All Directions

Meh, but Papa Was a Rolling Stone is undeniably great.

Album #948 This should have been one of those albums pushed on a certain date (September 3, of course). Papa Was a Rolling Stone is the strongest track here, and the one everyone knows. (The probably know the much shorter version.) That and Eddie Kendricks' voice alone push this up to a 4/5. Very '70s wacka-chu-wacka sounding album.

I guess I had no idea what The Temptations sounded like, because this is much funkier than I expected. Songs in the second half like "I Ain't Got Nothin'" and this group's version of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" are closer to the soul vocal group that I think I was expecting. But songs like "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" and "Funky Music..." have much more going on instrumentally and are more jam-oriented than I would have guessed. I especially love the live opening track, which really highlights what an incredible band they were.

Berry Gordy must have been so mad when he got back from LA and heard this

This wasn’t a a bad album. I know more ZZ Top songs than I thought.

Funky souly Track 2.3 mega

Gonna put ‘run Charlie run’ on the background of my next neighborhood get together and see if anyone’s ears perk up at that chorus. The temptations are probably one of the best selling American groups of all time, but I know nothing about any of them. I was impressed by the versatility here, though in places it could be mistaken for aimlessness. Overall Reminds me a little of mayfield and a little of funkadelic mixed with some more classic Motown. Love woke me up this morning was my fav.

Groovy 70s. Timeless and deep. What impressed me most was the courageous and ambitious tracks on the front side of the album: • Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On is the perfect backdrop song to the opening credits of a movie set in the 70s. Love how this introduces the band and gets into a groove right away. The single best song title we've encountered ~350 albums in • Run Charlie Run - Hearing white flight called out so directly was bold. According to the wiki, this was really controversial even within the band. I thought it made them certified bad asses. • Papa Was A Rolling Stone is 12 mins. Holy shit! Super groovy. Gotta love the shimmering strings, chorus parts (loved the stereo split), off beat claps. It never drags. The back half of the album was a little more sentimental, but theres definitely a vibe that it fits just not as cool/mind blowing as the front. One random thing. I love the super low voice stuff that they use throughout the album (its kind of cartoonish, but its used tastefully). Another group that heavily used this was Funkadelic's Maggot Brain (released 1 year earlier in 71'). 4.5 stars. The back half was a little bit of a drag 🤷‍♂️

Shoo wop doo wop! A lot more going on here than at face value and with the passing of time, the encoded layers are more obvious.

Feels like the songs from the old days that have never even lived in, the songs make me feel good and happy, would totally listen to them in a long car trip

Feeling the funk. Honestly, Papa was a rolling stone automatically earns this album four stars. It’s cool to see an edgier temptations and to see them leaning into the civil rights movement despite Motown’s reluctance. Wish there were more solid tracks though.

Wow, merci pour la clémence, Mr Générateur, après l'inondation de marde auditive d'hier, un peu de soul pour passer ça et laisser ça derrière moi.

I had only known these guys from songs like "My Girl" so it was surprising to hear them do a song like "Run Charlie Run" about white people leaving cities because of fear of black people. "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" is an all time classic. Some of the songs didn't register much but I love the cover of "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" as well.

A fantastic blend of classic motown and 70s funk. Got so into the groove of Papa Was a Rolling Stone I had no idea it was 12 minutes

Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On 3.6 Run Charlie Run 3.5 Papa Was a Rollin' Stone 3.7 Love Woke Me Up This Morning 3.4 I Ain't Got Nothin' 3.5 The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face) 3.3 Mother Nature 3.6 Do Your Thing 3.5 Score:3.5125

неплохо! приятные мелодии и голоса, на расслабончике такие

Worth the grade for Papa Was A Rolling Stone alone, I adore that track. Lots of greatness happening on this album, but it doesn't feel cohesive like an album, it's many individual points of sunshine. So smooth.

Tight as hell. Funky as fuck. Some lyrics not for the ol’ Reidman to blast in public but I liked it so much, it’s so “my kind of music” I’m giving it a low four. I dunno, I liked it. Maybe I should’ve rated Green River higher.

This album is really good, I enjoyed it so much. Many songs are fantastic, so groovy and funky. The big song here is, definitely, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, but there is a lot of variety, and also other great songs too. So, even if it's not a perfect album for me, it's worth being on the list.

The funky first half of this album is incredible. While it slows down in the second half with more traditional Temptations soul, it isn't boring enough to take away from 'Papa Was a Rollin' Stone'.

Iconic for a reason. I enjoyed this album and it was a fast listen. Listened to while starting City Skylines. It fit smoothly and will enjoy the mental connection to The Temptations and the game.

The Temptations are often my first thought when I think of funk music. Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone is unskippable.

It's some good funk! Papa Was a Rolling Stone is over 11 minutes long and just breezes by. This album is so listenable and just gritty enough to keep me interested. It's the kind of music you can put on any night of the week, or at a party, and enjoy it. The cover is pretty cheesy, that's a 2/5 for me.

I knew the Temptations had got tougher and funkier in the 1970s but Run Charlie Run still took me by surprise. They’re just not a group I expected to be dropping the n-word. You can hear the Sly Stone and Isaac Hayes influences on this album, but their vocals make it their own.

Listened to this 4ish times before I finally came on here and did a ranking lol. Really good album, enjoyed the first half more than the second - but all around its a solid quick punchy funk dance album. Definitely will listen again.

motown genre. beautiful melodies. especially the music becomes more spacey by the end. i loved that.

I want to give it another listen

I think this is the second Temptations album I had on this list so far-not at all what I was expecting. A surprisingly delightful and funky set of songs, if uneven. Definitely worth a relisten-really like a 3.5 but I’ll round up.

Very funky, mood switches are great, overall atmospheric

Smooth and soulful. And while “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” runs a little long, the build-up still works and it’s still the crowning jewel of the entire album. Everything else good, but they just pales in comparison.

I thought I knew this album. But it only sounded vaguely familiar

I think I only really knew The Temptations through Papa Was a Rolling Stone. In those cases I usually worry that an album is being carried by just one great single, but that's not the case here. All Directions is a really fantastic record. Funky and soulful in equal measure with some great harmonies.

That was fine easy listening. I'm adding it to my background music playlist. A solid 4.

This was a really good album.

Love The Temptations. There may be some “filler” on here, but still a pretty solid album.

Nothing I could say about this album that's an original thought. Great album.

really excellent soul/funk. love it

Great album. Lyrics, beats, overall sound. Great stuff. First time that I thought an album was surprisingly short.

Yeeeahhh, this is what I'm talking about.

Papa & 1st Time: gold classic songs. And the rest are solid songs. Do your thing stands out. Just a great funk album.

Relaxing funkiness with dollops of soul.

Good stuff.

Entertaining!

Stabil soulplatta. ”Pappa was a Rolling Stone” är det givna centrala spåret, men även resten håller bra klass.

Det hände något med Motown när 60-tal blev 70-tal. Det var inte alltid till dess fördel. Som hitfabrik hade man varit oantastlig. Det klassiska soundet håller inalles högsta grad än. 70-tals-Motown drar mer åt disco funk osv. Här är man inte alltid lika självklara. Samtidigt fick t ex Gaye och Wonder möjlighet att utveckla sin full potential. Temptations gjorde fantastisk hit-soul på 60-talet. Nu tar man ut svängarna och gör det med den äran. Inledningsspåren är lysande. Papa was…må vara ett enda nästan 12 minuter långt intro. Men vilket intro! Den knutna näven i lyften under Run Charlie run. Därefter blir det mer renodlad soul. Fin sådan. Love woke me up är alldeles underbart sockersöt, och självömkan i I ain’t got nothing gillar man ju.

Motownin ykköskamaa

Definitely a soulful album but also made at a time where cohesion wasnt a priority on albums. Papa Was a Rolling Stone and Run Charlie Run definitely fit a theme, but everything else around them, while soulful and easily great music, feel tacked on. That isn't to say these songs are bad. Quite the contrary, they're pretty good. They fit the early sound of the Temptations as a soul group with jazz stylings while the standouts feel like true R&B and Pop records, respectively. Still, this was a good listen. Would revisit multiple times.

nigga significa amigo :> It was cool, I liked it as background music

This was good. Run Charlie Run is a great song I'll never be able to sing, whoops. Cool take on the genre and I like anti establishment themes over the ages.

Favorite tracks: Run Charlie Run, Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, I Ain't Got Nothin' This album had a good variety of styles and lyrics, it felt like a great representation of The Temptations' skills. I know Papa Was a Rollin' Stone is one of their biggest singles and I thought the lyrics were great but honestly the instrumentals in the first half were my favorite part. I haven't really heard social issues be addressed in funk music, so Run Charlie Run really stuck out for me. I've never prayed so hard that my toddler didn't pick up a new word 😅

Good

Approximately one-third of this album is an extended version of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," one of the all-time great jams, so there really is no way it could be bad. The rest of the tracks do literally seem to be going in "all directions," as the album title promises. Most of those directions are a lot of fun. That said, many songs often just seem to drift off rather than having clear endings, which I would have to blame on poor or rushed production. Or maybe that was just the way they did things back then.

I mostly know the older Smokey Robinson era stuff, but this was a pleasant surprise. Stylistically it lives up to its title, but whilst it does a lot of things, it does them well.

Good groves and excellent singing. Exactly what you want from Motown.

Great music, amazing vocals

Recognized a few songs from this one, classic soul album and good listen.

I like everything about this. Rolling Stone Magazine Watch: mentioned zero times on album Wikipedia page. Bonus point for including a song about the magazine.

Nothing but respect for an eleven (11) minute song on a 35 minute album

Loved every minute of it. Just what I needed to ease into Monday.

very pretty, i would choose to listen to these songs again.

There are a couple of song that make this record epic. Then a couple that are not so epic.

The Temptations are a whole ass vibe. Super funky and smooth, and very much about social issues of the time. I like the experimental nature of it too. Not necessarily something I would listen to all the time, but in the right situation it's super cool. I hear a lot of influence of Marvin Gaye in this too.

Swaggalicious 8.5/10 11/09/25

Papa was a rollin stone

Dad- 9 Mom- 8 Mike- NA Lori- 7 Michael- 9 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 8.25

Great group with some very popular songs. Didn’t realize there was a long version of Papa.

It was all around good. Papa sure be rolling.

Funky! 70s R&B cooool.

This album was awesome. Whoa Papa Was a Rolling Stone is almost 12 mins long? I could honestly listen to a 2 hour long version of that song. They knew they had something good and just ran with it. The other tunes are all really good and all of them compliment each other so well. Great work fellas.

You can never go wrong with the Temptations. Even the doo wop songs they pull out are good. I prefer the funk and social commentary stuff they do so well but this is a great album from them. The first three songs are simply amazing. It slows down a little in the middle but even those couple are good tunes. Solid album and it will get listened to later, again and again most likely. Again it's sad a 50+ year old album is still relevant when it comes to race relations. We need to get our shit together.

A good album, very cohesive and tight, it was a breeze to listen to. The standout song is obviously "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone", as it's very popular and has been sampled a lot. But other songs like "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" and "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" were pretty good too. The vocals are excellent, the instrumentals are soulful and funky and very fun to listen to.

Funky fun classics. and a ballad I didn't know was the temptations.

Wow what a great album. Honestly having a really tough time rating this. I prefer yesterday's One Nation Under a Groove but this complimented it excellently. On the first listen I enjoyed but didn't think much but over the day I kept returning to it and loving it more. Gotta give this a 4/5

At the beginning and end of the album, The Temptations are bringing the funk and it's very good. In the middle, as they go more soulful and less funky, the album loses its way a little. But it's still decent.

To my mind, "Papa was a Rollin' Stone" alone actually calls out for a top rating, but the other songs cannot really keep up with this - even though they're by no means bad. In summary, “All Directions” is a good album but it becomes a must only because of the Temptations' signature song.

Groovy and relaxing! Easy listening

Really nice, loved the vibe of it. 4 stars

Would not buy.

Simply great!!

Cool, own it

Short album. Great songs. A couple of new finds. One classic.

Heard a couple of these songs in isolation before but never listened to the full album. Sounds great and has quite a bit of variety. Enjoyed it

“Papa” was wonderful, I really enjoyed the progression of the song and the orchestral hooks. Favorite track is “Mother Nature”, and I also really enjoyed and “I ain’t got nothing”.

Fabulous. The harmonies are tight, the melodies are catchy. One song that's iffy for me (white) to play in public these days, but the message is good.

