This typically generous collection from Rhino focuses on a lesser-known but worthwhile proponent of Southern soul. The songs collected here represent '70s R&B music at its most laid-back and thoughtful: The definitive track on Straighten It Out: The Best of Latimore is the title cut, a gorgeous midtempo ballad that features Benny Latimore pouring out his heart in a gospel-tinged style over a simmering midtempo beat dominated by his fluid electric piano work. Most of the material here follows the same style, highlights ...
Read More
This typically generous collection from Rhino focuses on a lesser-known but worthwhile proponent of Southern soul. The songs collected here represent '70s R&B music at its most laid-back and thoughtful: The definitive track on Straighten It Out: The Best of Latimore is the title cut, a gorgeous midtempo ballad that features Benny Latimore pouring out his heart in a gospel-tinged style over a simmering midtempo beat dominated by his fluid electric piano work. Most of the material here follows the same style, highlights including a jazzy, finger-popping take on the old standard "Stormy Monday Blues" and "Somethin' 'Bout Cha," a mellow groover reminiscent of Al Green's mid-'70s work. This consistency is both a blessing and a curse: Despite the overall solid nature of the material here, the lack of stylistic variation makes the songs repetitive after a while (especially during the second half of the collection). That said, Straighten It Out: The Best of Latimore does include all of Latimore's chart hits from his '70s era and allows the listener a convenient way to pick this material up in one fell swoop. As a result, it is worth a spin for hardcore '70s soul fans. ~ Donald A. Guarisco, Rovi
Read Less
