Howard Hewett - Howard Hewett (1990/2018)

On this album, Howard Hewett has a string of solid ballads and mid-tempo numbers before bowing to some experiemental material. The first release was "Show Me." Hewett delivers a compassionate performance as he craves to make good on the lyric. For two consecuive weeks it held the number two spot on the Billboard R&B charts. On a more mid-tempo note, the second single "If I Could only Have that Day Back" comes across as a pop-oriented number. Nonetheless, the single is inviting; it peaked at 14. The third release "Let Me Show You How to Fall in Love" is groomed around a mid-tempo rhythm; it too has that crossover appeal as well. It peaked at 67 after only eight weeks on the charts.

The misfortune on this album is that "When Will It Be" and "I Do" were never released. Both are moderate numbers. The former is a duet with the incomparable Anita Baker. The two gifted singers earnestly complement one another in a lyric centered around the bewildering quest for world harmony; the song is cradled in a elegant, jazzy arrangement that is contagious to any listener. Truly a great song. "I Do" slowly builds through the verse to the chorus. The change-up prior to the chorus is irresistibly engaging. As simplistic as the lyrics are, they are appealing as well. The mid-tempo and ballad numbers outshine the uptempo numbers.