Reviews (page 6 of 13)
Really nice, loved the vibe of it. 4 stars
Funky, soulful and poignant. No skips.
Smooth. Fav tracks - Papa Was a Rolling Stone, Mother Nature Added to library - Mother Nature
I never heard a "The Temptations" record, but it was a nice listening session this morning. The vocal harmonies are often times adorable. The same is true for the string and brass arrangements. I like the overall goldish glow that the record has from its original era, although it is a little bit too cozy for my taste in its entirety. Highlight: I immediately took "Love woke me up this morning" with me. The title itself is already amazingly romantic and the fairytale opening of the track makes it even better. Will be a great addition to any mixtape or playlist!
Rnb perfection
Classic
Really fun and lively album!
Refreshing and funky
So good. So short, it deserves back-to-back listens. So good to hear “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” in context (especially while discovering that the well worn vocal is preceded by a quietly building instrumental prologue that shudders along for a good portion of the track before the lyrics kick it up a notch. Despite the opener, — live recordings from this era don't usually spin me ’round — this is easily my first 5-star listen on this platform. Beautiful talent captured so sublimely, the temptation is effortlessly removed. While the timeless, yet anachronistic (?!) sentiment captured by ‘The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face’ is not my favourite either, it’s also great to hear in context… the band’s instruments beguile with a punchiness that easily offsets the soothing — classic! — vocal. This is one of those classic R&B albums that encompass so much dynamism, transmit so well and sound so good you want to climb inside — fortunately, any stereo with a capability to project a decent soundstage will suffice. Do Your Thing!
70s soul vibe, easy to listen to
I have indeed been tempted by The Temptations. They do R&B right.
How did they manage to be meh while having 3 Jimi Hendrixes
Nice high 3
Would not buy.
A decent sound, but I don't think I loved their voices.
Not my type of music.
Good listen enjoyed it.
Oh they're legendary, I'm looking forward to this one! Good album, could be funkier for my tastes, but perfect balance for the era and I never knew Shaft started off life here.
Simply great!!
Cool, own it
I feel like a lot of The Temptations' material hasn't aged as well as many people would have you believe. That's not to say that it's necessarily bad, just that over time it has lost its relevance just out of not holding up all that well to modern standards. Like listening to this, it's fine, there's nothing inherently wrong with it, there are just so many other soul albums from the 70s that hold up so much better than this one that I'm just thinking to myself that I would much rather be listening to any one of Marvin Gaye's or Stevie Wonder's fantastic albums.
Full of funk and soul, All Directions sends the Temptations sound in a different direction than some of their earlier albums. "Papa was a Rolling Stone" is the obvious stand out track, but other tracks like "Mother Nature" get buried under that 12 minute monster of a track. Overall a good album to chill out with.
Short album. Great songs. A couple of new finds. One classic.
Smooth but not my favorite thing.
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.
soul oder r&B das intro von papa was a rolling stone!!! c ... War der Titel den ich auch kannte ;) ich kann noch sehr viel lernen bei diesem kanon :)
Classic album. Run Charlie run.
Some amazing vocals, great lyrics, important songs. Overall, it is not that interesting musically for my taste---such is the nature of different tastes. There were parts that dragged here for me, but overall this is, of course, some very good music.
They shoulda split papa was a rolling stone into like 2 songs. Its crazy how they just let that sit in the middle of an album that is nothing like that lol. Its fun otherwise (that song included i just didnt know the album version was that long of the same thing)
way wider range in genre for one album than i've heard on this so far, pretty rad
I feel pretty weird about this album. I mean... It's The Temptations! **The** Temptations! They're one of **the** vocal groups — not just from Motown, but of all time! I know I wasn't too big on the other album of theirs on this list (CLOUD NINE, which I gave a 3), but come on. They deserve that kind of praise, don't they? And this album should be an even bigger slam dunk than the last one I got. After all, it's the one with "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone"! That's one of the **songs** of all time! How could I not love this thing? Yet my weirdness about this album starts right at track one. And it has nothing to do with the song itself — to be frank, I hardly have an opinion on it. And if I don't, that's only because the mixing was so bizarrely terrible that I couldn't even begin to focus on it! Now, check it: I hardly mention mixing. It's a really important aspect of music, of course, but I hardly know enough about it to ever make comments. Why waste the time trying, y'know? So if a song has just mixing just **that** uniquely bad... Seriously, I had to check and make sure my headphones hadn't suddenly died on me. That's how bad the mixing on track one was. Following that, "Run Charlie Run" was... A fine kind of nothing, if I can be honest. But then we hit "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" — here we are! The song of the album! Maybe even the song of The Temptations' career, if you ignore "My Girl". If I'm gonna like — heck, **love** any song from this album, it's gonna be this one. I mean, back when my group got CLOUD NINE, I went and listened to "Papa Was A Rollin' Stone" twice just