I’m at a 4; maybe more of a 3.5 bumped up to a 4, but still. There’s not a bad track here, and I did enjoy the album, but while I was listening to this, something just felt a little bit off, and I couldn’t exactly place what it was. Trust me, I don’t think it’s any remnants of “Songs in the Key of Life” making me hyper-nitpicky or anything, but I can get a general sense of when something feels off in an album. It finally clicked by “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” – for lack of better verbiage, I think this album is not as “effortlessly smooth” as it presents itself. When you listen to an album like “Hot Buttered Soul”, it’s effortlessly smooth, and you can actively feel it, hitting a zen state without even really trying. While I was listening to this, even though all of the technical aspects to the production are correct, I found myself struggling to hit the sort of zen state each track was trying to induce. That’s sort of where I’m at for the whole 34 minute runtime; I think this album tries to glide upon “vibes” alone to a degree, but the instrumentation isn’t quite as fulfilling & rich as it needs to be to get there, and the vocals aren’t as clear to be able to fully subconsciously get there. When the “vibes” require a little extra focus, something doesn’t feel quite right, and I never felt like I truly hit the full zen state while listening to the album. Even from the very top of the album, with the pseudo-live recording of “Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On”, the muddled mix makes the energy feel a little off. Sure, the “crowd” is having fun, but the energy is not as infectious as it wants to be. Notice, however, that I said the “full” zen state; this album is still strong enough in terms of carrying a mood & an energy that a sort of zen state is achievable. It’s just not as fulfilling as it wants to be, at least to my ears. Part of that is just the structures & progression on a lot of the tracks not feeling as apparent or satisfying as they could be. “Do Your Thing” might be the prime example for me here; it’s a track trying to glide on the vibes, but 2:30 in is where the outro starts, and there’s just no real indication of it whatsoever. The fadeout to mark the end just sort of sidles in, without the instrumentation & vocal energy really acknowledging it. It makes the ending of the album feel flat. That’s not to say it ruins all of the tracks or anything; “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is still great in spite of the length & the tension from the instrumental never fully having a payoff, and the vast majority of the tracks still overcome the struggle of not being as “effortlessly smooth” on account of being shorter, snappier & still ultimately being nice to listen to. All of this is vast preamble to say that I think the production needed a little more time to cook so that these tracks COULD hit their highest potential, because it’s all there. Hell, I wouldn’t be at a 4 if I didn’t think they hit some of that potential. It’s also entirely possible that I was just in the wrong frame of mind for this, caught slightly off guard by the more orchestral tone of the album, clearly inspired by what Isaac Hayes & others were doing. Regardless, it’s a solid, solid album, and even the Temptations on a slightly off day are still the sort of soul / R&B music that my tastes are aligned to, hence a 4, albeit a slightly shaky 4.

So much funk! Really loved the 1st track and I never heard that one before.

Real smooth and funky. Let’s leave “The First Time…” to Roberta Flack, though.

“Papa Was a Rolling Stone” could be 30 minutes longer and I’d still say it ends too soon. A fucking classic.

I've never listened to this album (4). Way better than I expected. Curiously, Papa was a Rolling Stone was my least favorite on the album.

This was really cool. very much enjoyed - will defo listen again

I liked it! So funky and soulful. Papa Was a Rolling Stone was my favorite so far.

Funk music continues to blow my mind album after album. This is some Grade A stuff right here. Absolutely makes you dance for most of the album. A select few lighter songs of below average enjoyment are the only thing keeping this from a 5. My favorite songs from this one are “Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On”, “Run Charlie Run”, “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone”, and “Do Your Thing.” Put this one down as a 4.9/5 and I may be back and up it to a 5 at some point, because I absolutely will be returning to this one in the future. Absolutely thrilled to hear more of these guys at some point. Had only heard of them by name until today but I’m definitely a fan now!!

the temptations é ouro né

tem muito erro não, né só coisa boa!! tem umas mais calminha mas só pedrada!!

FUNKYYY MAAAN the beginning was a bit odd, but the funk started goood and added what we call RnB now. Great usage of dynamic instruments in such an early use of recordings. My favorite was Run Charlie Run for that grooooove.

16/08/2024 This was quite good, it's of the time and I enjoyed what they had to offer.

The Temptations fire on all cylinders and pull no punches on All Directions, making for an essential education on funk and soul from one of Motown’s premier acts.

This album is only on this list because of the inclusion of "Papa was a Rolling Stone" which is probably fair because I listened to just that track about 16 times. Thank you Mr The Temptations for your invaluable contribution.

No notes. Literally. I added every track to my liked though. 9/10

Both easy listening and socially conscious music, a great combo. However, despite being only 34 minutes long I found that only three songs really stuck out (one for extremely juvenile reasons). The standouts here are really Papa Was A Rollin' Stone and The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face). The former is what I know the Temptations best for and is an INSANELY good single, the latter is best performed by Roberta Flack (RIP) but this version absolutely blew me away when I heard it. The other tracks here aren't that memorable but I'm not gonna lie to you and say I didn't listen to this five times in a row. This was fantastic. Highlights: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)

I thought this was a great album. More funky than ballads. Some social commentary in Run Charlie Run. I Ain’t got Nothin was good too.

The Temptations never disappoint.

I did not realise how socially aware the Temptations were. I thought I knew their music, but I guess I was hearing it without listening to it. There are some really edgy themes running behind the soul & funk. "Run Charlie Run" is genuinely confronting while the Cover of "First Time I saw your face" is as tender as you'd expect. "For me "Papa was a rollin' stone" is the standout. I will be on look out for this in Vinyl stores.

Really enjoyed this.

All Directions – The Temptations (1972) | Psychedelic Soul / Funk | Avg: 8.25 | Favorite Song: “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”* All Directions is a bold, socially conscious pivot from The Temptations’ earlier Motown material, and I'm all in for the ride. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” towers above the rest, and rightfully so. It’s cinematic, moody, and expansive, with that iconic bassline stretching across a full narrative arc. Even beyond that, tracks like “Run Charlie Run” and “Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On” maintain a high level of energy and substance, making for a consistently compelling listen. What’s striking here is how the album manages to strike a balance between innovation and groove. The psychedelic production and lengthy arrangements don’t sacrifice accessibility; they enhance it. There’s a real sense of purpose in the way the record addresses societal issues, but it never feels preachy. Based on my scores, All Directions hits the rare mark of being both musically rich and thematically deep. It’s one of those albums where you can feel the band evolving in real time, and doing it with style.

Funky! Love that of the 30ish minutes of play time “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” is a third of them.

Its a slightly uneven album, but when it hits, it hits hard. Papa was a Rollin' Stone was worth the price of entry alone.

Det va ganske gøy, om enn overraskanes kort, men det gjorde heller ikke varig inntrykk, må sies.

Better tha man Coldplay

Awesome all the way!

Funky music sho nuff turns me on!

For some reason it’s ok for rappers to say the n word, but when I hear it from the temptations it feels wrong. They got sunshine on a cloudy day.

Wow. I remember the first time I heard Papa Was a Rolling Stone. My brother and I had stumbled across this TV movie about The Temptations and become captivated by it. There's a pivotal scene in it in which they record that song. I thought then as I do now that it is outrageous that this psychedelic funk song is by the same group that did My Girl, a Motown doo-wop song. This album was really good. Dwindled near the end.

