The Offbeat of Avenues

This is a well-rounded effort by Manhattan Transfer. I could sum it up like this: "Confide In Me" is a song written by Donald Fagen and I always hoped to hear Steely Dan play it as a rarity thrown in their set on recent tours. I finally caught a video of Fagen playing it live and it pales in comparison to the Manhattan Transfer's cover of the song. That one song is worth buying the cd!

I was always familiar with The Manhattan Transfer...when I heard "A world Apart" I really got into them....that was the only song I was familiar with on this record!!! got a lot of air play on the jazz station years ago! "Confide in Me" is another good one! A good record to get aquainted with them!! has some good flavors mixed in!

This and Brasil are my two favorite MT records and they compliment each other well. Awesome record!

I first heard the title track on the radio and fell in love with it. Then I found the album and fell in love with that too. At times snazzy (Offbeat of Avenues, Blue Serenade), at times sultry (10 Minutes Till the Savages Come), now quiet and sorrowful (Gentleman with a Family), now bright and hopeful (Confide in Me). This album runs the emotional gauntlet and does them all quite well. I will admit that the final track, Blues for Pablo, took me a while to warm up to. The odd rhythms and discordant sounds made it a jarring departure from the feel of the rest of the album. But that seems to be part and parcel of its message and with each listening it sounds more right to me.

"Offbeat Of Avenues" was released in 1991 for Sony, the first for the label after switching from long time home Atlantic Records. In 1992 Cheryl Bentyne released her first solo album "Something Cool" on Sony during M.T's stay on the label, an interesting surreal effort that's out of print. "Offbeat Of Avenues" finds the Transfer experimenting in different soundscapes, "Sassy" won a Grammy for best Jazz record with vocals. "10 Minutes Till The Savages Come" was a single that received plenty of airplay and it makes one wish the remainder of this album would feature off-time arrangements but insted they steer for a pop sound, including the then obligatory rap verse and drum machines. "Confide In Me" is a Donald Fagen tune recorded by Donald and issued as a "b" side from his 1993 effort "Kamakiriad." While on Sony the Transfer contributed two tracks to the film "A League Of Their Own" and released their final Sony effort "The Christmas Album" in 1992 as a contractual obligation before jumping back to Atlantic, who welcomed them with open arms. The opening and title track of this album, the second and third tracks and the ninth track for nolvelty's sake are worth your buck, you will find the rest of the material is a qualifyer as to why this lp is out of print.