Temptations 60

Photographer: Scott Leon.
The Temptations celebrate a milestone on Temptations 60 with a lineup and approach that differentiate the album from 2018's All the Time. Former Az Yet lead vocalist Tony Grant, a tenor, joins Otis Williams, Ron Tyson, Terry Weeks, and Willie Greene, Jr., and instead of covers, the quintet offer up mostly new material. It's an inspired return that sensibly balances the past with the present. The most satisfying results occur when they're assisted by old friend Smokey Robinson (who writes and fronts the soft and warm "Is It Gonna Be Yes or No") and tailored with sure-fire crowd pleasers, such as the one co-written by Williams, Narada Michael Walden, and Preston Glass ("When We Were Kings"). While there are clear musical references to the group's '60s heyday, a handful of compositions sound as if they were sourced from the latter half of the '80s or the early '90s. In fact, the Tempts take a third crack at "Elevator Eyes," one that isn't as busy production-wise as the versions heard on the Emperors of Soul box (1994) and Ear-Resistible (2000). ~ Andy Kellman