Enjoyed the album, generally preferred the earlier tracks to the ballads but thought the vocals were great across the album. Fav song: Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone Least fav: Love Woke Me Up This Morning

Quite an enjoyable album. The best song went on for a tad too long though. Liked the vibe. Honestly don’t have a huge amount more to say than it’s a funky album with good vocals. Specific rating- 4.2 Fav song- papa was a rolling stone Least fav- love woke me up thjs morning

The Temptations: All Directions: Actually really good funk/soul music. The first song has louder audio in one ear, which I hated, but the rest of the album is really fun and creative. I had a lot of fun listening to the instrument variety and the very well done vocal parts. 8/10

Le début est vraiment bon soit par Run Charlie Run qui est très politique dans son coeur et l'enchaînement avec Papa was rolling stone qui est un classique mais je l'avais jamais entendu de fond en comble et je suis pas déçu. La 5e et 6e toune sont très blend mais ça finit super bien avec Mother Nature et Do your thing. Je recommenderais l'album `fortement pour s'initier au funk afro-soul/ motown music des années 70. -Dope La cover de l'album ressemble à une pochette de Noël btw

Excellent album soul/funk. Magnifiques voix, steamy beats - Groovy baby! Par contre, les structures sont assez simples; du déjà vu. C'est du funk pas brésilien, gg

Groovy, funky Que demander de plus

Je savais pas que ca existais du prog soul, très cool

So many great songs

I love Motown singles, but there are a lot of Motown albums that are pretty uneven--they sound more like just a bunch of singles without a coherence. The Temptations were subject to Berry Gordy's relentless push for singles so much that they resisted releasing "Papa Was A Rolling Stone", fearing it wasn't a good single. This album is best with the funkiest tracks, "Rolling Stone" being only one. The opener, "Funky Stuff Sho' Nuff Turns Me On" is so funky, I hear Sly Stone's influence, "Run Charlie Run" is funky social consciousness, and the closer, "Do Your Thing" leaves you remembering that The Temps can keep the temp high. The slow tracks are the curiosities here. "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" is probably the weakest song on the album, and as another reviewer noted, it should have been given to the Jackson 5 instead. "I Ain't Got Nothin'" has a backup vocal ripped right from The Flamingo's "I Only Have Eyes For You," and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a worthwhile cover of the beautiful Roberta Flack song. In all, a very good slice of funk and bedroom soul all around.

I listened to this while walking the beach on a perfect summer morning. No notes.

нормалек, претензий нет. всегда приятно послушать что-то где есть хет 16-ми.

RUN, JAMES DOAKES, RUN!

Classic Motown sound, fantastic

Some of it is kind of drippy, but Papa Was A Rolling Stone is such a perfect, uncluttered groove I have to give it a 4.

It's an excellent album. Every song on "All Directions" is great. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is nothing but an epic 11-minute track. The second half could be a bit better, I suppose. Other than that, I appreciate it. 4 stars for "All Directions".

Early 70's Motown funk and soul. Not Stevie but solid.

Strong collection of fantastic singing and equal parts funky funk. Awesomeness!

Very impressed

Can’t wait to blast this on Sunday mornings to wake my kids up.

very funky. was an enjoyable listen, nothing stood out. would probably give a 4/5.

alleen al voor 'Papa' vier sterren waard.. rest was ook niet onaardig

Fun.

Solid

Great band, great album. Will listen again!

On the strength of Papa Was A Rolling Stone alone, the Temptations should get a Mount Rushmore spot. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face doesn't hurt either--released here July 27th, Roberta Flack's more well known take was March 27. Flack's was great, but Temptation's gets into my head more, insinuating the lilt into my grey matter synesthetically--I see it and feel it. A lot of directions to get lost in. The groove here is deep enough to drown in.

Just amazing. Tackling tough issues, big and small, with warmth and grace to penetrate society's natural defensiveness. This album is a treasure.

Very funky. This obviously influenced Redbone and Childish Gambino's later work.

Love

Really took me by surprise. Very interesting record. Way more social/political than I was expecting - and Funky!

Great reinvention of the band.

I have this one on vinyl!! Incredible record, with an interesting and varied tracklist. A very fun listen.

Gewohnt allerhöchstes Niveau, wenn auch ohne große Hits. Unter den Soul-Klassikern sind die Temptations unverzichtbar.

Favorites: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Mother Nature I can see why this wouldn't totally click with people since I think some tracks in the b-side are a tad underwhelming compared to the rest of the album, but my god is this a fantastic psych soul record. I absolutely recommend this to anyone that only associates The Temptations with My Girl, because this is in a completely different ballpark sound-wise.

Pretty decent. I enjoyed this album!

this album was awesome, once i found out it was a motown album i knew i was in for a TREAAAAATTTT. always great stuff.

What a great Motown Record, I had only heard them from My Girl before, but these guys know their stuff. That Papa Was A Rollin' Stone song is the stuff.

I like both the R&B schmaltz and the funky songs. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone is such a classic and Mother Nature is also a top track.

Papa was a Rolling Stone

Not their best, but some classic hits on this LP.

Do Your Thing and listen to this album. Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On.

That bassline and the crazy long intro to “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is brilliant.

Great album, insane that rolling stone was a third of the run time though. Everything grooved, enjoyed it all, but it was a bit of a hurdle after rollin stone until do your thing. They have a really solid and tight rhythm section including their guitar player. Feeling a hard 4.

Great all the way through. Drummer is so tight. Harmonies are tastefully scattered throughout the album. Just to be picky, the lead vocalist sounded flat on some of the slower songs, but that's about it. Strong 4

Great

Loveeeee

The first side is incredible. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone is a Funk masterpiece, Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On is a bop, and Run Charlie Run is quite amusing. The back side is much more subdued. I Ain't Got Nothing & Do Your Thing were my personal favorites on much more chill and somber set of songs. Overall, I really dug the album.

Nice funk albums, required several listenings. Two or three berry good songs

Meget sterkt fra The Temptations! B-siden hadde noe veldig magisk over seg

Tempted to listen to this in the east, perhaps the north, maybe the west, and sometime the south

Some solid funky jams on here

Awesome record wow

Very good, the music

as far as kicking ass goes ... this one does in fact kick ass

This was absolutely excellent! I'd never heard the full version of 'Rolling Stone from these guys before!

Most of this was great! Mother Nature is amazing.

cool

Funkier than I thought it would be, and great versions of songs I already knew and loved. Will come back to it

Great mix of funk, soul, and r&b. A lot of social commentary. I loved it.

