Summer Of '78 Review

07/13/2005 5:37 AM, AMG


Barry Manilow decided to follow the success of Singing with the Big Bands with an album saluting another great lost era -- The Summer of '78. Even on the newly-written title song, it's never quite clear why Manilow chose to single out the summer of 1978 out of the entire decade -- after all, the album is comprised of songs written throughout the '70s -- but the exact reason doesn't matter: as much as its predecessor, this is an exercise in nostalgia, pure and simple. Of course, it's very entertaining nostalgia, as Manilow has chosen soft-rock songs (Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch," Leo Sayer's "When I Need You," Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight") that perfectly suit his style. It's a minor entry in Manilow's catalog to be sure, but The Summer of '78 is a perfectly executed and entertaining slice of nostalgia. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide