All Directions

Papa was a Rollin’ stone: 12 minutes très longues qui se répètent. Ça pourrait clairement être la musique d’un film pas fou où il se passe rien pendant DOUZE minutes.

Dans le schtyle Motown Boy Band The Temptations est pas mal mon groupe favori. Leurs albums début 70 sont vraiment pas piqués des vers. J'écoute souvent Psychedelic Shack.

Le cover est drôle on dirait un album de Noël, dans les tons/couleur et la police d'écriture. C'est dansant, quand même le fun, mais le soul ça m'anime pas plus qu'il faut.

The “epic” 12-minute “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” is worth the time, but I don’t know that it really coheres with the message of the song. It’s a very tense, suspenseful rendition, more suited to a heightened dramatic scene than reflections, laments from mother to son, son to listener, etc. But it’s a damn impressive miss. Likewise the rendition of “The First Time...” points up a regular practice of groups from the 60s and 70s that has disappeared: established groups doing their own take on a hit song. Sure, you’ve heard Roberta Flack, but what about your heroes The Temptations? It’s a fine take, but doesn’t surpass Flack’s mix of melancholy and longing.

Groovy

Smooth as silk. Love myself a timpani

Is Papa Was A Rolling Stone the best song to come out of Detroit in the 60s and 70s? I Ain't Got Nothin and Love Woke Me Up This Morning are also excellent standouts. Just like Marvin Gaye the luscious strings and raw funkiness are a elite combination.

Funky and more controversial than some of their other work, but there are some soft, sultry tracks later on. Crunchy PB and oh so sweet jam.

This is just groovy enough

Classic soulful record that blends the old doo-wop styles of the group with a newer consciousness. The unfortunate part is they don’t really fully buy in, but it’s a vibe nonetheless.

really classic jazz funk album. so classic in fact that some of the tracks feel like theyre in mono

Ordentliche Beats der 70er ohne Supersongs.

It's a bit all over the place, but man when this hits it hits hard. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is an all-time fav of mine, but the entire second half is full of gems. Really enjoyed this.

I've liked this kind of music generally

Love ittt specially Mother Nature

Funky, tasty. Love the vibe.

Absolute jazz banger. 5/5

Pretty much just banger after banger. Just short enough to be enjoyable but the second half wasn't as good as the first.

I thought they were a doo-wop group. No idea they had this much funk. Motown did it right!

Not for me but I see the talent.

DISCO FUNK! I’ve been waiting for a 70s disco funk album. Super groovy, super funky, exactly the kind of rhythm-driven music I enjoy. The long build ups work well and add to the vibe, though I do wish a couple of tracks were slightly less repetitive. At around 35 minutes, the album hits the perfect listening length for me, long enough to immerse yourself in the atmosphere. The use of effects, especially wah and reverb, combined with their stylistic approach makes the the experience even richer. I love this type of sound, and the fact that they were pioneers of it only elevates the record in my opinion. Visually, the album cover isnt overly flashy but it conveys exactly what it needs to, a confident experienced group stylistically in step with the decade they were helping shape. The aesthetic fits the mood. Overall, All Directions might not be as immediately accessible as some of The Temptations’ earlier work, but its legacy speaks for itself. It’s ambitious, immersive, and home to one of the most iconic soul tracks ever recorded. Favourite tracks: Run Charlie Run, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Mother Nature, Do Your Thing

Start was good and then it went meh

An interesting and even good album without being amazing . The first 3 songs are all great but never really get going - sounding like continuous intros if anything

En cuanto arrancó Papa Was a Rolling Stone supe que la cosa iba en serio. Muy buen disco. Me gustó tanto la parte más funky de la primera mitad como las baladas de la segunda. Muy animado y muy bonito. Cortito y sin queja alguna. Seguiré escuchando.

Clara’s birthday album

boring

Stank face out the gate.

Easy listening, soul, funky. Liked "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face". "Run Charlie Run" reminded me of something I would hear during a heist movie montage. Mix of groovy/upbeat and slow and crooning tunes.

Unos genios. Toda la onda. Increíble cómo arranca arriba funk y van hacia algo más R&B o cosita más soul al final. Me gustó y nunca los había escuchado. 6/10

Superb, I knew Papa Was a Rolling Stone which is a beast of a song and the rest of the album is solid as well

This is a lot heavier than I expected. For me, when I think of the Temptations I think of poppy vocal harmony stuff like My Girl first. I should have known there was more to them. Of course I was familiar with the song Papa Was a Rolling Stone I just never explicitly realized in a way that was the same Temptations. And it does feel a bit weird for a group of just singers - no instrumentalists - to make a heavy funk album like this (with some sexy ballads as well). Having adjusted my expectations of the group, I really enjoyed this.

