After Midnight (Expanded Version) The Manhattans

• 1 Shining Star 04:38
• 2 It's Not the Same 04:40
• 3 Girl of My Dream 05:00
• 4 Cloudy, With a Chance of Tears 04:51
• 5 The Closer You Are 03:19
• 6 If My Heart Could Speak / One Life to Live 05:35
• 7 Just as Long as I Have You 03:38
• 8 It Couldn't Hurt 04:49
• 9 Tired of the Single Life 04:00
• 10 I'll Never Run Away from Love Again 03:46
• 11 Shining Star 03:45
• 12 I'll Never Find Another (Find Another Like You) 04:21
• 13 Girl of My Dream 03:57
• 14 It Happened to Me 05:06
• 15 No Way to Love Somebody 03:53
• 16 Seclusion 06:56
• 17 What's Inside Your Heart 03:07
• Total Runtime 01:15:21

Info for After Midnight (Expanded Version)

Includes the chart hit “Shining Star” which charted No #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart & No #4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. After Midnight is 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.

The vocals here are sublime throughout as are the vocal harmonies and the record has a natural flow to it that makes it an easy album to relax with. Shining Star is a gorgeous slow burner starter with a plaintive guitar riff that really gets into your head.

Light and airy, it is full of musical and vocal space and thus has a kind of wistful 'upon the wind' feel to it. 'Cloudy With A Chance Of Tears' is classic Manhattans but the medley of 'If My Heart Could Speak' and 'One Life To Live' moves the pace up a fraction, before the best 'uptempo' song on the album arrives.

'It Couldn't Hurt' is a mid-tempo classic with some nice percussion to give the single a 'groovy feel'. 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.

„The finest Manhattan album in their second incarnation. The original group with George Smith had a slightly rougher, more traditional R&B/doo-wop sound, while the soul unit featuring Gerald Alston was smoother, but no less anthemic, especially on ballads. This album didn't make it as high on the pop charts as their self-titled '76 work, but had more consistently compelling tracks. 'Shining Star' and 'Girl Of My Dream' are masterful ballads.“ (Ron Wynn, AMG)

Winfred Lovett, vocals
Edward Bivins, vocals
Kenneth Kelly, vocals
Richard Taylor, vocals
Gerald Alston, vocals

Produced by Leo Graham, Brian Potter, Dennis Lambert, Norman Harris, Bert DeCoteaux

Digitally remastered

The Manhattans
Legend has it that George "Smitty" Smith, Edward "Sonny" Bivins, Winfred "Blue" Lovett, Kenneth Kelly and Richard Taylor came to call themselves the Manhattans because, as teenage singers in Jersey City, New Jersey, they'd dream about the big time while gazing across the Hudson River at the Manhattan skyline. It's a nice story, but unfortunately it is not true. In fact, the quintet took its name from a cocktail known as the Manhattan that's made from whiskey, vermouth, and bitters. Still, the name suggested class, something the Manhattans have epitomized throughout their long career. First tenor Bivins, who characterizes the group's elegant style as "progressive doo wop," first got together with baritone singer Taylor while they were serving with the Air Force in Germany during the late 1950's. After being discharged, Bivins, Lovett and Smith formed the Dulcets in 1960. In 1961, The Dulcets recorded "Pork Chops" on the Sue Label. In 1963, with the addition of Kelly and Taylor, they formed The Manhattans.

Although they began making records in 1963, the Manhattans didn't strike it big until the mid 1970's, when they successfully bucked the disco trend with a series of romantic ballads for Columbia Records. They had eight songs in the R&B Top 10 between 1973 and 1978, with the composition "Kiss And Say Good Bye" going to Number One on both the R&B and Pop Charts in 1976 and placing in the top five in England and Australia. "Shining Star" made it to number five on the Pop Charts, staying on the charts for 14 straight weeks

The Manhattans continue to bring their smooth, classy live sound to their fans, with over 100 shows worldwide last year alone. With Edward "Sonny" Bivins at baritone, Al Pazant at bass, Lee "The Reverend" Williams at lead vocal and Charles "Charming Charlie" Hardy and Harsey "The Candyman" Hemphill sharing 1st and 2nd tenor, The Manhattans continue to be one of the most sought after live R&B units of the day.

This album contains no booklet.