Released: 1987
Look, this album didn’t deserve a full review especially considering how the previous two Temptations albums were Ds. But since this was Dennis Edwards’s final final hurrah with the Temptations I mustered the strength. I couldn’t pass up hearing Edwards, Melvin Franklin, Richard Street, and Otis Williams sing together one last time. They were longest tenured formulation of the Temptations.
Still, I largely regret devoting so much time to this album.
But before I get too negative, let’s enjoy what little good stuff there is!
As far as mildly tacky 80s dance-pop goes, “Look What You Started” is fantastic. Even has a classy piano solo at the three-minute mark to jazz things up and offset the keyboards imitating real horns and the stuttering vocals. “10 X 10” is another dance number pepped up by a lively piano that even reminds you of house music.
“I Got Your Number” is a pleasant by-the-numbers mid-tempo R&B number with some good bass work and a squawking saxophone.
The other single was “I Wonder Who She’s Seeing Now”. Stevie Wonder graces the song with his distinctive harmonica. I had to find something positive about the song. Well, Dennis Edwards does sing the song well, too. However, it’s standard issue late 80s schlock lifted up to the barest of decency by the efforts of music titans.
Can’t say the same for the rest of this album.
On “Do You Wanna Go With Me”, Edwards oversings like there’s no tomorrow. “Little Things” has all that tinny embarrassing percussion you can only get from late 80s pop. “Every Time I Close My Eyes” finds Richard Street trying to enliven the basest of ballads.
Ron Tyson has the misfortune of singing “Lucky”. And “Put Your Foot Down” had a nice idea (the Temptations sing a nasty rock song), but it ends up lame like most of this album.
ALBUM GRADE: D+
Hey, it’s a D+ which is actually an improvement over the previous albums. Gonna cut my loses and start reviewing the remaining Temptations albums in bunches because the returns, they are diminishing.
Song Scores
Look What You Started: 7/10
I Wonder Who She’s Seeing Now: 6/10
10 X 10: 6.5/10
Do You Wanna Go With Me: 4/10
Little Things: 4/10
I Got Your Number: 6.5/10
Every Time I Close My Eyes: 5/10
Lucky: 4/10
Put Your Foot Down: 4/10