Definitely a departure from their earlier Motown hit driven albums, this has a more ambitious broader sound, with the lyrics in some songs tackling more social issues, Papa was a Rolling Stone is the stand out track, an epic 11 minute Odyssey. Very much an album to come back to.

I’m mostly familiar with the Temptations’ older work, but I have a long history with “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”. I love the flow of this album, from the joyous “Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On” to the delicate “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” to the Temptations’ parting advice on this album, “Do Your Thing”.

Can't go wrong here

4.5

This was a nice listen. Have listened to a lot of the temptations, but none of their albums. Always thought they were more of a singles band. I was wrong, well worth a listen and definitely will go back again

GENUINELY GOOD except maybe a tad offensive also why is the one song ELEVEN MINUTES I CANT LISTEN TO THE SAME TUNE FOR SO LONG

This album was awesome. I hadn’t heard much “funky Temptations” but these guys are fantastic no matter what 💖 Their harmonies are just the best!!! My only gripe is their one song was like 10 minutes long. That kills me 😩

Love the bass singer being used for comedic effect. Run Charley. Would be a five if it were just papa, a tour de force, some of the last kinda drag.

Liked it, relaxing sound, nice instruments. Good all round.

Classico R&B funkettone anni 70. Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns me On se non avesse avuto quei umori ogni tanto sarebbe stata molto meglio ma bella. Run Charlie Run forse la conoscevo già,carina Papa Was a Rollin Stone,ok ascolto passivo,no ascolto attivo. Troppo lunga e troppo poco dinamica. Love Woke me up this morning Hit,sembra una roba da sample (Tyler/Kanye) I ain't got Nothin mm,bellina ma c'è qualcosa che mi fa storcere il nose. First time ever i saw your face mi fa venire in mente Brain damage,boh forse il piano Comunque non male però classica "Ballad" R&B/Pop stile You and I. Non brutta però nemmeno particolarmente bella. Mother Nature ganza,strana ma bella. Cori,ritmo,piano,Violini fatti bèn. Bei vocals come al solito Bella perchè diversa dalle classiche songz Do your thing bella. niente da dire,groovy,bei vocals,bel basso,bel piano,bei brass,batteria ci sta,fa il suo Voto finale : 4-

Having an 11:44 minutes long song on a 34 minutes album is audacious Favorite: Love woke me up this morning

vibe is sooo nice! i loved i ain't got nothin and papa was a rolling stone

The extended version of Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a marvel

Yep. Got a a good album here. A worthy addition.

Standout: Papa Was A Rolling Stone. Worth all 11 minutes

Enjoyed this. A nice mix of soul and funk without the wackiness of some funkier albums. Run Charlie Run wasn’t for me (in more ways than one) but other than that definitely enjoyed. Ended up listening to a chunk more temptations afterwards by not paying attention, no bad thing.

Motown, a genre (basically) that I never listen to but is right up my alley. I don't like Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, and the mix on Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On is terrible, but everything else stands out. Favorite track: Love Woke Me Up This Morning

Pretty good album

Surprisingly rad.

This is a fun Motown album. Papa was a rolling stone was a very funk son. The full 12 min had very cool instrumentals. I loved the wah effects Mother Nature is a great song. The vocals sound very powerful. The rest is nice, but not that interesting or catchy to me. The rest of the album was a little slow and straight up for my taste. Do the Thing is funky and grooving. I dig the horns and bassline.

Lots of great tracks, with a couple of iconic ones. Smooth and funky.

Really strong album top-to-bottom. I didn't love every song, but the album as a whole gives some iconic 70s sound wrapped around some solid ballads, funk, and social protest songs.

I've listened to a lot of funk and R&B from this list, but the Temptations are all soul. This is a pretty emotionally charged album between the obvious Run, Chsrlie, Run and Papa Was a Rolling Stone. My favorite is probably I Ain't Got Nothing, it's such a beautiful song that highlights the vocal group. It's a good album, probably not my favorite of the genre or era, but I did like it a lot.

4.5 if I could!

Gritty! A lot of different voices on this one. Way more moody than I thought it would be. I’m sure it was culturally important when it was released!

made it to Motown

I had never listened to this album all the way through. The standout, Papa Was a Rolling Stone and a few others are well known and outstanding. But some of the R & B tracks were a bit sleepy.

Damn that's pretty funky. Very chill vibes. For some reason I really feel this would be a perfect record to go alongside a nice bath. Anyone says "Papa was a Rolling Stone" isn't too long has lost they damn mind however.

The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face stopped me in my tracks in a way a new to me song hasn't in a while.

Any album that has "Papa was a Rolling Stone" on it deserves at least four stars.

This was packed full of dynamite. Short, sweet. This was a tight album and I danced.

Papa was a rolling stone is head and shoulders above everything else, but the rest is decent, and that's a huge song.

Funky. The Temptations were apart of the sound of my childhood in the 80s

Soul, Motown all great music. Classic album

oh this is the good shit

Amazing the impact Sly and the Family Stone had on music at the time.

83/100. A classic soul record packed with tasteful grooves, strong songwriting, and timeless vocal performances. The album blends social commentary with smooth, dynamic production, creating a sound that's both powerful and endlessly listenable.

Solid, funky, groovy, soulful

Solid, got some bangers

Listened on Spotify. This is my second album by The Temptations. The first I listened to was their debut album "The Temptations Sings Smokey", which is a great album. "All Directions" is much more experimental and have some serious themes in the lyrics. The only song I knew before listening was "Papa Was Rolling Stone" which is among my favorite songs. It is a masterpiece! "Run Charlie Run" is lyrically interesting, but not one of my favorites to listen to. Favorites: - Papa Was a Rolling Stone - I Ain't Got Nothing - Mother Earth 7/10

Great hits

3.5

When 1/3 of your album is one song, it better be a good one. Luckily it is!

Another superb album from The Temptations. Much like Cloud Nine it has a raw and funky sound. If there was a 1001 songs to hear before you die then 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone' would be on that list. Fuck it, if the list was 101 songs it would still be on it.

I liked these tunes. Felt like a set of darker songs to me. 7.5/10

Coole Band mit nem coolen Sound auf dem Album. Für fünf Sterne fehlte mir noch ein wenig das "Anregen zur Bewegung"-Gefühl. Aber war top

Chillig, funky, bekomme Lust auf sanftes Kuschelficken. 4/5

Funkier than funk from FunkTown. Loved it!

This is a Sunday afternoon cooking a big meal album

This was fun and had me bouncing a little in my chair.

The second Temptations album I've had on this list. Found the previous one (Cloud Nine) surprisingly mediocre apart from the vocals. Hoping this album has aged better and that their sound has evolved significantly since the last album I heard from them. The one song I know from this album (Papa Was a Rollin' Stone) sure slaps so I'm feeling positive going into this one. Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On The instrumental feels a bit muted when played in my headset, though I can hear the great groove. Fantastic bassline. Great vocal performances for everyone involved. Really positive and fun track, makes me wanna move along to it. Good. 4/5 Run Charlie Run That's some unexpected bravery and edge. Really gets the point across providing some great commentary. Anti-racism anthem. Great performances all around and a decent instrumental to go on top of it. Good. 4/5. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone Glorious instrumental buildup, the strings, the guitar and the brass just does so well at setting the tone. Adding a fantastic, but simple bassline to it is just the icing on the cake. Wonderfully psychedellic while containing a great groove. The lyrics are extremely catchy and fun to sing along to the instrumental stays great throughout. I also think each singer brings his A-game to the track, singing with passion, confidence and charisma. Probably the greatest song ever written about having a deadbeat dad. 5/5 Love Woke Me Up This Morning Feels joyful, really like the sound of this. Blissful and positive track. Generally fantastic vibes. Cheesy, but in a fun way. Great. 4.5/5 I Ain't Got Nothing Smooth. Has a pretty good instrumental. Doesn't really have the greatest energy, feels a bit sleepy. It's very pleasant, just perhaps not as interesting as the other tracks on here. Decent. 3.5/5 The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Another slow ballad. Has less going for ir instrumentally than the previous track, thougg I think the lyrics are a bit more compelling. The vocals are definitely subtle, though performed with decent emotion. Comes across as a bit boring. Fine. 3/5 Mother Nature I enjoy the piano and the backing vocals a lot. Passionate main vocals. Great bassline. Fairly unique and inspired soul song. Good. 4/5 Do Your Thing Starts off extremely funky. Has a great groove to it. Great chorus, marvelously produced, really catchy. Oozes swagger, just a smooth enjoyable experience all around. Great. 4.5/5 What an improvement from the last album I've heard from them. Most things here just click immediately and just dound thought out and well constructed. There's a lot more variation when it comes to styles and themes, and the improved production helps immensely. I feel the song writing here is great especially how they're able to implement all members decently well through parts that fit their respective voices and styles. The instrumental really shines in the funkier tracks on the album, but it also really does a great job adding grandness snd texture to songs like "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" and "'Mother Nature". The album is short, concise and gets its point across and every track feels like a worthy inclusion. Genuine surprise. 4/5

Overall just great grooves. Solid throughout and never had me wanting to stop. Papa was a rolling stone is the highlight here.

Not my thing but undeniably excellent.

Iconic tunes indeed, but I'm not sure that enjoy every song

Man, the Temps really were off in all directions on this album. Obviously influenced by Marvin’s foray into social commentary while also staying true to their roots.

Really easy to talk at length even just about the crown jewel on this album ("Papa Was A Rolling Stone") but I'm trying to keep it brief; I love The Temptations, I prefer the wall-knocking funk they would show off compared to their '60s bubblegum pop, and this album is a good balance of both. It's a quick one, just over 35 minutes long with an 11-minute epic placed in the middle, and it works extremely well!

The Temptations' *All Directions* (1972) is a landmark album in the evolution of soul music, blending funk, psychedelic soul, and socially conscious themes. Produced by Norman Whitfield, this record represents a pivotal moment in the group's career and Motown's history. Below is an in-depth review of its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, followed by an analysis of its pros and cons. ## **Lyrics** The lyrics on *All Directions* reflect a mix of social commentary, introspection, and emotional storytelling: - **"Papa Was a Rolling Stone"**: The centerpiece of the album, this 12-minute epic addresses themes of family dysfunction and absentee fatherhood. Its conversational lyrics—where children question their mother about their late father—are poignant and emotionally charged. The song paints a vivid picture of disillusionment while maintaining an air of mystery about the titular character[1][2]. - **"Run Charlie Run"**: This track tackles the sensitive topic of white flight during the civil rights era. Though its message is powerful, its repeated use of racial slurs made it controversial even among the group members[3]. - **"Mother Nature"**: A more traditional soul track with poetic lyrics that reflect on human relationships and environmental metaphors[3]. - **Ballads like "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)"**: These tracks explore love and tenderness but lack the same lyrical depth as the socially conscious songs[1]. Overall, the album's lyrics oscillate between groundbreaking social commentary and standard love ballads. ## **Music** Musically, *All Directions* is a masterclass in blending genres: - The album opens with **"Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On,"** a high-energy funk track that showcases The Temptations' vocal interplay over a live-sounding backdrop. However, the crowd noise occasionally overpowers the music[1]. - **"Papa Was a Rolling Stone"** features an extended instrumental introduction with wah-wah guitars, sweeping strings, and pulsating basslines. This cinematic approach builds tension before the vocals enter, creating an immersive experience[1][2]. - Tracks like **"Do Your Thing"** lean heavily into funk with dramatic horns and groovy rhythms, while others like **"I Ain't Got Nothing"** are more subdued, featuring understated arrangements that emphasize melancholy[1][3]. The musicianship is impeccable throughout, with The Funk Brothers delivering tight performances that elevate every track. ## **Production** Norman Whitfield's production is the backbone of *All Directions*. His ability to craft expansive soundscapes is most evident on "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," where he employs layered instrumentation to create a sense of drama and anticipation. Whitfield's use of long instrumental passages was innovative for Motown at the time, pushing the boundaries of what soul music could be[1][2]. However, some tracks suffer from uneven mixing. For instance: - Ballads like "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)" have lush arrangements but feel raw due to inconsistent mixing[3]. - The live feel on "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On" adds energy but detracts from clarity when crowd noise overwhelms the music[1]. ## **Themes** Thematically, *All Directions* is ambitious: - **Social Issues**: Tracks like "Run Charlie Run" and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" delve into racism, urban decay, and family struggles. These songs reflect the turbulence of early 1970s America. - **Love and Emotion**: Ballads such as "Love Woke Me Up This Morning" focus on personal relationships but lack the thematic weight of the socially conscious tracks. - **Funk and Freedom**: Songs like "Do Your Thing" celebrate individuality and creative expression through their funky grooves. This duality makes the album both socially relevant and emotionally resonant. ## **Influence** *All Directions* had a profound impact on soul music: - "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" became one of The Temptations' signature songs and won three Grammy Awards. Its fusion of funk and psychedelic soul influenced artists like Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye[1][2]. - The album marked a departure from Motown's traditional sound toward more experimental production styles. Whitfield's work here paved the way for future explorations in cinematic soul[3]. - Despite its success, tensions between Whitfield and The Temptations grew during its creation. The group felt overshadowed by his production style, which they believed prioritized instrumentation over their vocals[3]. ## **Pros** 1. **Innovative Production**: Norman Whitfield's bold approach set new standards for soul music. 2. **Standout Tracks**: "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," "Do Your Thing," and "Run Charlie Run" are highlights that showcase The Temptations' versatility. 3. **Social Relevance**: The album's exploration of racism, urban decay, and family dynamics gives it lasting cultural significance. 4. **Musicianship**: The Funk Brothers' performances are exceptional throughout. 5. **Diversity**: The mix of funk-driven tracks and tender ballads demonstrates range. ## **Cons** 1. **Inconsistent Cohesion**: The album feels more like a collection of standout tracks than a unified whole. 2. **Controversial Lyrics**: Songs like "Run Charlie Run" include language that alienated some listeners. 3. **Overproduction at Times**: While innovative, Whitfield's heavy-handed production occasionally overshadows The Temptations' vocals. 4. **Uneven Mixing**: Some tracks suffer from raw or unbalanced sound quality. 5. **Short Length**: At just under 40 minutes, the album feels too brief for its ambition. ## Final Thoughts *All Directions* is both a triumph and a turning point for The Temptations. Its bold experimentation with funk and psychedelic soul solidified their legacy as pioneers in Motown's evolution while addressing pressing social issues through music. However, its uneven cohesion and occasional overproduction prevent it from being flawless. Despite these shortcomings, *All Directions* remains essential listening for fans of soul music. It captures a moment when The Temptations—and Motown—were willing to take risks to push boundaries.