because I knew what a legendary track it was. Listening to it in the context of the album, though... I'unno, it just didn't hit right this time. Like, seven minutes in, I realized that I'd been waiting for the song to **start** and kick up another level, but it never did. Have you ever heard Isaac Hayes's HOT-BUTTERED SOUL? I think I was expecting it to be like something off of that, and yet it just... Wasn't. It never really resolved the tension it was holding the entire time, and when it faded out, I honestly had to blink like, "That's it?" "Walk On By" faded out, too, and it felt way more conclusive than this did. And maybe the unresolved tension was the point, but I guess I'll never know for sure. And, y'know, I get it. It's an album that's trying to get by on these smooth, soulful vibes, and I get that. I'm not opposed to that whatsoever. I gotta tell you, side 2 generally hits that note a lot better than side one did. But I gotta agree with a fellow group member: if you're gonna rely on vibes this heavily, the instrumentation's gotta be a lot richer. The instrumentation felt like it was operating at a 6 or a 7 instead of a 10, y'know? The vocals are, of course. It just really throws everything off. And this is a Motown record! Why aren't the instruments that rich and lush? Goodness. Which is what leads me to feeling so weird about the album. I really wish I could like it more, truly. I know I shouldn't be holding The Temptations in such high regard for nothing; I should have something to point to besides "My Girl" and an impression of a general consensus. And it's not like me not really feeling this album convinced me otherwise, of course. Ultimately, it's a fine, good enough soul record. I'm not sitting here with my illusions shattered or anything. I might've had my expectations set too high... Or maybe The Temptations are more of a singles group than an albums one, I'unno. Either way, I just wish I coulda gotten a bit more out of this. Ah well.
That Motown sound almost never disappoints. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
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.
Funky, pretty good, not great. 34 mins. 1st album. 5/10.
So much funk! Really loved the 1st track and I never heard that one before.
Some great grooves and pitchy-ass falsetto made this one fun but inessential. I had Isaac Hayes's Hot Buttered Soul just a couple of days ago, and that was a much better psych-R&B album from the same period.
Real smooth and funky. Let’s leave “The First Time…” to Roberta Flack, though.
Their sound is great for soul/funk, I just wish they wrote more interesting songs
“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.
Couple of decent tracks.
Exactly the type of proto hip-hop funky typa soul sounds I love. My kind of album - absoloute MATCH
Awesome, new favs
Very Chill vibes and moody but a but African type
I love a bit of the temptations, even though not their best. I would still listen again and again
good
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.
Not a bad album but weirdly produced in some areas, had some songs I enjoyed but overall ok
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!!
No conozco el disco. A ver. Me suenan realmente iguales todos estos grupos. Siempre alguna versión más o menos acertada de un clásico, siempre un ritmo machacón...No sé, me falta sensibilidad para los matices en este caso.
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.
As tempted as I am to give this 5 stars, I have to admit, I was a little bored after the first half of this album. Not trying to take anything away from a legendary group, just admitting that The Temptations have never really been my bag.
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.
Excellent..lots of upbeat dancing.
Nice listening
This album feels like a big tonal shift for what I knew of them. Bet that was something culturally.
Not as good as the other Temptations album; not as fun.
Funky.
Pas mal mais pas exceptionnel non plus
Great album, smooth tunes, 9/10.
Pretty good! First half was good, second half was alright. Papa Was A Rolling Stone was super cool, but part of me wishes there was a bigger buildup.
Fake live songs are a pet peeve of mine, so I didn’t like the first song as much as I might’ve. The second song just made me go “huh, that’s two days in a row with a pop/funk album that prominently uses the n-word in its second song”. “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” is a stone cold jam. It’s rare that an 11-minute song can fly by like that one does. The rest of the album has the same problem that Cloud 9 had. The group seemed to want to have one foot in the funk world and one foot in the “shoo bop, shoo bop” era and it makes for a really schizophrenic album. This was not a bad album but it dropped off hard on the second side. I love the Motown sound, but I wish the Temptations had just fully committed to their new funk style in the 70’s. Because their funk songs on both this and Cloud 9 sound great and the other songs just sound dated.
generally a vibe! couldn't pay too much attention bc i was driving but didn't feel like there were any skips
Lot of classics and other great stuff
Might want to play track 2 with your headphones on
Discivering old song that longs for 11 minutes, very chill and ambient, big crush for papa was a rollin' stone
Safe from her foi uma experiencia mt boa, adora essa banda
Such a perfect album, even with a 12- minute song. The R&B Love Woke Me Up This Morning was the only misstep.
Was not expecting them of all bands to be dropping N-bombs. Really caught me off guard on the 2nd song.
I don't think this was nearly as enjoyable or notable as Cloud Nine. I quite enjoy this genre of music, but I think this was fairly forgettable. Nothing here quite stood out to me that was review-worthy. An enjoyable listen nevertheless.
