by Stephen Thomas ErlewineBarry Manilow decided to follow the success of Singin' with the Big Bands with an album saluting another great lost era -- The Summer of '78. Even on the newly written title song, it's never quite clear why Manilow chose the summer of 1978 out of an entire decade of summers -- after all, the album is comprised of songs written throughout the '70s -- but the exact reason doesn't matter: as much as its predecessor, this is an exercise in nostalgia, pure and simple. Of course, it's very entertaining nostalgia, as Manilow has chosen soft rock songs (Dan Hill's "Sometimes When We Touch," Leo Sayer's "When I Need You," Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight") that perfectly suit his style. It's a minor entry in Manilow's catalog to be sure, but The Summer of '78 is a perfectly executed and entertaining slice of nostalgia.