Jävla vilket sväng! Nästan så jag börjar gilla funk😁

Not essential, but solid.

Funk, yet smooth.

Some slower, mellow Temptations songs. Pleasant and enjoyable.

The first 3 songs are by far my favorites- especially “Papa was a Rollin’ Stone” - all great funk songs. The second half was more R&B, Doo-wop and I thought was not as strong but still liked "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)" and "Mother Nature".

The thing about The Temptations, compared to other similar groups, is how much their music changed across their career. This funky, fat bass, sound is so different from their 60's stuff. I really enjoyed this.

Great vocals, beautiful and funky songs, incredible productions. Magnificent!!

Nogmaals, best goed

rieeeeeese opener. uffff motown funk sound. run charlie run au geeeilomat. aha stimmt papa was a rolling stone. fuck. jo muemer nöd de huufe dezue sege. afoch geil. es goht sooooo lang hahaha. aber de groove verhebet. lieb progressive soul. lieb alli wo do druff spieled. wah wah gitarre richtig igsetzt. love woke me up this morning mega schöön und mega churz super kontrast. mags. s letst womer vo ihne gha hend isch mer zu fest zweiteilt gsi in funk/soulballade. die findi passt etz ine. LEIDER isch die zweit hälfti wieder wesentlich schwächer au wenns suuuper schöni songs sind jammere uf mega höchem niveau.

the damntations run charlie run kenntmer ja, anschinend hends das nöd umbedingt welle spiele papa qas a rollin stone augad no?? d hits hends gad am ahfang annegfizzt hä joo es isch es sehr grosses und wichtigs lied gsi aber hans doch gnueg lang gfunde love woke me up this morning isch huere schön, au wenn chli weniger "speziell" wie die vorherige lieder ich lieb s SCHUWAPSHWAP" jaa also sie hend chli wieder di glich uufteikig gmacht wie bi cloud nine aber au mither nature isch extrem schöön FUCKING VIERI

I enjoyed the uptempo funky songs more than the more ballad-y tracks, as I always do, but overall I thought this was a very good listen.

A very pleasant album. Very good production and vocal performance. I did expect a bit more from them, tho this is really good.

Great funk album. I had high hopes seeing it was a Temptations album and they didn’t disappoint. Papa was a Rolling Stone is always longer and better than I remember it. I saved several other songs but could also just go for the ride for the full album again. Real strong 4 but I think there was a bit of a lull from the high energy at a point.

I honestly thought the temptations only ever had the 50’s/60’s boy pop band sound. This album was dope. And the funky guitar in Papa was a rollin’ stone is used in so many movies/tv shows it’s wild that it came from here.

Such a jam. Absolutely iconic baseline on Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone, but I don’t know if it’s fair that it takes up a third of the album. I could’ve gone for more tracks instead. A really good listen and I hope we have more from The Temptations.

It's hard to speak negatively about The Temptations, but I was expecting a little more. Don't get me wrong, their voices are unmatched and the music is super soothing. I think I was just looking for a little more. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a classic, but it's really just 8 minutes of repeating funky beats smashed into a 3 minute song. I think this review is coming off a little more negative than I anticipated. I did really like it. I just thought it was going to be a five before listening to it.

Probably the best at what they do

All Directions is a strong showing from The Temptations during their psychedelic soul phase. “Run Charlie Run” is catchy with a biting social commentary that still feels relevant, and their version of “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is nothing short of legendary — the atmosphere, the groove, that iconic bassline. It’s a slow burn that totally pays off. The rest of the album doesn’t quite hit the same highs, but there’s still plenty of solid material here. It’s a bold, experimental record that shows just how much The Temptations evolved from their earlier Motown days. Definitely worth a listen if you want to hear a group pushing their sound in new directions. Favorite song: Papa Was a Rollin Stone

This is awesome. Funky and smoooooth

Really smooth bass-based + drum focused soul album. Lyrics not particularly impressive, but sound is

All the hits and all the fun.

хороший, бодрый и необычный поп / бродвейская по ощущениям музыка

A great listen. Apart from the unexpected lyrics of Run Charlie Run, the album was a funky delight. Upbeat and soulful vocals. The style seems to leap around all over the place a bit and at first I thought it was very short but I've now realised that Papa was a rollin' stone was missing from the album in Tidal (weird/annoying!) which accounts for it's shortness. I enjoyed it like taking a funky little journey back in time.

cool funk, but some songs are boring

Just pretty good I like the instrumentation and the signing, quality is a bit bad because I don’t think it’s been remastered but that’s not too bad. I like the long song Favourite songs: funky music sho nuff turns me on, papa was a rollin’ stone, love woke me up this morning, the first time I ever saw your face, do your thing. Overall around 7/10

Beautiful album

Excellent funky Motown record. "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" is a classic.

Just My Imagination was released One. Year. Before. THIS. HOW Oh, well, the second half of this album kind of explains it, as it's merely average, and really kind of a let down after the first 3 songs. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is one of the best songs ever written but this isn't a great version. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is around 33% of this record though so I've got to score for that. Thinking back to Cloud 9, the T's always had the funk chops, and that's where they excel.

