Retro Reviews: Barry Manilow: Even Now

     I decided to launch a new series to imagine myself as a critic at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s, and to rectify certain reviews from Rolling Stone magazine and Creem. This not meant to be contrarian, but to offer a more balanced perspective. All the albums reviewed are indeed classic albums. 

Barry Manilow – Even Now* (1978)

****

Producers: Barry Manilow, Don Dante

Musicians: Barry Manilow, Bill Mays, Paul Shaffer, Mitch Holder, Jeff Mironow, Lee Ritenour, Jay Gradon, Will Lee, Bob Babbitt, Ronnie Zito, Jimmy Young, Alan Estes, Jimmy Maelen, Ginger Blake, Laura Creamer, Linda Dillard, Don Dante, Artie Butler, Dick Behrke, Richard Winzeler, Jimmie Haskell

Songs: Copacabana (At The Copa), Somewhere In The Night, A Linda Song, Can’t Smile Without You, Leavin’ In The Morning, Where Do I Go From Here, Even Now, I Was A Fool (To Let You Go), Losing Touch, I Just Want To Be The One in Your Life, Starting Again, Sunrise

Reviewed By Matthew Anthony Allair

    Barry Manilow’s new album is out, and the follow up to This One’s For You from a few years ago, it’s all pretty much safe, but is it any good? Manilow started out as the accompanying piano player for Bette Midler and produced her first two albums, and after struggling, he found a formula. It appears Barry must have heard Phil Spector’s production on The Beatles Let It Be, especially on “The Long and Winding Road”, and built a template from it. But the album is a pretty varied and mixed collection, with a touch of AOR for good measure. Barry remains a strong singer, and able piano player, he may not have the edge of a contemporary like Billy Joel, but production and the team of players make it fairly immaculate. Yet, there isn’t pretense behind this, if you are looking for light rock or pop, this will be ideal. Besides, Manilow fans probably won’t mind. Barry does seem like he has a knack for writing a catchy melody or finding one. There’s no soloists, so the ensemble playing is pleasant 

    Barry has a dalliance with Disco, and it makes sense, there’s an old Hollywood feeling behind the narrative to “Copacabana (At The Copa)”, it’s fun and good opener for the album. This is followed by the ballad “Somewhere In The Night”, pretty standard Manilow fare, but he is able to articulate an emotional arc. “A Linda Song” is a overlooked romance about a woman who supported an artist who was blinded their need for her, another well executed ballad. The brighter pop of “Can’t Smile Without You” is an obvious single, than manages to modulate keys four times, the spirit of it could be seen as sweet or pitiful depending on your outlook. The guitar pop of “Leavin’ In The Morning” has a touch of the current Neil Diamond sensibility. The ballad “Where Do I Go From here” ends the first half, and he does have a knack for a lovely melody. 

    The title track opens the second half, a regret about a lost love, and apparently the other single issued. Barry has dabbled before with writing American songbook jazz number before and does it again with the light swing of “I Was a Fool (To Let You Go)”. Barry has obviously figured out that ballads are his safe territory, so “Losing Touch” is about the end of a relationship. The slight mid tempo of “I Just Want to be One in Your Life” has a catchy melody with a bridge that has a hint of brief gospel, it’s not earth shattering, but well done with another modulating key. “Starting Again” is an ambivalent number that will feel all to common for many. The closer, “Sunrise” manages to have a haunted quality with a Latin feel, and a good closing statement for the album. Manilow and Marty Panzer wrote most of the songs, along with material from Richard Kerr, Will Jennings, Chris Arnold, David Martin, Parker McGee, and Michael Price, Dan Walsh. 

    Yes, the whole packaging, the production has a very corporate pop feel to it, I admit, nothing really profound per se, and mostly pleasant background music, but Barry does a good job of it, and it will probably help find a broader audience, it serves it’s purpose well.  

* This is one of those albums I have a sense memory with as it was one of my mother's favorites from in the mid-seventies.