Donny Hathaway (Reissue)

VINYL FORMAT. Originally released in 1971, Donny Hathaway is the second album from Hathaway, following 1970's Everything Is Everything. Exact reproduction, manufactured by Rhino. 'With just one exception, Donny Hathaway's second full-length is a covers album, featuring one of the most pop-averse artists in soul music surprisingly offering interpretations of contemporary hit material like "A Song for You," "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," "Magnificent Sanctuary Band," and (most effectively) "Put Your Hand in the Hand," a laidback yet rolling, gospel-choir version of the song he was born to sing. In striking contrast to his debut, Donny Hathaway is a very dark record . . . "Magnificent Sanctuary Band," is the standout. "Little Girl" is a nice piece of gospel testifying with great male harmonizing on the chorus, and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a solid rendering of a song usually drenched in pathos . . . Donny Hathaway sounds like the lament of a man alone in the sanctuary after services are finished.' - John Bush / All Music Guide