I'm not a ballad person so I definitely enjoyed the first half more than most of the second half, however, the musicianship and talent is through the roof so overall I enjoyed it all a lot nonetheless.

The lows were meh but the highs were so so good

Funky

Funky, fun and great singles!

Loved this - v enjoyable - listened maybe 3/4 times

Gear: ZMF Bokeh Artwork: ☺️☺️☺️☺️☺️ Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 👨‍👧‍👦🔄️🪨 Rating: ⬆️➡️⬇️⬅️/5

thinking about a 5 for this…

Très solide album de soul/RnB avec quelques hits. J'étais un peu incertain si la production plus gritty fittais bien avec les chansons. En général c'est un type de production que j'aime mais j'associe les Temptations a un son plus "clean" . Un bon album, je réécouterais

Vraiment, bon, sonne la bombe, une réalisation super interessante. Probablement mon best album a date.

Motown at it's finest. What's not to love.

Uuuu yeeaaaaa

Sensitive and soulful song writing. There were a couple low points for me but overall, this is a great album.

Funky and fun

There’s no denying the funk on this album is absolutely top-tier, it grooves hard and keeps you hooked. But when it leans more into the R&B/soul side, I find my interest drifting a bit. That’s just personal taste, though, because the talent and production here are undeniable. All Directions is a well-crafted album with some standout moments, even if it doesn’t fully keep me locked in the whole way through.

7.5/10. It's not tempting, but it is quite nice, and soulful. The listening experience is quite pleasant.

Loved the funk, side A is perfect, side B gets slower and less interesting but finishes strong

Great album

Cerebral. all i have to say.

Reminds me of playing LittleBigPlanet (I Ain't Got Nothin' was in the third game I think). Very jazzy, mellow and energetic at the same time. Accidentally listened to it twice in a row without realizing it (thanks Spotify).

so groovy and so fun - that funky soul with elements of modern RnB is so beautiful and so much fun to listen to.

Soul, Harmony with just a touch of funk and lyrics that meant something to the time.

The Temptations are a great listen. There is something really fun about how masterfully they vocalize and harmonize with such heart and energy. Another great album from 1972. Love the funk grove right out of the gate, but I love the soulful groove on the closing, "Do your thing!"

I've listened to my fair share of The Temptations, and their songs are generally too funky, and groovy to pass on. I had too much fun with this album. Favorite Song: "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone".

The Temptations are a great listen. There is something really fun about how masterfully they vocalize and harmonize with such heart and energy. Another great album from 1972. Love the funk grove right out of the gate, but I love the soulful groove on the closing, "Do your thing!"

A lot cooler than I remembered the Temptations being. I mean, less fluffy than I remembered

Loved this! I wouldn’t ordinarily have gone for this album, but really enjoyed it.

Some lovely familiar tunes and a very easy listen. The voices are so good, can only imagine what modern day recording could have had them sounding like. It made me go back to watch a temptations vs the Four tops YouTube video, people can’t sing like that anymore and it makes me sad and also unhappy.

C'est chill, c'est bon, ça groove, un petit bonbon qui s'écoute tout seul.

Generally this is a good album and highlights the funkier direction undertaken by the Temptations, following their motown hit singles era. Papa Was A Rolling Stone is outstanding and even at 11 minutes, does not feel overlong. Other highlights include I Ain't Got Nothin and a good cover of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face

Really funky. Not everything is my cup of tea, but the handclap rhythm on Papa Was A Rolling Stone is infectious. Run Charlie Run is good, and I do like their version of The First Time Ever I Same Your Face. Much, much better than I was expecting. 3.5.

"Every house has a door... Every room has a floor"

Destul de co, groove nice, pentru inceput de zi, energizant

I'm not very familiar with the material The Temptations were putting out in the '70s, but this is pretty damn good. Songs like Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, Run Charlie Run, Mother Nature, and I Ain't Got Nothin' are absolute highlights. When the group leans into the funk and soul side of things they really shine, and it's wild that they thought this record would flop since they were straying from their typical ballads and do-wop. This album feels so confident and powerful, and I respect the hell out of them for their bravery in trying something so different from what they were known for at the time. It's not the most groundbreaking record, and there are definitely more competent soul and funk records from the time, but this has some great songwriting, performances, and production - making it a highlight of The Temptations' discography. 8.5/10

This bangs. Funky bass lines.

Bangers! This album had some absolute bangers. It starts out super strong with the first three tracks and then kind of levels off until it picks back up in the final third. I love the fusion of blues and funky. Its kind of perfect in that way, where its sexy and dancy, but also deep, soulful and bluesy. The social aspects of the first 3 songs, really gets me stoked and ready to jam on this one. I love Run Charlie Run and Papa Was a Rolling Stone. The First Time I Saw Your Face is so good. Even though, this is the slower part of the record, I really love this song. Its soft and sentimental and really just beautiful. I had a blast with this one this morning!

Not my kind of music typically but come on it’s the Temptations. They blend funk and soul and even gospel so well, and this album in particular has almost a grandiose quality to it, where it uses all these different instruments almost like an orchestra. I would say it’s mid loaded, didn’t love the first song or second to last song, but it has the 12 minute version of papa was a rolling stone so it’s a 4/5 minimum

I confess that I knew The Temptations primarily as the group that sang "My Girl", a poppy, feelgood R&B track that's a staple of wedding reception PowerPoint montages. But in fairness, it's a classic song and it's popular for a reason. I really didn't expect what was coming on "All Directions" though. The music had evolved significantly, expertly crafted and incorporating a wide variety of musical styles. The Temptations seem to have abandoned their clean cut style in favor of a more contemporary look. The (sometimes) sickly sweet, radio-friendly lyrics have been replaced by loss and a fierce social consciousness. The band may have felt like they went too far with "Run Charlie Run", but they certainly left their mark. What an interesting development from their early successes to this deep and varied album.

Absolutely brilliant. That first three mins of PWARS is 1) what the 70s sounds like in my imagination, and 2) surely lifted by Daniel Striped Tiger for “Slalom”. This record has awoken in me a desire to go deeper on The Tempts and their biography.

Pleasantly surprised by this soul album. By this time they've moved on from standard Motown hits like My Girl to incorporate funk into the album sound, giving us classics like Papa was a rollin' stone and the soulful The first time I ever saw your face 4/5

8/10

Groovy!

This is a fine album. It's only 34 minutes long, and about 12 of those are "Papa Was a Rolling Stone", so hopefully you like that song. I do.

Such a fun album!

super funky