The Crossing (Menahan Street Band album)

The Crossing is the second full-length studio album by American rhythm and blues group Menahan Street Band. It has received positive reviews from critics.

Reception
Editors at AllMusic rated this album 4 out of 5 stars, with critic Fred Thomas writing that this album "expands somewhat on the band's debut, with the group plucking inspiration from a wide spectrum of soul and funk subcategories" and the band "cultivates a rich collection of emotionally complex instrumental soul, with precise musicianship meeting inspired production and a deeply studied obsession with the often sampled and less often acknowledged obscure geniuses of soul music". Len Comaratta of Consequence of Sound scored this album a B, noting the band's non-soul influences and states that a "slightly haunting, lower-timbre" runs through most of the album. In The Irish Times, Jim Carroll gave The Crossing 4 out of 5 stars, characterizing the music: "these tight, moody, sumptuous instrumentals are widescreen, cinematic pace-setters, with detailed, punchy, textured playing that draws you in and allows the drama to unfold". Elias Leight of PopMatters gave this release an 8 out of 10, stating that this work "once again shows their talent at creating tight instrumental funk" with music "buoyed by firm backbeats and highly synchronized horn section".

Track listing
All songs written by Menahan Street Band.
 * 1) "The Crossing" – 5:04
 * 2) "Lights Out" – 2:35
 * 3) "Keep Coming Back" – 3:16
 * 4) "Three Faces" – 4:34
 * 5) "Sleight of Hand" – 3:00
 * 6) "Everyday a Dream" – 3:51
 * 7) "Seven Is the Wind" – 5:06
 * 8) "Bullet for the Bagman" – 2:57
 * 9) "Driftwood" – 3:39
 * 10) "Ivory and Blue" – 3:36
 * 11) "Ivory and Blue (reprise)" – 1:05

Personnel
Menahan Street Band
 * Thomas Brenneck – autoharp, bass guitar, guitar, electric piano, synthesizer, ukulele, mixing, production
 * Mike Deller – piano
 * Dave Guy – trumpet
 * Leon Michels – organ, tenor saxophone
 * Nick Movshon – bass guitar, drums
 * Homer Steinweiss – drums, package design

Additional personnel
 * Victor Axelrod – organ
 * The Bushwick Philharmonic – philharmonic orchestra on "Lights Out"
 * Antoine Silverman – violin
 * Entcho Todorov – violin
 * Anja Wood – viola
 * John Carbonella – package design
 * Bobby Chupete – congas on "Ivory and Blue"
 * Cochemea Gastelum – flute on "Sleight of Hand"
 * JJ Golden – mastering
 * Gabriel Roth – executive production, mixing
 * Sugarman – executive production
 * Jared Tankel – baritone saxophone on "Sleight of Hand"