The Manhattans - Even Now (Digitally Remastered) (2013 )

Review by Matt Collar

Despite recording songs that could have been hits during the 1970s, the weak, quiet storm-style production on Even Now renders this disc passé. Gerald Alston and Blue Lovett have great voices that have diminished little in quality since their youth. The gospel-tinged harmonies on "Turn Out the Stars" are fuzzy and sweet, and one can only regret that "I Got It Right" wasn't produced with a little more guts. Most of the drum machine programming seems about ten to 15 years anachronistic. A saccharine cover of Sly Stone's "Everyday People" doesn't help matters much either, serving only to remind listeners of how good '70s soul was. Given the illustrious history of the Manhattans, it's great that these guys are still around and sound so good. It's just too bad that they couldn't be surrounded with a more relevant production.

Tracklist:
1 Love Me Right
2 Turn out the Stars
3 Nites Like This
4 Even Now
5 Everyday People
6 Let's Try Love Again
7 Any Other Way
8 How Much More
9 I Got It Right
10 Lover's Lullaby
11 Can You Take It
12 Men Cry Too
13 Shorty (R'n'b Version)
14 Shorty (Reggae Version)
15 Shorty (House Mix)