Nothing like some good 70s R&B

great soul

Butter smooth, great for a chill listen on an easy day. Favorite track was mother nature

All Directions really grabbed me with its rhythm section. The bass across the album is incredibly cool — deep, steady, and full of character. And the guitar really stood out too: the funky muted cutting in “Run Charlie Run” and the lightly wah-tinged rhythm guitar in “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” give the songs such a distinctive groove.

Barely the same band that made “My Girl”, but a good album that showcases their talent.

One of the things I appreciate about this exercise is learning stuff. For example, in the before times, if you had asked me whether The Temptations wrote their own material, I would have said 'sure.' However, a perfunctory Wikipedia search of All Directions revealed that all of the songs were written by a mischief of songwriters. (I assume a group of songwriters is called a mischief, like magpies.) A further internet query revelated that The Temptations' biggest hits were probably written by either Smokey Robinson or Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield. The latter contribute to All Directions. This era Temptations could just as easily be called Norman Whitfield presents The Temptations. While I appreciate that the members of The Temptations are talented singers and dancers, I just cannot get over the fact this is basically karaoke. Of course, it is well choreographed karaoke, but karaoke none the less.

difficult to rate this album - was easy enough to get through at 35 minutes but i had to relisten at least four or five times to really solidify my feelings about it. i'm behind on rating so i'm trying not to spend TOO long with each album, and yet... i think on the first few passes, this album didn't really make much of an impression. i thought: "well, that was a snooze!" but when i checked which songs i had saved, it was most of them!! it's a solid album, but maybe not - genre wise - something i'm acquainted to where it's virtues were apparent on first encounter. i had no problem leaving it on loop to try and solidify my feelings, so that definitely merits it more than it detracts. groovy!! enjoyable to listen to!! 3.5 erring on 4 stars. highlights - funky music sho nuff turns me on, papa was a rollin' stone, i ain't got nothin', the first time i saw your face, mother nature

Ok

Cool sound.

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.

There's a lot I liked about this album. Funky beats and good vocals. I think it started off really strong. However, I think it fell into the pattern that a lot of albums have fallen into: it starts out high energy, slows down, and never picks back up. I think even moving "Run Charlie Run" to the end could have made this album more cohesive. I just wanted something that packed more of a punch at the end to round everything else out.

man that first song is wackadoo I heard more crowd noise than needed. Which sucks because the song itself sounds like it couldve been great, the rest of the album feels like a strange departure. Temptations you are smooth as hell and I thoroughly enjoyed this whole listen, outside that first track.

I was pretty put off by the first song which is the worst sounding live recording I’ve ever heard, but then the rest of the album was very enjoyable. Reminds me of Awaken My Love. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a stone cold classic and the rest of the tunes were funky and soulful

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

Groovy as hell

Loved the funk, and Papa Was a Rolling Stone is classic. They truly did go in All Directions on the other tracks, from doo wop to social commentary.

Fantastically funky. This album has one of the greatest openers I’ve ever heard, it got me so pumped the first time I heard it. The singers are all incredible. The arrangements are very good throughout. I feel like Papa Was a Rolling Stone should have been cut down a little bit, I love long songs, but only if they deserve the length and I feel like this song would be better around 7 minutes. I also feel like the sequencing could be better because pretty much every slow song is right next to each other. 4/5

No Drifters

Some banging funk tunes, then some real schmaltzy stuff.

Весёлый, смешной, местами грустный funk pop

Classic Temptations with classic vocals, hip funk for the time and a ton of soul. Papa was a rolling stone is clearly the highlight here. Run Charlie Run is a jarring, shows the racism at the time with lyrics that smash you over the head. Mother Nature is a smooth lil number

Well, I never thought I would enjoy a funk/soul album but here we are.

ok

If you, like me, were only familiar with The Tempations hits, then you would hardly recognize them as the same band that made this album. This album is just solid from beginning to end, and traverses genres from funk, to soul, to r and b. With intense political messaging, it is clearly as much a master class in the genre as is Curtis Mayfield's Super Fly. A very enjoyable listen.

