Search - Moments :: Love on a Two Way Street: Best of

SOULFUL LOVE SONGS OF "THE MOMENTS" ARE MAGNIFICENT!

RBSProds | Deep in the heart of Texas | 07/17/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Four and a half SMOOTH stars!! This CD captures post doo-wop/soul group The Moments in some signature performances that go back to their first hit "Not On The Outside" (covered note-for-note by Eddie Kendricks on "Keep On Truckin') and the brilliant ballads that kept the group in the limelight, through significant personnel changes. One change came when the second lineup of "The Moments" left their original recording company and legally were prevented from using the group's name: so they used their surnames and became the fabulously successful "Ray, Goodman, and Brown" which immediately went to #1 with "Special Lady". But this CD showcases different lineups of "The Moments" that were all about singing LOVELY ballads of 'love-lost' and 'love found' using exceptional falsetto singing, even though they included natural baritone and tenor voices. In truth, the recording company used so many different Moment lineups on some LPs it's difficult to explain, so just enjoy the music.



The 'best of the best' include the #1 R&B, platinum-selling mega-hit "Love On A Two-Way Street", with its extended double bridges, that has some of the best low-range falsetto singing I have ever heard as Billy Brown's vibrato and vocal gymnastics wring every bit of emotion from each phrase. An AMAZING performance that should not be missed and has served as romantic background music for generations: "she held me in desper-a-tion, I thought it was a revel-a-tion...and then she walked out". Not to be outdone by that hit is the Ray, Goodman, and Brown lineup on another all-time favorite Moment song of 'quiet storm' radio stations: the love theme "Gotta Find a Way" with its trademark french horn and strings, the airline announcer's "voice over" creating tension, and a guilty man rushing to the airport attempting to stop his jilted lover from leaving, all framed by the incredible falsetto voice of the late Harry Ray. Then there is "Sexy Mama" with it's shifting rhythms and double-stops and the awesome "Loving You Is Easy": also 'quiet storm' favorites. Wonderful soulful performances by one of the super groups of soul music that successfully survived turbulent personnel changes that the audience may not have known. Highly Recommended!! Four and a half SILKY Stars!

(audio CD, 10 songs, 34:56.

Trivia: listen closely to the lovely speaking and singing voice of label owner Sylvia Robinson (aka Little Sylvia Vanderpool) of the 'Mickey and Sylvia' duo, which had a huge hit with "Love is Strange", as she sneaks into the mix at times on "Lovely Way She Loves" and "I Do".)"