All The Time

On their first studio album in eight years, the Temptations revert to covers, as they did with multiple full-lengths earlier in the 2000s. This time, the group, still led by lone original member Otis Williams, selects mostly contemporary material. They do so with mixed results, excelling with imaginative takes on Maxwell's "Pretty Wings," Sam Smith's "Stay with Me," and John Mayer's "When I Was Your Man," pouncing on the opportunity to accentuate the latter's allusion to the work of Motown peer Marvin Gaye. A busy version of Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time" involves ill-fitting elements like "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"-evoking handclaps and gleaming synthesizers, while the Weeknd's "Earned It" is a creative risk not worth taking. "Waitin' on You" is the best of the few originals, easily mistakable for a (cleaned-up) take on a Jaheim hit. With each cover choice popularized by a solo artist, the set is a subtle reminder that vocal groups are nearly extinct. ~ Andy Kellman