Damn! This some good-ass cheese. How come you didn't tell me how good the cheese was? Good-Ass Cheese.

This was a pleasant surprise. Great mix of enjoyable songs with an all time classic.

Mother Nature and I ain't got nothin we're unexpected bangers

Day 95 Starts very strong with 3 belting tracks but nothing else on here gets close to those 5/10 Highlights Funky Music sho nuff turns me on Run Charlie run Papa was a rolling stone

5/10 Ok, thank you. 11-17-2025

Very nice album I love the soul the funk the rhythm & blues, a couple songs were more boring but the rest is great.

Not my favourite by the Temptations, but still good

So so good. The musicianship on this album is superb, Along with Norman Whitfields immense production. The whole album is a brilliant. The temptations are top of their game with their “black power” songs “papa was a rolling stone” and “Run Charlie Run”… The former being a stone cold classic… Psychedelic funk and soul at its best

Meh

Papa ia an absolute classic

This is one of those albums that is just generational. This version of Papa was a Rolling Stone definitely gets lost nowadays

I enjoyed this way more than expected. So many songs on here that I had no idea were by the temptations!

Very groovy, I like it. 7/10 Favourite track: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone

Not really my cup of tea.

A phenomenal, deeply funky record. It has that unmistakable Temptations groove - tight, fluid, and confident. I’m pretty sure I saw them live (or a later lineup? Cover group?) when I was a teenager, and the energy on this album lines up with what I remember: an absolutely commanding performance from a group that knew exactly what they were doing.

It has a strong vibe, and it's recorded well, to the extend that I had to double check how many heads there are in this group. "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" is a classic, but I'm not sure I like it enough for a 12-minute version, especially on a 35 minute record.

I enjoyed the vibe in the early morning run to yoga!

The don’t do funk well…

Interesting, surprised how sad it was. Quite the story it tells. New some songs, hadn't listened as intently before.

Didn't love the opening track.

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.

A nice mix of funk, soul and Motown. A good album.

They come out strong on the opening tune and let you know this is absolutely a classic Fun, Soul, R&B classic. Track 3 alone, they’re putting their all into it and demonstrating that they’re absolute legends to the genre. What an epic track Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone is, it’s a pinnacle track to the genre. I wish they could have kept the energy a tad higher throughout, that’s always been my issue with the R&B genre. Still great overall 4 stars

Pretty fun! Did know any of them, and they have a pretty good range. It's quite short so I listened to it twice and rather enjoyed it!

I am so very happy to be getting an album in a genre I don't know much about from an artist I've never heard of that sounds pretty good. This album is exactly why I'm using this generator. This is a pretty solid list of tracks. Papa Was A Rollin' Stone is particularly good, and it looks like it's the most popular track of the album, for good reasons in my opinion.

Some gems I’ve never heard before mixed in with the classics. Great album.

Album 51/1001 Was unaware of The Temptations' foray into funky music, but I sho' nuff like it. 🕺🏿🕺🏿🕺🏿🕺🏿 Favourite song: Papa Was A Rolling Stone👴🏿🪨 Honourable mention: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On 🕺🏿😛🍆 Love Woke Me Up This Morning 🥰🛌🙆🏿‍♂️ Run Charlie Run 🏃🏿‍♂️ Mother Nature 🤰🏿🌳🌎 Do Your Thing 👉🏿

En grower, di erste catched so mittel aber irgendwenn gits en turning Point. 3.5

very funky. Also a bit romantic. And some familiar sounds and beats.

Feeling 4 stars, it’s a good vibe, didn’t realize these guys went from do wap to this soul vibe, it’s a pretty solid album.

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.

Funktastic

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’

An 11-minute version of Papa Was A Rolling Stone alone was worth the ride.

This was incredible from start to finish. Not a dull track and many excellent tracks

Not a genre I listen to at all Funky but tired of it quickly early songs Recognise some classics which were nice - papa was a rolling stone and love woke me up this morning Some really relaxing music could be great for relaxing in the evening with a romantic book

There were some great moments on this album, including the opening track (though the mix was rather garbled) and “Run Charlie Run.” I appreciate a band taking a political stance in their music. With that said, it doesn’t feel super cohesive as an album. And though it was well-performed, none of the songs were too memorable for me. I also am not crazy about “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” and it takes up a third of the runtime.

I'll admit I'm probably giving this one short shrift but I wasn't super impressed. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is an all-time classic and a couple other songs were kinda nice but this was far from The Temptations at their best. I'm probably not the best person to comment on it but Run Charlie Run feels like a really clumsy approach to the topic, and from what I'm reading it seems like the Temptations never wanted to do it in the first place. Papa Was a Rolling Stone is a 5/5, the rest is probably a 2 or 3.

The Temptations are delightful and I could listen to these harmonies all day, but the album’s carried by Papa Was A Rollin Stone. The last six albums have all been slower indie bands and it was so nice to hear something with real bass in it. Already in collection

mother nature reminds me of something hozier would take inspiration from

Only really know their hits, this was cool to hear. More edge to it than I’d expect from their hits. Orchestration is gorgeous, especially on Mother Nature.

As the Beastie Boys once said: "Oh my God, that's some funky sh..."

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.

Pek benim tarzım değil ama güzel albüm.

This starts with a funky, groovy smack to the face, leaving me with high optimism for the rest of the album. But whilst the instrumentals and delivery are fantastic throughout, the rest of it blends into a calmer, slower pace, that doesn't leave as much much as an impression. It's still good music, but the second half of the album felt like it had something missing for me.

This is a fascinating record — ambitious, layered, and clearly a turning point for The Temptations. You can hear them stretching beyond their classic Motown sound into something moodier and more cinematic. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” is stunning, no doubt, and the production throughout is polished and confident. Still, I found myself wanting to love it a little more than I did. Maybe I’m just biased — “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” came on right after this, and that raw, joyful energy reminded me what I’m looking for. I even played “My Girl” last night, so maybe that warmth is still too top of mind. All Directions feels cooler, more calculated — impressive, but not as emotionally direct. Even so, it’s a fascinating chapter in the Temptations’ evolution, showing how far they were willing to go to stay vital and creative.

so cutest i love the temptations 8/10

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.

Great vocals. Great compositions. Glad I found my way to this album.

oooooh the Temptations! Awesome. I know a few of their songs but definitely never heard any of their albums from start to finish. I'm sure this will be a good one. Hehe the guitar in Papa Was A Rollin Stone is so 70s lol like the porn music. This was the track with the most streams and it's almost 12 minutes long. Shoo wop shoo wop! lol Love this old sound man. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face is by them?! or is this a cover. This is a pretty song. This is creeping up to be a 4 I guess the first singer was Peggy Seeger, but the one I know is by Roberta Flack but this version is really good. Nice soft voice.

I DON'T LIKE 70'S MUSIC. It was okay.

Damn. This ain’t the motown Temptations I was expecting. Funk changes a man. Disco strings (Mother Nature - official forest bathing track)!

Fun and funky, the Temptations were an incredible group. Talented with both their instruments and their harmonies, it’s hard to ignore their talents. I will always love a good bass guitar and trumpet, and they nail both. Add to that the lyrics covering their experience as black men in America in the 60s/70s, and you have one great funk album.

The Temptations seem to have been around my whole life. i don't really think of them as a group, more of a franchise. A tool to sing songs that the writers couldn't or wouldn't sing themselves. Like 'Trigger's broom', 6 new handles and 8 new heads, but still the same broom. And there always seem to be 2 or 3 versions of "The Temptations" touring at any one time. So I don't know which incarnation these guys were, but all the songs are pretty good, bar the opener live track which doesn't really fit. Highlight is 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone', a classic. 'First Time Ever I Saw Your Face' is good though I prefer the Roberta Flack version. Nice stuff.

Wah Wah Watson was the star of this album...which isn't optimal if you're the Temptations.

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

papa was a rolling stone is 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.

Makes me wanna put on a Hawaiian shirt, grow a pornstache and bust this case right open

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

3.5

I like The Temptations. You like The Temptations. We all like The Temptations. Let's face it though; they're a singles group. This album tries to be an album, but the songs just ain't there. It just about scrapes a three score.

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

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

Got some bangers on it. Very loooooooooong songs.

Didn't really know much about Motown type music. I can see why it's good but personally not really my taste for the majority of my moods.

I really enjoyed this one! It was interesting how the album sort of slowed down from start to finish

Funky souly Track 2.3 mega

Run Charlie Run was a shock as I was tuned out when it started. Overall the album is fine, mastering is good but the music isn't for me. It's a bit dull and its message doesn't resonate.

