For Lovers Only
When this CD was released, group memberOtis Williamswas quoted as saying that it was a belated follow-up to the Temptations' 1967In a Mellow Moodset. Much like that LP, this 12-track album contains some time-honored standards likeRodgers and Hammerstein's "Some Enchanted Evening" andCole Porter's "Night and Day." Of course, there are some major differences betweenFor Lovers Onlyand that recording: only Williams remains from the original lineup and the arrangements are totally in sync with '90s technology. "At Last" (best known byEtta James's early-'60s version) is one of the standouts here, along with a surprisingly refreshing reading of "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" and a slowed-down, soul-infused version ofDinah Washington's classic "What a Difference a Day Makes." A 1961 hit by theClassics, "Life Is But a Dream," is given a wonderful doo-wop workout and includes a greatStevie Wonderharmonica solo; a medley ofEd Townsend's "For Your Love" andSam Cooke's "You Send Me" works very well. Props to veteran producer Richard Perry for providing appropriate musical settings for this excellent project.--David Nathan