Forty years into a celebrated, highly influential recording career, Al Green could just sit back and collect the royalties from his lucrative catalog. Whenever he felt like it, he could hit the road and perform his '70s evergreens, including "Let's Stay Together," "I'm Still in Love With You" and "Love and Happiness." He doesn't need to make any new material.

But the Memphis-based legend, 62, still loves making records. And with a voice and a style that defy time and easy categorization, Green continues to deliver solid albums. On Lay It Down, his third album for Blue Note Records in stores today, he collaborates with artists (Anthony Hamilton, John Legend, Corrine Bailey Rae) who were either toddling around in diapers or not even born when Green reigned supreme on pop radio.

Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots is one of the CD's producers. His crisp drumming anchors the 11-track album, whose sound warmly evokes Green's Willie Mitchell-produced hits of the 1970s.

Lay It Down is well-paced with sassy, midtempo numbers and floating ballads, and all are engagingly rendered by Green. Hamilton's youthful grittiness is a great complement to Green's full-bodied silkiness on the rousing "You've Got the Love I Need." Green is beautifully laid-back on the churchy "What More Do You Want From Me." And he trades dreamily romantic verses with Rae on "Take Your Time."

Lyrically, though, none of the songs are as tightly focused as Green's greatest hits. They're not as immediate, either. But they become more ingratiating with repeated listens. Even with the different guests, the album rightfully centers on Green's greatest asset: that heavenly voice.

Check out this funky clip of Al Green on Soul Train circa 1974: