by John Bush
Though it's bookended by two of the sweet soul trio's biggest hits, A Moment With the Moments reflects the overall weaknesses in the trio's songs, performances, and most tragically, the sound of any release associated with parent company All Platinum. Harry Ray, a newcomer to the Moments, hits all the high notes on the opener, a cover of the Ink Spots' vocal standard that hit the R&B Top Ten. "Key to My Happiness" is a great buried treasure, firmly in the Motown sound, and "Love on a Two-Way Street" is as exquisite a soul ballad as ever made it to the top of the pop charts. Still, "Lovely Way She Loves" and "So This Is Our Goodbye" are weak filler material, the group straining to get the same pleading in their voice as more popular acts like the Delfonics. The arrangements are effective, and the backing by Willie & the Mighty Magnificents is fresh and inventive, but alas, the sound is sub-standard (par for the course for All Platinum) and even a 2000 CD revamping of the album by Sequel (packaged with The Other Side of the Moments) can't help the weak sound.