The Manhattans

The Best of the Manhattans: Kiss and Say Goodbye Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The Best of the Manhattans: Kiss and Say Goodbye is a terrific, 19-song overview of the Manhattans' recordings for Columbia in the '70s. All but two of the group's Top Ten R&B hits for the label are featured – there's no "We Never Danced to a Love Song" or "Crazy," but "There's No Me Without You," "Don't Take Your Love," "Hurt," "Kiss and Say Goodbye," "I Kinda Miss You," "It Feels So Good to Be Loved So Bad," "Am I Losing You," and "Shining Star" are all present – and several fine lesser-known singles and album tracks are added for good measure. Although the collection might be a bit too extensive for casual fans, it's the definitive overview of the Manhattans' time as a smooth soul group, illustrating how they helped develop the quiet storm subgenre.

Black Tie is the 1981 album by The Manhattans, their twelfth release. This is the 2014 remaster reissued by Funkytowngrooves/Columbia/Sony Music Commercial Music Group featuring six bonus cuts.

The Manhattans were one of those classic R&B vocal groups who manage to achieve incredible career longevity by adapting their style to fit changing times. Formed in the '60s as a doo wop-influenced R&B quintet, the Manhattans reinvented themselves as sweet smooth soul balladeers during the '70s. In doing so, they somehow overcame the death of lead singer George Smith, and with new frontman Gerald Alston became more popular than they'd ever been, landing an across-the-board number one hit in 1976 with "Kiss and Say Goodbye." Under the leadership of Winfred "Blue" Lovett (who also composed some of the group's biggest hits), the Manhattans survived as a viable chart act well into the '80s, over two decades after their formation. The Manhattans got together not in their namesake location, but in nearby Jersey City, NJ, in 1962.

"Forever By Your Side" is the 13th studio album of American popular R&B vocal group the Manhattans, originally released in 1983 by Columbia Records. In 2014, the album was remastered on CD with the caption "Expanded Edition" and brought five bonus tracks, totaling 13 tracks. The last song on this 2014 remaster, "Lovin' You Did not Come Easy", is an previously unreleased song, released over thirty years after it was recorded.

2014 remastered expanded edition of the 1980 album by legendary soul band The Manhattans. The album has been suggested as one of the best albums The Manhattans have ever recorded. As the title suggests, it's the kind of record made for late night listening and features many beautiful love songs. With classy harmonies in the chorus and an outstanding Gerald Alston lead it provides a warm ending to a very fine chilled out soul record. If you like mellow soul then "After Midnight" is for you.

"Black Tie" is the 1981 album by legendary soul band The Manhattans. The album is regarded the most melodic, emotional and soulful album ever release by the New Jersey outfit. This album has the rare quantity of not including any track fillers and contains nothing but songs that will make you feel those goosebumps regardless of your age. "Black Tie" has been out of print for a while and every Manhattan fan will be queuing for this rare and collector's classic expanded reissue.

"A Million To One" is a fourth studio album by The Manhattans. Originally it was released on on vinyl on the long-defunct Deluxe Records label and are from the time period before the great Gerald Alston joined the group. In 2015 album finally has been reissued on the Sony-affiliated Funky Town Grooves label.

Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of albums from the Philly Soul legends: Love Talk (1979) and Black Tie (1981). Love Talk was recorded jointly in New York and Philadelphia and has not previously been on CD. It includes "Devil in the Dark" and the US single "Here Comes the Hurt Again", both definitive Philly ballads produced by Jack Faith at Sigma Sound.

This spotlights the biggest records from The Manhattans' second phase. After George "Smitty" Smith died, eventual replacement Gerald Alston brought them a fine heartache and love ballad stylist. The move to a major label in the early '70s also helped, as Columbia provided them much more publicity muscle and promotional assistance than they ever received at Carnival and Deluxe. During the mid-'70s and early '80s, they also earned their first crossover exposure with the #1 hit "Kiss And Say Goodbye," one of the songs featured on this anthology spotlighting their soul and pop hits for Columbia.