Present/Future

This album is a repackaged version of Eagle-Eye Cherry’s album Living in the Present Future, which was released one year prior. The highlights of the previous album are preserved here, including the laid-back duet with his sassy sister Neneh on “Long Way Around,” which makes you wonder why they hadn’t collaborated long, long ago. The sweet yet melancholy “Promises Made” is another highlight that made the cut from the earlier album. Deleted were “Miss Fortune,” “She Didn’t Believe,” and “First to Fall.” In their place are three new tracks, “Feels So Right,” “Crashing Down,” and “Never Let You Down.” The new mix, much like the album’s previous incarnation, represents a nice bit of growth for Cherry, showing off his ability to craft catchy, upbeat pop songs grounded by a nice dose of gravity and lyrical depth. – Stacia Proefrock