The Temptations - Bare Back (1978) [2013 Atlantic 1000 R&B Best Collection] CD-Rip

Radio gave some notice to Bare Back's first single, "Ever Ready Love," a melodic ballad that sparkled with the sweet lead vocal of Leonard, who was increasingly proving to be a great asset to the group. The Hollands also leaned heavily on the always-brilliant Richard Street, and his empassioned vocals on cuts like "Touch Me Again" and the title track brought the maximum life to fairly mediocre underlying material. Conversely, Louis Price was largely placed in the background for Bare Back, getting the full lead only on "That's When You Need Love" - a really fine vocal performance that showed much better chemistry with the group than his work on Hear.... One hidden gem late on the album was "I See My Child," a string-filled ballad that is at times a bit saccharine, but which includes simply beautiful group harmonies that make it the mostly likely "keeper" on the album. The failure of Bare Back to win - or even keep - the longtime fans of The Temptations, led the group to return, successfully, to Motown in 1980 for Power, a fine album to which Berry Gordy personally attached his name as producer and which thrust The Tempts back into the Top 10.


Tracks:

01. Mystic Woman (Love Me Over)
02. I Just Don't Know How To Let You Go
03. That's When You Need Love
04. Bare Back
05. Ever Ready Love
06. Wake Up To Me
07. You're So Easy To Love
08. I See My Child
09. Touch Me Again