Although they were at least 14 years past their creative and commercial peak when the small, Buffalo-based Amherst label released
Love Talk
in 1990,
the Stylistics
proved that they could still be enjoyable on this decent release. The CD isn't in a class with their remarkable work with
Thom Bell
and
Linda Creed
in the mid-'70s, but it isn't anything to be ashamed of either.
"I Don't Need This"
finds the group embracing new jack swing (and even doing some rapping!) with surprisingly unpretentious results, but for the most part, the Philadelphians don't go out of their way to appeal to 1990's urban contemporary market. Silky offerings like "I Just Don't Know What to Do," "Me - U equals Blue" and a cover of the
Willie Nelson
hit "Always On My Mind" aren't all that different from the type of sweet soul they were embracing 17 years earlier.
Russell Thompkins'
falsetto had held up well over the years, and he could still be quite charismatic. But the little-known CD was pretty much ignored by urban radio, and in fact, many diehard
Stylistics
fans didn't even know that it existed. ~ Alex Henderson