Post by tempfan on Jan 31, 2006 18:33:20 GMT -5
THE TEMPTATIONS REFLECTIONS
New Door/Universal Music,
Rating - B
By JONATHAN TAKIFF
Philly News
Just one original member (Otis Williams) remains, but today's edition of the Temptations carries the Motown torch with honor. Especially so with "Reflections"(Newdoor/Universal Music), as the quintet celebrates the label's glorious catalog of classic hits, from "Can I Get a Witness" to "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)," and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" with robust, in-your-face performances.
Small concessions are made to contemporary tastes - most tellingly on the electronic drums and synth keyboards that flavor the likes of "How Sweet It Is (to Be Loved by You)" and "This Old Heart of Mine" - but the updates don't inflict major body blows to the material. And wisely, the guys bring in a strong female voice - Vann Johnson - to help recreate the he-she testifying glories of "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing."