Reviews (page 11 of 13)
As an album, I find this uneven. The contrast between « Papa was a rollin’ stone » and « Love woke me up » is so jarring that the second sounds manic. I had never listened to this extended version of PWARS, and it impressed me. Funk: little melody, no harmonic progression, just rhythm and riffs… it really does become hypnotic.
Fått väldigt mycket funk på sistone? men jag gillar ju funk så detta passar mig väl.
The best song is almost ten minutes. The other twenty minutes are pretty good but lack the killer tracks The Temptations are known for. Overall it’s just…okay.
Motown put out a lot of stars. The Temptations had a great group of singing voices that brought so much style and personality to these soul tracks. The most notable, of course, being Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, which the full album version deserves more credit. So much wonderful subtly in these songs, it's a great listen throughout.
Cool album, great grooves and baselines. lacking some wow from many tracks but pretty good
Jesus is irrelevant
Wanted to like this much more, but it came down to only a couple songs. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is of course great. And I actually like this version of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face even more than Roberta Flacks version. In context of the times I can see why this was an important record, and a step for The Temptations, just not my thing.
It’s pretty good but not something I’m going to put on a bunch of times. Of course Papa is a Rolling Stone is great.
A couple great songs, the rest was mostly forgettable. Enjoyable background music though.
3.5
Couple of good uns
Pleasant
Would not purchase. Ok, mid soul/r&b. I've heard Papa was a rolling stone, good track. Forgettable otherwise 2.5/5
I forgot how long the intro for poppa was a rolling stone. This album didn't do it for me, but overall I still dig the temptations.
Funky
Funky at times. Papa was a rolling stone is solid. 3.5 rounded down
Enjoyable - started out as a 4 but as the album progressed it felt more like a 3.
It was okay, tuned out most of it. I enjoyed 'The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face', but the rest was pretty meh.
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone is one of the best songs ever and you get the full, nearly 12 minutes of it here. Other standouts: Run Charlie Run, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face, Love Woke Me Up This Morning, I Ain't Got Nothing (Which sounds a lot like I Only Have Eyes For You).
I was hoping I'd like this more. There are better Temptations songs, imo
Papa was a Rolling stone is still ubiquitous 50 years later. The bass-line is instantly recognizable, as are the wah-wah guitar and trumpet. Of course, The Temptations don’t play any instruments, nor do they write songs - but they are great vocalists. Overall the album is too ballad driven for me. It’s interesting that they nailed their signature tune on their fifteenth album.
I can’t say enough about Papa was a rolling stone. It’s a monster song of epic proportions. They threw everything into it, brilliant song-writing, singing and orchestration and it results in one of the greatest funk/soul R&B songs of all time. The rest of the album doesn’t rise to the same level unfortunately, and its just mediocre filler.
real groovy
For as much soul as this music has, it's a very slow burn. There's some serious story telling and reflects a darker side of life.
The list manages to miss twice with The Temptations, one of the most iconic groups of all time. The Temptations are iconic for their 60s soul hits filled with harmonies. But that is almost absent here, as “All Directions” and their other entry, “Cloud Nine,” see their style shift to psychedelic soul. A couple of the bits of funk on “All Directions” were welcome and showed a group evolving, but ultimately what I want from The Temptations just isn’t present enough. Wikipedia says it's their “most successful non-collaborative album,” and while I can’t figure out exactly what it means by that, it seems like that may have been part of the problem.
I had higher expectations for this one that it didn’t live up to. Just ok. 3
What were The Temptations like in 1972? Was this the end of the initial wave of Motown? What could they still offer in the 70s when so many other acts were poised to take up the funk/r&b mantle? Well, it sounds pretty great. Wait, is this a live record? I don't think so, but the album start gives that vibe. Cool. I like it when bands do that. Here's the thing, though. This record doesn't really have 'the hits.' Not gonna hold it against The Tempts. Except, they're only getting 3/5 stars, rounded up from 2.5.
Papa was a rollin' stone.
bnito album creo q tiene un contexto racial nolose
This was a bit of a mystery. I was not really very fond of most of this album, but somehow in the middle of a bunch of 3-minute songs is their almost 12-minute "magnum opus" (to quote the Wikipedia article on the Temptations), "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," which is about as perfect as such a long song can be. That track is a definite five, but I can't say that for the album as a whole.
⭐⭐⭐.5 / 5 Um belo funk, a qualidade do groove é única. Pessoalmente gosto mais da primeira faixa "Funky Music..." do que da clássia "Papa was a Rolling Stone", pois prefiro algo mais upbeat. Algumas faixas não pegaram muito pra mim. Mais algumas faixas faria mal algum. :)
First time listening to a full album by The Temptations, to say I enjoyed what I heard is an understatement. The boys are smooth. I'm pinching myself for never taking the time to appreciate their music beyond "My Girl."
Non male, però a parte alcune tipo 'I ain't got nothin'', non spicca nulla
It was good to hear some less popular Temptations songs but I think there is a reason they were less popular. Also, Papa was a rollin stone has no need to be almost 12 minutes long. Get over yourself. Very middle-of-the-road album for me.
This album started so strong with powerful vocals and brass, then the rest was hit and miss. “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” was too extended of a version, but “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” is a beautiful song.
This was a very strange album for me because it went against everything I knew about The Temptations going into it. It is crazy for me to picture a clean cut group singing 'My Girl' and 'Just My Imagination' but then hear something like 'Run Charlie Run' coming from those same voices. I was flabbergasted by this stark contrast, but outside of that, I didn't get much out of this album overall. I just thought it was a solid R&B album with some mildly interesting funk and lounge music aspects thrown in. The performances are pretty strong throughout, but nothing stood out to me as being exceptional. I felt that it was pretty inconsistent in terms of flow with funky songs being immediately followed up by slower songs that kind of diminished the vibe I think they were going for. I can definitely see why people like this one, but I don't think it's for me. 2.5/5.
A decent R&B/rock crossover LP. The driving track feels a bit overlong for how threadbare it is, but most of the other songs are equipped with catchy enough hooks and plenty of envelope filter to get the job done without too much fuss.
Good bits of old fink fun. Favourites: "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On", "Papa Was A Rollin'", "Love Woke Me Up This Morning"
Enjoyed
Incredibly solid funk, some really famous tracks on here that I didn’t realize was them!
Great production by Norman Whitfield and a stonking version of Papa. Otherwise, Roberta Flack did Ewan's tune better and no other stand out tracks for me.
This is great
Best aardig...
Niks mis mee. Zit meteen in zo'n Quentin Tarantino - Jackie Brown sfeer als ik dit soort muziek hoor.
Easy listening, lots of covers
I had a disjoint (but not disjointed experience) listening to All Directions. The pieces on it feel more like scenes than songs, peopled with a family familiar and proficient with their music. Beginnings, endings, in-the-midsts-of. That's anything but conventional, but I couldn't get into the music-for-itself, especially the strings. That makes this another rare album which I see clearly as part of the canon but not for me.
Ces mecs-là nous avaient fait une impression mitigée avec leur premier album, eh bien le résultat est exactement le même avec celui-ci. La soul psychédélique est un style de musique qui ne parle à personne, rentrez-vous bien ça dans la tête.
Je ne garderai pas un grand souvenir de cet album, ni du premier album de la part de ce groupe d'ailleurs. Petit point sur la situation de rob, qui depuis mon dernier review datant d'une heure, n'a toujorus pas daigné écrire le moindre review de son côté. Une situation innaceptable, qui nous met tous directement en danger en nous exposant au courroux de Robert. Affaire à suivre.
Lovely listen, it really is. I can repeat an album that has an 11+ minute funk epic!
Papa Was Rollin' Stone is badass with lots of great wah pedal usage. I also liked some of the other funky songs - Do Your Thing and Funky Music Sho Nuff. But otherwise it's a bit uneven for me with some pretty weak stuff (The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face) or otherwise forgettable tracks. Fun at times but not something that was revelation for me.
Bien, bonito. Pero no tiene mis canciones favoritas de ellos.
Smooth soul
Some music does not age well. This is probably an example of that. I got up to the second track and... yikes. You hear "the n-words are coming" and I was wondering what they were thinking. I get that it was about white flight, but still I was very taken aback. Also, go ahead and watch YouTube "SNL Shindells". It's a parody of doo-wop groups, and because of that, songs like "I Ain't Got Nothin' " have been RUINED for me. I will say the 12-minute "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" was probably the highlight for me. But this was definitely not a good album for me.
Great harmonies and sweet vocals, a few songs over-produced (e.g., opening track). I hope there are other Temptations albums on this list because I'm not sure why this one is included other than having their biggest single Papa Was a Rollin Stone (and yes, it's a classic). Run Charlie Run is also politically charged and I guess its content is a significant new direction for these guys. But these aren't the first guys to sing about such stuff are they? I mean, Marvin Gaye's What's Going On came out a year earlier. I feel like it's a 3.5 but I'm struggling to find its legacy.
Straight out of the tin soul music.
Solid
No 'Papa' we're not talkin' bout this album. 3 stars cut of 'Papa'
Papa was a rollin stone cover was the standout, everything else fine.
It's fine.
"Papa was a Rollin' Stone" was alright, other than that not that interesting.
I mean, its the Temptations so I don't want to rate it too low- but this album is none of my favorite songs.
Plenty of songs on here I knew but had no idea were by The Temptations! Not necessarily an album I’d listen to all the time but definitely a good summer BBQ or driving album. 7/10 on first listen.
Certainly not bad, but nothing that snagged my attention to make me want to keep listening either.
All Directions is the second album from the Temptations recommended to me from this list. I still feel only slightly familiar with the band. I can't name any of their tracks off the top of my head. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" was the only track I recognized by name. The long instrumental intro was a pleasant suprise, and the track was probably my favorite from the album. I enjoyed listening to this album. The Temptations are talented musicians and this was music that I wouldn't normally listen to on my own. I like hearing different music. I think there is room for several of the tracks to grow on me. Perhaps the music sounds like it is anchored in the 70s, or perhaps I'm the wrong demographic for the this genre, but I'm not sure it I'd listen to the whole album again. (3.5 stars)
Dragging
Its been good enough to just let it freeflow on into other motown stuff. Maybe im just in that kind of mood. im gonna break tradition and go with 3, even though i cant name a hit
Good solid stuff all around. Papa Was A Rolling Stone is iconic; always glad to hear that one again.
Though not a soul and r&b guy, i thoroughly enjoyed this album. Great class!
A really good album! Run Charlie Run and Papa was a Rollin’ Stone are standouts but other songs on the album are quite groovy. 6/10
The first three songs on this album are everything I love about 70s R&B/Soul - great simple mix, space in the arrangements, and of course the music - funky grooves that especially on the big hit "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" are so restrained as to become mysterious. I remember hearing that song in the car a lot as a kid but I'm not sure I ever heard the full 12 minute version - I love it. After those first three though, things dull more than a little for me. Maybe it's more of the "early" Temptations smooth doo-wop style - there's nothing remotely bad about it, I just prefer the funkier/edgier material. The final cut "Do Your Thing" is a return to the funk, albeit at a very deliberate/slow pace but that just creates a great tension. This album for me could have been much more - in sum those 4 great cuts would have been a high 4 for me but the middle slowdown on the album drops it to a 3. 7/10 3 stars
absolutely cannot stand the weird panning/stereo whatever in the first track. other than that the rest of the album is alright
You have some Funk, some Soul, very 70s. Not very cohesive, they have some bops and the cover of Papa Was a Rolling Stone is great but then there are some very slow ballads and the B-side drags a bit.
Rating: 7/10 Some nice and funky music. Though I understand the band had some issues recording the song "Run Charlie Run", and I gotta be honest, hearing them sing "the n*****s are coming" was not that great 😅
"Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" is that song where you want to roll the windows down and just enjoy the drive through a city. Funky, at times complex but mostly just straight up fun, All Directions is as omni-entertaining and enjoyable as the title may suggest. The more soulfully slow songs are par for the genre, but at just over 34 minutes, this is an effective minimum dose of the Motown great.
Really good listen.
6/10
With the little i know of the Temptations this sounded a little different to what I expected. A mix of funk, jazz and psychedelia. It has its moments and is an interesting record but not to my personal tastes. Musically its way ahead of where i expected it to be. 3/5
Scrapes a 3 with Papa Was A Rolling Stone tipping the balance
They were better than that. The only really must-hear track is "Papa Was A Rolling Stone". (5/10) FT: see above
Första låten sa n ordet. Rolig.
Magic from the 70s! Great drivetime listen
It was good
Very short album, but still with a couple of very long songs. All sound similar, although with a few different voices popping up. Run Charlie run has some lyrics you would not expect to see in a pop record nowadays! The First time ever I saw your face is my favourite of these songs
A great funk/soul album marred by poor mixing. The left channel is so quiet (especially on the first track) that the experience is like going to a concert with a cotton ball in one ear.
Saved Prior: None Off Rip: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On, Run Charlie Run, Papa Was A Rollin' Stone Cutting Edge: None Overall Notes: Seems to be one of those albums that is included on this list for one specific track (Papa Was A Rollin' Stone). Good song, two songs that precede it are good too (insane chorus on Run Charlie Run), rest of the album is completely forgettable. 2.5 that I'll round up because Papa is already a third of the album's runtime.
-Certainly generally appealing and catchy -"Run Charlie Run," "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone," and "Do Your Thing" are good -Very nice R&B, but nothing really makes me want to come back to it
Overall this was good. Not something I would have picked up on my own and not what I expected from The Temptations.
Multi-layer songs,
3.5/5 i'll have to relisted to it, it had potential!
Not the best funk we've had on the list, but pretty enjoyable
Acull un dels millors temes de la década, 'Papa Was a Rolling Stone'. Però la resta del disc es fa tediosa de vegades i queda la sensació que van posar tot el focus en l'altíssim nivell del single, deixant de banda la resta, soul/r&b més que digne i amb un savoir faire fora de tot dubte, però molt lluny de l'excel.lència del seu millor moment
3. classic group and enjoyed listening, but rating any higher would have been due to the name value, not the actual album. Enjoyable enough!
Whatever the merits of the artistic direction and songs on All Directions, it was an instant pleasure to be submerged in the professionalism on display here. The Temps themselves are all really strong singers, which wasn't such a big deal at the time because the 60s and 70s were awash in great soul singers, but it seems like a big deal now. Then there's the killer studio cats backing the session and the arrangements by Paul Riser. It's hard to imagine now, but there was a world class roster of studio musicians that arrangers that producers could and did call on to create widescreen, cinematic productions. But all that aside, it's perfectly possible to use those resources to make putrid records. Fortunately, that's not the case here. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is the tune everyone knows, but there is a lot more to like, depending on your tastes. All Directions, as the title would indicate, is not a unified artistic statement the way comparable albums from Stevie Wonder or Curtis Mayfield would be from this period. For example, Love Woke Me Up This Morning is a soul ballad in the style of the Delfonics. It won't change your world, but it's a solid piece of work. I Ain't Got Nothin' harks back to the 50s and doowap with it's "shoowap bedap" chorus, but it's been brought up to date. You could argue that the use of the N word is tasteless on Run Charlie Run, but it's an otherwise solid piece of funk, as are Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On and Do Your Thing. Mother Nature is a mid-tempo feature for new lead singer Damon Harris and he acquits himself admirably with a passionate vocal. The only weak link on the entire album is a cover of Roberta Flack's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face--it's almost always a mistake to try to cover a definitive version--she owns that song, and the Temps' listless version is a distinct dis-improvement. If there's a knock against All Directions, it's that, with the possible exception of Papa Was A Rolling Stone, there's little here that going to knock your socks off. Instead, All Directions is more of a steady groover, providing understated pleasure almost all the way through. Why is it on this list, then? My guess would be almost entirely because of Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Kind of a dumb choice, but nothing new there.
Drags a bit The rest of the album is good, but in the middle slows down a bit too much.
Boa sequencia de R&B
Not bad, some good slick grooves in it and very soulful. Nothing to get me overly excited about. Very Shadynasty
Funky stuff, but papa was a rolling stone is obviously the standout
Somehow the longest half hour album I've ever heard, good tracks but some went on a bit too long
It was a good jazz/soul album. It wasn't that exciting however. Very average.
Good tunes
Pretty good, pretty groovy. Really liked "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" - that was the definite high point.
Funky
Nice, but not their best IMO
decent
Love the Temptations. A little more social justice oriented than I was expecting- a nice suprirse!
Its fine.
New to me. Very good soul/funk
Fun stuff but Papa Was A Rolling Stone doesn’t need to be 12 minute long
Pretty solid
Was really excited for this album today and it just wasn't as good as I was expecting. Mainly because I have a bias for 60's Temptations - namely "The Temptations Sing Smokey" album that I grew up listening to in my grandparent's house. Honestly didn't know how big their discography was before I scrolled through it on Spotify. Giving it a 3 because it's still pretty groovy even though they are #NotMyTemptations
Grand - very mellow. Singles are stand out classics. Rest hard to remember (And I listened twice!)
An album that ultimately promises more with those early track. After this it just kind of meanders to and end but still, a great way to start your day
It was alright not my cup of tea
funky. i dont think its memorable yet but maybe in a few.
.
Fantastic record!
Not quite what I expected but it was good enough. Great version of 'Rolling Stone"
Typically mismatched Motown album, but enjoyable.
An album that sounds like 2 completely separate EPs spliced together. When it's good it's really good, but a bit incoherent as a whole
funky, not what i expected
Some good tunes, couple of classics actually, but also some forgettable filler
Me gustó bastante.
güzeldi soulmus. zenci vokaller bi piyano temposuna ayak uyduruyo
Eh. Whatever.
great album. Knowing that they DID NOT want to record run charlie run makes it a little hard to listen to. I ain't got nothing is the standout.
Papa was a rolling stone is a great song, but the rest of this album is just OK. I prefer earlier Temptations. By the way, WOW track 2 dropped a lot of N-bombs on us.
8 canciones y 34 minutos son suficientes para dejar huella. Desde el primer tema hasta el final pasando por Papa Was a Rollin' Stone. Interesante como base de mucha música que se inspiró en ellos.
Their funk songs are better than their romantic songs.
Side A was excellent. Classic Soul. Side B was a bit dull and repetitive sounding.
I liked it - I recognized some of it that I didn't know was from the same album.
un par de canciones buenas.
Not too bad. Funky. Has "Papa was a Rolling Stone"
Not the usual temptations style you usually hear, it was alright.
Early album. Not strung together like a solid album as a whole. Solid, classic Motown.
don't tempt me
This album is a mixed bag of tracks, and I couldn't get a feel for an overall theme or style. Is that why its called "All Directions", I wonder?
Funky 2,5/5
Heerlijk soul albumpje 👌
Mix between really good funk (papa was a rolling stone) and ballads that are very shmaltzy. Run Charlie run is challenging racism, flight response of whites from blacks.
This was nice but not tempted to give 5 stars.
Uplifting and joyful
This album with the top song "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" was nice to listen to.
loved this
First song was very hip-hop with the heavy drum beat. Rest of it was more mellow Temptations with the doowop, but wasn't as interesting as I would like. Still very enjoyable
3.1
A lot of classics on here.
Quite enjoyed it.
like some of the music, the vocals not my favorite.
Fun for a good disco mood. Even though I love my 70s soft rock it was not my cup of tea
Pleasant, soulful collection of songs. Incredible collection of voices. Enjoyed it and would happily have it on in the background. Something wrong with the production/EQ on the first couple of tracks though, which spoils it a bit.
Very solid album, nothing to dislike about that kind of music
Fantastic songs but not a cohesive album...
The album's A side (first 3 tracks) are a powerhouse statement for R&B with incredible instrumentation and vocal arrangements. Going into the B side, the power of the first 3 tracks overwhelm the quality of the remaining 5 tracks. Some feel uninspired. Stand-outs: Run Charlie Run, Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
Papa still a classic but even the Intro is a but droney for no reason. Solid alb
1972. Key Songs: Love Woke Me Up This Morning, The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
I should have listened to this one more - only did one listen and I enjoyed it, but it didn't blow me away. But i think i didn't give it enough attention
did not age well. One fantastic song though
This was ok? Kinda dated, not as cool as other disco I've heard. 3/5.
This has got to be the most 'nothing' album ever. I can't even say it's bad; the vocals are strong and sweet. Instrumentation has a dreamy quality to it. It is very gentle. But honestly, I can't see myself every listening to this again. None of the songs stood out to me. I thought this would be a great album in the hot weather, but it just passed me by without me feeling a thing. This surely can't be considered one of the temptation's best albums?
Side one: Well, that sho' was funky! Side two: Pleasant enough AOR on the whole. Doesn't do it for me. Three stars for side one and one star for side two. Two stars overall, which is a shame. Full-on 60s Motown Temptations would be a five, but for some reason, there's little to no 60s Motown on this list 😔. It's not like they didn't make albums in the 60s...they did, but serious critics don't think albums of popular peak Motown are worth our while. Fuck it, going to dig out some classic Supremes and Martha Reeves and have a little dance...
I get why this is considered foundational. 'The first time ever I saw your face' is a really beautiful song and I enjoyed 'nother nature' But 'papa was a rolling stone' pissed me off. It did Not warrant 11:44, it was a bad song
couple alright songs
Leuk. Papa was a rolling stone is natuurlijk een banger, maar verder een beetje inconsistent
Ok
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone
Sometimes funky, too often smooth. A surprising depth in some tracks with powerful social commentary. There are a few covers here, which the Temptations give their own spin. This version of [Papa was a rolling stone] is epic. There's a few songs on the Ballard/soul side I can appreciate but don't vibe with me personally. 2*
Papa Was a Rolling Stone was by far the best track on the album. Loved the sound but really didn't get into the album.
no me llama mucho el estilo jazzero
Just not at all what I was hoping to hear today. It may be good for the genre, it may be an all time great. But today, it makes me want to crawl in a hole and turn on something else.
Boring, however papa was a rolling stone was an interesting track and I enjoyed it
"I have to be honest, classic 70s soul and R&B just isn't my genre. The softer tracks and ballads on this album simply didn't click with me at all because they lack the darker, more energetic edge I usually look for in music. However, I have to give massive credit to 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone'. That track is an absolute masterpiece. The dark, cinematic atmosphere and that relentless, driving bassline over the full 11 minutes perfectly hit my vibe. But since that was the only song I actually saved from the entire record, I have to settle for a 2/5
A strong
New to me and a solid two stars, “Love Woke Me Up This Morning” is a great song. Tom.
Some good funky tunes interlaced with soul and of course the classic 'Papa was a Rollin' Stone'. Not something I usually gravitate towards but nothing terrible here.
Boring, but doesn't hurt the ear
Nope, this doesn't do much for me - bit smooth, never really gets going as such.
Not for me. Lot of really slow moments.
It's not bad per say but too groovy for me? Kinda headachy
groovy af. pero no me mató.
4.2
That was the definition of average 😐. The highlight of this album was when they said the n word over and over again. It kinda took me by surprise and I was dying 🤣. Overall, I would give it a 2.8/5!
Not really my thing at all- vocals on point however throughout the album. It took a couple of songs for me to get going and to appreciate the album after the not great and dare I say it but it sounded slightly racist ‘run Charlie run’ I mean telling Charlie and Jonny as well I think it was to run away from the niggas would not be allowed these days! The storytelling in ‘papa was a rolling stone’ a highlight along with ‘the first time ever I saw your face’ Overall the album just was a lot meh though. Best song- ‘the fist time ever I saw your face’ Worst song- ‘mother nature’ Disappointing. 4/10
Temptations Starts so weakly for a supposed classic album. First two tracks I was totally indifferent to, but then what a stone cold classic in Papa Was a Rollin' Stone. Love Woke Me Up This Morning absolutely sored like a songbird and then it all slowly fell away again for me I'm afraid. Not one I will listen to again. Best Track - Papa... Worst track - Run Charlie Run 4.5/10
Songs felt like they went nowhere. Some pretty good musicianship on display though.
not overly familiar with the temptations outside of the singles. this was fine. kinda drags on the second half for me.
that funk music sho nuff turns me on
Didn't float my boat.
Álbum chill de cojones, se puede escuchar pero tampoco es la gran cosa, muy mid level. 4/10
Didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would... My guard was immediately up with the "live" production of the first track... weird decision, there... the second track hasn't aged well... and "Papa", while decent, is a disproportionately long monster... And then we have the high-pitched tracks on the B-side that are, frankly, terrible... I won't fail this, but I have to believe there's better material out there for a household name like The Temptations...
This one disappointed me. It started out boring and never went anywhere. It’s almost like the songs had no melody, and just relied of the good vocals. Favorite song: Run Charlie Run
Not my vibe.
Decent, but i'm not coming back for more.
Es un album muy tranqui, diferente a Cloud Nine. Este es para escuchar mas a la noche tranquilo o trabajando. El otro es mas disco. Igual me gustó
This album feels like someone doing a parody of 70s music. It’s ok, but very basic. Track 2 is weird.
Normally this is my kind of music but this was really underwhelming.
Genuinely funky.Papa Was a Rolling Stone and Do your Thing are standouts. However, do I like it overall? Not sure.
Not what I remember from this group, a bit disappointed.
Estuvo bien, no lo volvería a colocar, pero bueno Puntaje: 4/10
Not my favorye
Vocally this is good, but it’s very boring, and for a thirty-some minute album it seems to go on forever.
Papa Was a Rolling Stone is about as good as sex. the sappier ballads on the B side get a lot of flack but they're not that bad. just a little disappointing. ok maybe they do slam the momentum to a halt. deserves to be one of the 1001? i think The Temptations warrant a spot, and this is about a good a choice as any. sure.
I couldn't help thinking they sounded like Veggie Tales characters on Run Charlie Run and couldn't stop thinking about the Kirkinator, killer funk instrumentals otherwise. Love the genre but this album just wasn't for me.
Nice jam, but nothing stood out to me.
Favorite songs: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On, Do Your Thing
This is not what I thought The Temptations sounded like. It was ok but nothing really stuck out to me as a great song.
While this might have been “classic” Temptations it wasn’t an all time album. It had one big hit, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone”.
Some good songs
Partially known. Aside from Papa..., sort of disjointed.
Wish I could give another half star. Enjoyed the funk.
“Papa” destroys everything else on this record that ends up being quite mediocre all things considered.
Typical old school Funky soul. No hits. Blah blah . Whatever. I won't boo them off stage but......I realy hope the next album is better
Finde 60er Temptations besser :( 2
ehh me pareció bastante aburridito la verdad, y aparte yo de que los temas de 10 minutos son como difíciles de haces y es como impresionante pero la vdd eso no va conmigo
obviously funky, but wasn't too memorable upon first liste
Didn’t make much of an impression on me
Started out strong - loved Funky Music. Run Charlie Run was a catchy song even though there were a lot of *n* in it. After that it started to lose me. Vocals were sometimes off tune and the songs were meh. Had to go back to Papa Was a Rolling Stone after reading reviews because I initially skipped it because it annoyed me, and even upon giving it another chance I still couldn’t listen all the way through all 12 minutes. (2)
Might deserve a re-listen
way too slow for me
Has 'Papa was a Rolling Stone 'got the longest intro ever ? Over 3 minutes and still waiting . In spite of that it's still another short LP .
I feel bad denigrating the Temptations, but their psychedelic soul work and clumsy social consciousness just doesn't hit for me. Like Cloud 9 before it, this album sounds like Motown desperately trying to stay relevant on the back of a vocal group that just doesn't have much fuel in the tank. Their lack of identity (rotating members, no songwriters in the group) make them an ideal vehicle for the inauthentic mimicry of trends by an overbearing producer and label. Maybe all of that would have been forgivable if not for the fact that vocally they also feel slight. None of the vocal leads on this album have a satisfying timbre or texture and some are downright pitchy ('First Time Ever I Saw Your Face'). The Funk Brothers are, of course, on point, per usual.
Best Track - "Do Your Thing"
prva strana bila mi dosta naporna, druga počela okej pa opet pretkraj bezveze. malo mi je već dosta ovakvih vrlo sličnih fankasto-solastih albuma
Energy was a bit low for me despite some high parts instrumentally
The only Temptations I got from with album were to stop listening to it.
There was something about All Directions by The Temptations that I just couldn’t fully connect with. And I can’t even point to one clear reason why. Maybe I missed something. Maybe it just wasn’t the right moment for me. I don’t know. I absolutely recognize the immense talent there—they’re extraordinary performers, and that’s undeniable. But for some reason, the emotional and sonic content didn’t resonate with me the way I hoped it would. At times, the songs felt too long, and occasionally the sound itself just didn’t appeal to my ear. Out of the eight tracks, I only saved two: I Ain’t Got Nothin’ and The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. And that’s really it. I don’t have much more to say about this one. I don’t see myself returning to the full album—I’ll stick with the two songs that stood out to me and move on. Two stars.
Aika laimeeta. Pari biisiä oli semmosta jotka vähä kutitteli, mutta muuten ei mitenkään innostavaa.
Thought I recognised this somewhere... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baIo1oCoAog
Started off on a great, funky note then slowly turned into R&B. I prefer a funky sound personally.
Rolling Stone is all-time, but the rest just doesn’t hit for me. Feels more like a compilation than any complete album-type work.
Eh idk why I can’t get into soul/funk but it just doesn’t hit for me
2.5
Jekyll and Hyde record. Funky parts are awesome. Ballads are boring.
Yeah, it's ok
Good I prefer the other one this was too instrumental
2.5 stars It’s not bad. But a lot of 70s funk-inspired soul goes on too long and I wasn’t into the 12 minutes “Papa was a rolling stone.” And the cover of “The First Time I Ever Saw Her face” cover was just a recreation of the original. I wouldn’t listen to this again.
Not for me. Idrk why.
Half funk and half soul and zero interest from my part. Thanks to this list I'm discovering that both funk and soul are not really my thing, with some exceptions, like Nina Simone or Stevie Wonder (even though I wasn't crazy about 'Fulfillingness' First Finale'). So I'll say beforehand that I didn't like this album and there was nothing that interested me, despite of how passionate or good they can sing. This album starts with the funk side and it also starts incredibly weak. The first song is a live recording which sounds incredibly unbalanced to the right, and it was uncomfortable to listen to. Thankfully, there's no more live material in the album, and 'Run Charlie Run' sounds way better, but still a bit rough around the edges. Next track is "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone", a song that seems to be very loved by fans, but to me felt like 12 minutes of nothing happening. The following four songs are all very slow soul that I couldn't resonate with, and it is a pity, because they feel very genuine. Lastly, they end the album with the slow funk track 'Do Your Thing'. If I didn't make it clear before, I'll say it again. I didn't care. So yes, a very dull experience for me.
4/10
Not thing was special in this album. No song surprised me(except for run Charlie run obviously). It was so mediocre and boring but I can’t say the songs themselves were bad they just didn’t make me feel anything
This is probably an influential record, and I see how it might have even influenced vernacular American English. But I don't think it's good.
Not a fan of Funk, boring to me. We have some Funk songs and some ballads and the typical Motown production, which does not help the Album. Fav: Papa was a rollin´ stone (if it was eight minutes shorter)
Come back to this
Simply didn’t like it. This genre doesn’t make me feel anything. Says it’s R&B and soul on Apple Music. Sounds like it would have movie soundtracks on it but I don’t care to google.
Groupe inconnu. Bons grooves sur les premiers morceaux, même si 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone' est un peu trop long et pas assez varié à mon gout. Les morceaux suivants sont moins intéressants (moins funk). Je ne suis pas sur d'avoir envie de l'écouter une seconde fois. =>2/5
Not my thing I guess
Not my fav album
Similar to the other album by them on this list, I liked a couple songs but everything else I don't remember and won't reach for again.
Litt kjedelig funk..
it's ok
-another 70s… -straight off the bat i know this will be an album that is not technically bad but i just don’t like this style so im not gonna enjoy it much -nice voice and some funky beats -at least it’s short - albums like this are just like i’m never gonna feel compelled to listen to this ever again over every other album if that makes sense -and like a 10 minute song please i can’t deal with all these long 70s songs
okay
I feel bad for not liking this, but I didn't really enjoy it
Another largely boring and uninspiring funk album. I like funk when it's done right, but I'm not a big fan of this album.
The music's alright, probably a 3/5 on that front, but the recording quality is quite poor and that distracts from the experience quite a bit.
Not a scratch on their earlier harmonisations but delightfully experimental in places. Trying to find a voice for a new era.
Eh, I enjoyed this album less than I expected to.
Fine but didn't really hold my interest
ok
Meh
Not really my cup of tea.
The don’t do funk well…
I've never immersed myself in funk, and I believe this is one of the greatest funk albums of all time. It was an interesting experience though I personally cannot get into it. It's alright, 3/10.
All Directions other than a good direction. What a drag of an album, just very slow and dull for what should be a bit more upbeat.
All of em? There’s five guys though. I thought that each one might represent a direction. What the hell is the fifth guy doing? Dorth? BEast. I like that we’re inventing new directions already. Before you say “errrm southeast is a direction.” Shut up. Do you hear yourself? Make a friend. Engage with life in a more whimsical fashion. What fresh hell awaits me today? Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On - Oh sweet Jesus this isn’t a live album as well, is it? Omission of all but a few founding metal records in favour of a bunch of bloated live albums. I am NOT in a good mood here, and if I were in this audience, I’d be hurling rotted produce posthaste. Run Charlie Run - Ok, it’s not live. I did not anticipate racial slurs. Uhhh I expected a squeaky clean, and ultimately palatable romp. I still don’t really care about this, but it’s surprising me. Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone - Oh no, he wasn’t Charlie Watts was he? God forbid he was the uhh bassist uhh Ronnie Wood. God. I mixed up the last names there initially. Love Woke Me Up This Morning - Fuck You I Ain’t Got Nothin’ - Correct. Actually, what you have here is a pretty morose little doo woo track. Kind of good. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Oh my god. I can just see sitting around with your band, being completely ripped and being like “we should get the bass player to sing the world’s schmlatziest love song.” You know what, I think if I did hear this while stoned, tears of rapturous laughter would be squirting out of my eyes at the “captive bird” line and “the first time ever I laid with you.”This is a gem, for all the wrong reasons. Mother Nature - I stand naked in the sun in order to increase my chances of a malignant melanoma in order to have an excuse to recuse myself from listening to more shitty music. Do Your Thing - Unless of course, it’s make good music, then please do NOT do that. You will be despised by nerds from here to Timbuktu. I am rather sour today. I put this off so I didn’t have to write about it on my day off, and now being back at work for what feels like forever and listening to music I don’t care about has produced a mood so foul, I was probably harder on this than I should’ve been. It’s FINE. Not in a “fine quality” sort of way, but more just meh. Thankfully, it was short. Only slightly shorter than my patience for overrated 70’s music. 1.5-2 HIGHLIGHTS: I Ain’t Got Nothin’
To quote Mitch Hedburg, "I have no problem not listening to The Temptations, which is weird." I was mildly looking forward to this, but it was too easy-listening for me, too soft. Not unpleasant but dull.
Papa was a rolling stone is great song do not know the rest, after i listened the rest is very mid 2/5
Just didn’t vibe with it
I listened to other albums by the temptatiôs as well and while it was an okkay album and i really liked the song mother nature, i feel it was my least favourite out of other ones that they have.
I DON'T LIKE 70'S MUSIC. It was okay.
I'd give this a 2.5 if I could but I can't so it's a 2. This faded hard into the background. none of it excited me.
Eh
Een Whitfield-Strong productie is eigenlijk altijd wel de 'moeite waard', maar dit album wordt geen moment echt spannender dan het - na tig keer gehoord te hebben - slaapwerkende intro van 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone'. En dat zegt toch wel iets. 6/10 Highlights: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
For such a short album, this felt waaaay too long. And the funk here is way too restrained.
Classic
Okay, let's see here. Judging by the album cover this is either gonna be a jazz or soul act. Fucked if I know which. In my fledgling knowledge of soul, these albums are typically confined to only a handful of musicians - five feels like too many for a soul act. Using my highly intelligent and informed deductive reasoning, I'm gonna hedge my bets on a jazz album. Probably something a bit more modernised and avant-garde given the year of release. It's soul... I shoulda known. No musician is gonna bust out the purple suit for a jazz album. As reiterated countless times at this point, I'm not a soul guy and I find it difficult to feel one way or another about this genre of music. The music is superficially pleasing, though looking under the hood reveals nothing which hooks me. The first half is pretty decent with how funk-influenced the music is, though the album kind of blurs together as soon as the second side comes around, with some very samey string-focused pieces. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is a classic, understandably so. Big fan of the cool, subdued atmosphere. The funky undertones pair nicely with the elegant strings, and the delicate percussion gives the track a real sense of forward momentum. Truth be told the song is way too long, but I can overlook that petty grievance. "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" is a nice follow up. A very nice lead melody, and I always love me some string action. "Do Your Thing" is a good closer. The brass gives the song a sleek, illustrious sound, and I like the slow-moving, methodical percussion as well. I'm checking the book. Experimental. Critical and commercial slam dunk. Won three Grammys. Yeah, this seems like a solid pick. I cosign this inclusion.
Désolé pour la gang “la musique, c’était bien meilleur dans le temps” mais c’était une tâche à écouter. Je ne suis définitivement pas un fan de funk.
Escuche n words pero creo que en general meh
Wow didn’t expect to dislike this as much as I did. Old school R&B can be so boring, I just can’t get into it Rating: 1.8
Starts well but not great.
I love the funk of papa was a rolling stone, but overall this album has too much schmaltz for my liking.
Not my jam
That weird disco-funk shift so many groups took in this era is entirely unappealing to me.
I can almost hear the bell bottoms ringing in the first 1/2 then it dips into ballad territory only to funk it up again on the last two.
Can't get past the Spotify album version's horrible stereo mixing. But this would likely get 2-3 stars on a strong listen anyway. Yeah Eddie Kendricks' departure didn't kill the Temptations, but they woulda been better with him.
They might be good musicians, but the songs are lacking mostly. Also it's simply ton my style of music.
Not bad, but just not my type of music or very unique
How did they manage to be meh while having 3 Jimi Hendrixes
A decent sound, but I don't think I loved their voices.
I feel like a lot of The Temptations' material hasn't aged as well as many people would have you believe. That's not to say that it's necessarily bad, just that over time it has lost its relevance just out of not holding up all that well to modern standards. Like listening to this, it's fine, there's nothing inherently wrong with it, there are just so many other soul albums from the 70s that hold up so much better than this one that I'm just thinking to myself that I would much rather be listening to any one of Marvin Gaye's or Stevie Wonder's fantastic albums.
Couple of decent tracks.
No conozco el disco. A ver. Me suenan realmente iguales todos estos grupos. Siempre alguna versión más o menos acertada de un clásico, siempre un ritmo machacón...No sé, me falta sensibilidad para los matices en este caso.
- It was overall an alright album - I liked the beats and the rhythms to the music - Some of the lyrics put me of a little bit however some songs were inspiring and caused a lot of change in society This album was alright, again it was not one of my favourites but it was cool to listen to anyway. I probably wouldn't listen again but it was good to try it and see how it was influencial.
Papa was a rolling stone is great , couldn't get into the rest
So there are some bangers (first track, papa was a rolling stone), and then there's everything else. Gonna give it a 2 because the everything else really kills the mood.
Not my favorite.
Didn’t like this as much as I thought I would
Ok
19/1001 The Temptations 'All Directions' 1972 Not tempted! 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone' is a banger though. The rest of the album however... Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Largely passed me by ★★☆☆☆
Absolutely sublime when it is funky - sadly, it is not funky all of the time. The Temptations are great at what they do, granted, but what they do is a fairly diverse selection of other artist's material, not all of it is particularly great.
A drag. Boring