Published on Aug 21, 2002
I never did like
The Partridge Family, except for the animated opening
credits when I was a kid. So, I’ll freely admit that I might not be
the best one to review an album from David Cassidy – “Keith
Partridge” himself.
Then again, why not? I never really watched the show, so I’ve
got few preconceptions about that. I was too young to have gotten
into the screaming fan-demonium that accompanied Cassidy until the
mid-’70s, so I don’t hold on to any rose-colored images of my
youth.
Regrettably, Cassidy does – and this is where his latest disc
Then And Now collapses under its own weight. It’s not that
Cassidy reprises songs from his days in The Partridge Family that
is a gripe; rather, it is the lackluster effort given to many other
cornerstones of the ’60s.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, there is enough on this disc to make
even the most jaded listener tap their foot to the music. It’s a
tad lame, granted, but “C’mon Get Happy” is a guilty pleasure, and
is harmless enough. Likewise, “Rock Me Baby” is more fun than you
might want to admit having, but Cassidy does nail this one
perfectly.
It is when Cassidy takes on other songs from the past that
Then And Now becomes a burden. Granted, Cassidy almost pulls
it off on “How Can I Be Sure,” creating a version that doesn’t add
anything to the original, but doesn’t do any harm. The same can’t
be said for his cover of The Association’s “Cherish”; his version
is weaker than month-old coffee thanks to a lackluster approach and
melody. His takes on “I Can Feel Your Heartbeat” and “Ain’t No
Sunshine” also fall far short of the mark. (While we’re at it, can
we pass a Constitutional amendment making it a crime to re-record
“Ain’t No Sunshine”? Bill Withers did
the version; leave it at that.)
Other tracks on
Then And Now – while not terrible – don’t really have the
kind of impact on the listener that Cassidy was probably aiming
for. Songs like “Ricky’s Tune,” “I’ll Meet You Halfway” and “It’s
One Of Those Nights” are marginal enough to keep listening to, but
will doubtfully be replacing any of the old standards in the hearts
of Cassidy’s fans.
The problem is not that Cassidy is hanging onto the past on
Then And Now, nor is the problem that Cassidy hasn’t tried
to set a new image for himself. The problem almost seems to be that
Cassidy expects to get away with a half-hearted release with the
knowledge that his fanbase – especially those he gained thanks to
VH-1 – will buy it. That might be so, but you can only feed them
pabulum for so long before they move on.
Then And Now dares to suggest that Cassidy might be running
out of steam – a shame, since he does still have a powerful vocal
style that could teach some boy bands a thing or two.