two albums were arguably his best works, his most personal and unaffected music with a distinctive sound by virtue of their lean production, especially his debut, Just As I Am. At the turn of the 1960s into the 1970s, he was a unique presence, as we're reminded by this Raven Records two-LP-on-one-CD package. Withers' first album is otherwise unavailable on CD, and the mastering here brings the audio quality up dramatically, making the listening experience close and intimate,...   [ read more ]

CD $20.88

A budget-priced ten-song Bill Withers compilation containing, as its name implies, most of his biggest songs. There are no notes, and the repertory jumps from Withers' early-'70s folk repertory ("Lean on Me," "Ain't No Sunshine," "Another Day to Run") to his mid-' 80s soul sound ("Watching You Watching Me" and "Better Off Dead"), with heavy synthesizer backings, etc. The difference isn't as jarring as one expects, however -- Withers' voice was as good as ever on the later repertory...   [ read more ]

CD $6.64

Lean on Me is a reissue of the 1999 budget-priced ten-song Bill Withers compilation Top Bill, containing most of Withers' biggest songs. The song list jumps from his early-'70s folk repertoire ("Lean on Me," "Ain't No Sunshine," "Another Day to Run") to his mid-'80s soul sound ("Don't Make Me Wait," "Watching You Watching Me"), with heavy synthesizer backings, etc. The difference isn't as jarring as one might expect, however -- Withers' voice was as good as ever on the l...   [ read more ]

CD $7.58