James Brown's Merry Christmas Album follows the pattern of his other Christmas records, blending holiday spirit with a lot of funk and a bit of social commentary on songs like "Don't Forget the Poor at Christmas," "Clean for Christmas," and "Christmas Is for Everyone." Brown also spices up standards like "Sleigh Ride" and celebrates the year 2000 with "Funky Christmas Millennium." While it's not as consistently dynamic as his best work or his other Christmas albums, Merry Christmas Album is festive fun for the Godfather's fans. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide
Since 1976's Get Up Offa That Thing, Brown has been existing on comebacks, near-misses, and embarrassments, no matter how ultimately substantive and profitable they turned out to be. His work had been re-evaluated by the early '80s, but his newer work, primarily his album output, including 1992's Universal James, has been uneven and substandard. Although I'm Back isn't a masterwork of cohesion, it proves the artist's viability, and that's more than enough. This set starts off with a hip-hop, synth-based version of "Can't Stand It." It should be appalling, but it's not. Throughout most of the album, Brown runs headlong into newer production values and remixes, and comes out generally unscathed. "Funk on Ah Roll" shows up in three versions, the best being "Funk on Ah Roll (S Class Club Mix)." The track has Brown singing, "Bring back the funk" -- and it does, sampling a few of his hard-edged '70s tracks in an inventive manner. The tracks devoid of studio wizardry fare less well. Brown phones in "What It Takes," a bland duet reworking of Brook Benton and Dinah Washington's "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)," giving two people a chance to turn over their graves for the price of one. A potent remake of "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" has St. Clair Pinckey doing a great, old-timey, honking sax riff. The uncomfortably astute, slightly anachronistic, early-'90s styled "Break Away" has Brown sounding off to fans who attempt to flee him, only to return his patently, screaming-loud R&B. I'm Back does have its share of duds, but it mostly shows Brown in command and still a viable presence. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide
Returning to the sight of his legendary '60s recording, Live at the Apollo, James Brown is joined by such soul luminaries as Ashford & Simpson, Vickie Anderson, and Lloyd Price. Brown & Co. storm through both new and old material, including an incendiary "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag." ~ Jonathan Ball, All Music Guide