Jerry Bulter - Jerry Butler, Esq./He Will Break Your Heart (CD)

All Music Guide

Features Jerry Butler's first two solo albums (Jerry Butler, Esq. and He Will Break Your Heart) in one package. The 24 pop and RB tunes showcase Butler's classy baritone. But fans of his later recordings, particularly the Gamble Huff collaborations, will find this set uneven; although Butler's mature beyond his years vocalizing -- he was only a teen at the time -- is cool and smooth throughout, always on point and never over the top. Juke-soul fans, however, will skip the easy listening string-filled songs with no apologies. Thankfully, the RB/soul sides are plentiful enough to merit acquiring this CD. They include the evergreen "For Your Precious Love" (done with the Impressions), "Lost" (his first solo hit), "A Lonely Soldier," and the Curtis Mayfield collaborations -- "He Will Break Your Heart," "I Found a Love," "The Gift of Love," and "Thanks to You."

- Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide