Bottom line: Benét's a tremendous talent and his posse knows how to execute a song. But on A Day in the Life, they're obviously torn between creating a terrific new soul record and vying for commercial success; it's near impossible to do both, just ask Marvin Gaye. But as soon as Benét makes up his mind, consistency, a quality not featured here, will soon take root.
— Bob Gulla (Wall Of Sound)
n today's urban music scene, there's a pretty fine line separating the glossy, prefabricated, producer-dominated projects and the ones that have a red-blooded, pulsating heart at their core. Eric Benét's sophomore effort, A Day in the Life, crosses that line a few times throughout its duration. It begins with promise on the sultry funk of "That's Just My Way" and the Toto (!) cover "Georgy Porgy," sung here with the talented Faith Evans. "Spend My Life," a duet with Tamia, fares less well, but the funk rises again on the Prince-ified "Something Real" and "Loving Your Best Friend," a soulful, guitar-laced trip written with Wyclef Jean. An ill-advised cover of Kansas' rock ditty "Dust in the Wind" gives way to a smooth, Stevie Wonder-inspired "Why You Follow Me," which in turn opens onto a well-sung but mediocre quiet-storm ballad "Come as You Are" (not to be confused with the Nirvana song of the same title).