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

Altijd wel een zwak voor the Temptations. Echt spannend wordt de plaat natuurlijk niet maar heerlijk om lekker aan te zetten en in huis (of op de camping) een fijn sfeertje te creëeren. 7/10 Highlights Funky Music So Nuff Turns Me On Papa was a Rolling Stone

Listened to this a few times and each time it could not keep my attention. Fine music.

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 🤷‍♂️

I kept playing this record through, kind of zoning out, and then I would perk up at a great song, but then realize it's a Spotify of more Temptations or Temptations-adjacent songs. That's all to say, these guys seem cool as hell, but I think I gravitate to their more fun songs. I liked Funky Music, Papa, and Do Your Thing.

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.

It was ok. Nothing too special. I knew Papa Was a Rolling Stone, but I never knew it was 9 minutes long. I also knew the song First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, but I didn’t know their version.

Fantastic

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.

Good soul, good funk, good beats, a good listen, surprised me

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

Great emotion carried in their voices, mixed with abit of groove made it a solid 3.5

Yeah, it's great. The vocal harmonies are incredible as always. Of course, The staple is the 12 minute Papa was a rolling stone, but the rest isn't bad at all. A 4.5/5

There's a lot of ups and downs in this album. It doesn't help when I don't really like the most popular song off the album. It kind of feels like it gets a little lost in its own sauce.

They definitely lived up to the album title, the tracks go in "all directions." It's not really a bad thing, though. This is the first album I've heard from them, so it gave me an idea of how versatile they are as an artist. Favorite tracks: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, Do Your Thing

Not my favorite temps album, but definitely a few bangers in there: papa, and the first i ever saw ya

For such a short album, this felt waaaay too long. And the funk here is way too restrained.

Good album! Papa was a rollin' stone is the standout track by far, but the rest of the album is alright.

Beautiful version of the first time ever I saw your face. Decent album overall. The first track sounds terribly mixed for some reason, and the album version of a papa was a rollin stone is inferior to the single version imo, too long, not as powerful.

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

Now this is the type of funk i can get into

слушабельно, но иногда слишком размыто или хаотично примечательно: love woke me up this morning, I ain't got nothing и do your thing

первая пара треков просто оркестр обезьян, остальные более менее спокойные и прикольные. бесит что инструменты в наушниках отдельно звучат

Funky

Worth a listen.

This is obviously only on the list because of the sprawling and timeless Papa Was a Rolling Stone, but the other seven tracks really aren’t half bad. Run Charlie Run takes a dig at ‘white flight’, I Ain’t Got Nothing is fantastically warmly mixed and envelops you for three minutes, Mother Nature has some properly expressive vocals, and everything is smooth enough to work well interdependently. But of course, it is track number three that is by far the best. Eleven minutes of understated funk that unfolds and builds slowly but feels far quicker than that. It’s a shame the other songs can’t match it, but All Directions functions just fine at around 35 minutes as a great expression of funk and soul.

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.

Good album, not my style of music

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'.

This is a cool, chilled album, I think a nice intro to The Temptations. Be more than happy to listen to more of their stuff.

Yeah, it was good.

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.

Papa was a rolling stone is a banger, the rest is kind of forgettable, but it's an easy, short listen.

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.

Classic

That was alright, wasn't as good as I was expecting though.

The Temptations are definitely a group that I hadn't ever listened to before going through this list but I've enjoyed both of the albums I've encountered so far. "Cloud Nine" is better, imo, but this is still pretty good.

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.

It was a good vibes album, i enjoyed listening to it, but none of it is going into my rotation. I may revisit it as a whole album though

A strong start that kind of fizzles out into less fun and interesting pieces. Still listenable the whole way through.

Enjoyable if slightly samey soul album. As someone who isn’t massively into 70s funk and soul, this doesn’t have the speed and energy it takes for me to really love this kind of music.

Well I am doing my thing. I'll be rating every record I rank on here on the Dilworth 19 scale (19 being the best 1 the worst). The Temptations are not a band I have ever sought out before. I'm not versed in R&B, and I'm not a very funky guy. This album, however, was great. A really strong start to this for me, and for sure something I would have probably never listened to if I hadn't been told to do this. "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" was 11 minutes of, electric drama? Sure we'll go with that. If I found this while crate digging I would pick it up, and I'd spin it for sure. 13/19

I want to give it another listen

This album surprised me - and not in a good way. I have so much love and respect for The Temptations, and love Motown, R&B, and Funk music. And this album fell really flat for me. There is terrific musicianship on this album, and the production (apart from the first song) is terrific. I've tried to put my finger on why it didn't work for me, and the best I can come up with is that it feels like they aren't fully into it...it feels forced. I think Papa Was A Rollin Stone is phenomenal - it pushes the envelope and is so impressive. But apart from that, this felt like a forced effort to keep The Temptations relevant. Funky Music Sho Nuff might have been a great piece, but they made the odd choice to make it seem like a live number. The less said about Run Charlie Run the better, but the Temptations didn't want to do it and it shows. The lyrics throughout the album are uninspired. Being harsh, the funk sounds like it is watered down for Grandma and Grandpa, and their more traditional R&B/soul efforts are lyrically corny and musically well done but unoriginal. I just can't help but think about what else was available now - Ohio Players "Pleasure" came out this same year! Think of the music groups like Sly and the Family Stone and The Meters had already been putting out for several years. This is a nice album from The Temptations, with a great anchor song. But I just can't see this album as something exceptional.

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

Another soul classic. I might be biased in my rating since I’m such a big fan of soul vocals. Like Miles Davis said: “White musicians seem to learn from the written page; Black musicians play from feeling and memory.” I fully agree though of course there are exceptions. The album itself is just great a true no-skip record with soul staples like Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone & by far my favorite song on the album Mother Nature, those vocals are just out of this world. The opener pulls you straight into the groove, Run Charlie Run keeps that energy alive, and then Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone hits with those legendary lyrics. And all that in 1972, it is timeless. This is a 9.5/10.

2.5

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.

Fine.

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.

I really enjoyed *All Directions*—the funk and soul hit perfectly, and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” completely drew me in with its hypnotic groove.

The very best of Motown. Legends!

Papa was a rolling stone is one of the best songs ever written, the rest just didn’t hit the same heights. A good listen in general tho

Decent enough but expected more

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

This was a really good album.

Not too shabby, good enough for three ⭐s imho

5/5

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.

Quite a funky album! 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone' definitely is a step above the rest for me despite its long runtime, but I enjoyed the album in its entirety as well. Vocals are definitely the selling point, but the instrumentals are also on point. Don't have much more to say about this, but I enjoyed it a bit more than the average record I'd say. Still, a strong 3 feels appropriate.

Papa was a rolling stone was clearly the most iconic song of this record. I also think it was the best. Run Charlie run, was the second song that made an impression on me. The rest not so much. Clearly a very talented group and the album was short and sweet. Not much that stuck except the main hit. Strong 3.

really excellent soul/funk. love it

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

Easy listen. Cool tunes. Classic.

Smooth groovin!

No mucho que decir. Bastante lindo. Nota: 3.2

It’s a nice album with most of the songs on the slower side. Nothing great, nothing horrible.

Yeeeahhh, this is what I'm talking about.

Groovy as heck, a little shocking some of the lyrics though but it’s chill i guess.

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

it was quite enjoyable. i like "papa was a rolling stone"

Very cool

Not bad but a bit hit and miss

Relaxing funkiness with dollops of soul.

Good stuff.

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.

Entertaining!

Nice grooves!

På grund av att vi fick ett album en dag förtidigt hinner jag inte skriva nåt riktigt. En stark trea, bra men saknar den riktiga udden och funken på det stora hela. Den långa albumversion av "Papa...“ är dock helt makalöst bra.

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.

Omslaget andas svenskt 70-talsdansband. Vi slänger upp bandet i ett träd. Sen gör vi bilden lite oskarp och suddig i kanterna. Men musiken är långt från de svenska dansbanorna. Det sofistikerat och rått på samma gång. Det är inte längre Motown-fabrikens hitkavalkad. Nu är det fullt ut the Whitfield Singers. Norman Withfield såg till att hans namn kom med på framsidan av omslaget. Papa was a Rolling Stone är ett mästerverk. Basen och trummorna som bara maler på medan låten får utvecklas. Det är så bra. Övriga låtar når inte upp till samma höga nivå.

not my thing, but i respect it and i like the instruments.

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.

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

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

Some nice songs, but I don't think this was their best album.

𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘋𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 is a strong slice of early-70s funky soul, full of tight grooves and polished production, but it lives in the shadow of its centerpiece. 𝘗𝘢𝘱𝘢 𝘞𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘙𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯’ 𝘚𝘵𝘰𝘯𝘦 towers over the record with its sweeping orchestral arrangement, hypnotic bassline, and brooding atmosphere, setting a standard that the rest of the album can’t quite reach. The other tracks are solid — well-played and enjoyable — but they feel more like supporting acts than equals. As a whole, the album shows The Temptations’ ambition and willingness to expand beyond Motown formulas, but its uneven impact makes it more memorable for one masterpiece than for the record itself.

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 😅

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

Sometimes maybe good sometimes maybe shit

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.

All Directions definitely has some killer tracks, but the pacing of the albums is a bit off in my opinion. All in all I was underwhelmed by this supposedly all time favourite funk record.

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

Starts well but not great.

Papa was a Rolling Stone is still a banger, even though the album version is nearly 12 minutes long. The rest is a bit too corny.

Great music, amazing vocals

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

Amazing Enjoyed every song Run Charlie Run was personal favorite though

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

Banger

I really liked that it’s smooth

Really enjoyed this!

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

Long form

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.

I love the funk of papa was a rolling stone, but overall this album has too much schmaltz for my liking.

This started off strong, and I really enjoyed the first three tracks - “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”, in particular, is the standout, and a song I’ve always loved. However, it had no business being 12mins long - especially as the first 4mins were intro. From there, the album went downhill for me. The remaining tracks were snoozefests, and struggled keeping me engaged. This version of “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face” was just dull compared to Roberta Flack’s (what it did do, however, was send me to Wiki - I had no idea of the origins of that song!). You can see why the band feel that this was the last of their classics, as this album does feel a lot like that.

Absolutely loved side one, other than Papa Was a Rolling Stone being far far too long at 11 minutes 44 seconds - no vocals kick in until nearly 4 minutes have passed, during which time very little had happened. The single version, at 6 minutes 54 seconds is already long enough. It is one of my favourite songs with handclaps though, and the strings are perfection. A Side - beautiful voices all round, funky, made me want to dance (which given I listened to this the evening after I'd been awake most of the previous night, is high praise indeed). Side B was too slow and ballady for me to enjoy it anywhere as much as the upbeat funk of the previous tracks. Mind you, I think I might be a bit in love with Melvin Franklin's bass vocals. If I was just marking the A side it'd be a 5, but overall it's going to be a 3 3/5

funky

Swaggalicious 8.5/10 11/09/25

Oooohh yesss

Papa was a rollin stone

The aliens will only start communicating with us the day we send a Temptations album into space.

Not my jam

It was a fun album with some interesting lyrics

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Gets off to a strong start....loving that funky horn section. IMO Papa Was a Rollin' Stone was 3 minutes of awesome surrounded by 9 min of mediocrity. The album bogged down a bit from there , then picks up again w/ The cover of The First Time Ever (I saw Your Face). Overall enjoyed it but don't see myself going back to this album too often.

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.

Few good songs great band tho

Unmemorable aside from Rolling Stone but that song does a lot of the heavy lifting

This one is fine. Really liked a few didn't like a couple. 3 stars.

Sooo good. I can't believe I hadn't heard this album before.

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.

Good vocals and harmonies! Just not the type of music I listen to very often.

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.

decent enough

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

Papa Was a Rolling Stone is one of the very best songs of the 70's in my personal opinion and this version, while not the first release, was the best rendition. The rest of the album is fine, with some good tracks but nothing else that rises to that epic level.

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

I liked it, but not as much as I thought I would.

Already listened to this album 4 times. I love the Temptations but had not heard this whole album. Had not heard the Temptations’ rendition of First Time Ever I Saw Your Face that was a signature for Roberta Flack—a personal favorite of mine and my father. Listening to Run Charlie Run, Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone, I Ain’t Got Nothin’ and Mother Nature reminded me of the tense racial and political tensions of the 70’s… and how much still remains the same. This album expresses pain and resistance. Do Your Thing is a favorite—exceptional lyrics and rhythm. Reminded me of Soul Train TV show.

No doubt; buy-worthy.

Best at their funkiest, worst at their slow jam-iest.

The 12 minute version of Papa Was a Rolling Stone might be the greatest funk song ever.

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.

That weird disco-funk shift so many groups took in this era is entirely unappealing to me.

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.

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.

Papa was a rolling stone

magnifique

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.

Groovy and relaxing! Easy listening

Soooo groovy, i really liked papa was a rolling stone

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