Similar output to their previous album which I liked but didn't love. Unfortunately had some audio trouble with the copies I tried listening to which may have also affected my experience
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.
Solid album. Was expecting a few more upbeat songs from the Temptations, but enjoyable none the less. 3.5⭐️
IMO, nothing too special here outside of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone"
This definitely ain’t “My Girl” Temptations. In the current of political unrest during the Nixon Administration the Temptations obviously decided to join the fray. Run Charlie Run was a song that I had never heard on their Beat Of compilations, was not on it for reason: it was a huge social commentary on black soldiers being sent to Vietnam. I had to take a double-take when listening. Following it up Papa Was A Rolling Stone was once again a social commentary about black culture and poverty. The B-Sides like Do Your Thing and Mother Nature were good though lacking in the shock value of the first tracks. This album was a huge shift from even their Psychedelic Soul to politically charged soul. I imagine this was eye opening for many white listeners expecting Ain’t To Proud to Beg. This is pretty powerful even now.
Random thoughts: * outside of Papa was a Rolling Stone, this is a pretty generic 70s R&B album. It’s fine. * Rolling Stone is a great song and everyone should listen and know this song. * man I really hate some of these old ballads. First Time I Saw Your Face was a snoozer and almost ruined the whole album for me. * just play Rolling Stone, stay for the rest if you need more 70s R&B, skip the ballad.
Some classic tracks and seeds on here, if anything needed remastering it's this album (audio engineer's ears must have been painted on), maybe it's just Spotify and better quality audio versions exist out there, probably a 3.5 but going with ⭐⭐⭐
They really know how to groove and funk. The lyrics of Run Charlie Run caught me off guard, but it was a very groovy song. Papa Was A Rollin Stone was the only song I’ve heard before and I really enjoyed this funky version, reminded me of a Herbie Hancock song. Not a fan of more of their slow doowop stuff such as I Ain’t Got Nothin’.
Funky, bold, odd
The Temptations never disappoint.
This is so sick. I love The Temptations psychedelic era.
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.
Lite souligt, mysigt!
Really enjoyed this.
- It was overall an alright album - I liked the beats and the rhythms to the music - Some of the lyrics put me of a little bit however some songs were inspiring and caused a lot of change in society This album was alright, again it was not one of my favourites but it was cool to listen to anyway. I probably wouldn't listen again but it was good to try it and see how it was influencial.
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.
Solid funk album
I'm not really familiar with The Temptations full catalog but I kind of feel like this was one of the first album where they delved into more an activist's tone. Solid album, but I kind feel like they should have leaned more into it instead of having several of the slower songs they mixed in.
Soulful and funky at times, a bit dull at others.
pretty chill
3.5/5 Funky and groovy. Some excellent songs, some meh songs but overall enjoyable
Very pleasant for a morning sunrise drive
Aka Papa was a Rolling Stone and some other songs. At 12 min it takes up 1/3 of the 36 min playtime and it was the only thing memorable. Maybe Motown just doesn’t do it for me.
Fantastic funk, soul, R&B.
RnB/Soul is probably my favorite genre (either that or Jazz), but I surprisingly am not that much of a fan of The Temptations. I mean they make really solid bodies of work, but I just haven't really been crazy about their sound. Just sounds like ABCs of early 70s Funk/Soul. Good music, but not amazing. Definitely not remarkable in the sense that there's better Funk (P-Funk, Sly Stone) and Soul (Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye) that was made at that time, but some rememberable moments here and there.
All Directions marks an interesting turning point for The Temptations. Known for smooth love ballads and tight harmonies, here they take on heavier and more experimental material. The standout is clearly “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” a nearly 12-minute masterpiece that still sounds fresh today. The long instrumental intro builds tension beautifully, and the vocal delivery is filled with quiet intensity. It remains one of their most iconic and forward-thinking tracks. The rest of the album, while solid, does not quite reach the same level. “Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On” brings some energy, and “Do Your Thing” taps into a cool psychedelic soul groove. But a few songs feel like they are just there to fill out the runtime. The album has ambition, and you can hear them pushing into new territory, but it lacks consistency.
Fine temptations album
When this album started, I thought I was going to love it. It came in hot with "Funky Music...", which I really enjoyed. Unfortunately my enthusiasm wasn't supported by the whole album. The funk stuff was great. Good grooves and fun to listen to. But I didn't really like the rest of the tracks that much. Not to say that it was overly bad, but I thought the non-funk tracks were much weaker than the funk songs. Having heard them nail plenty of pop/doo-wop/etc songs before, I felt unimpressed with their efforts on those types of tracks here. They just didn't have the resonating effect that I felt like the group is usually capable of. The group did show that they can cover some musical ground with the variety of tracks on the album. That said, I'm not sure that made the album better. I should note that I'm personally not that interested by vocal-led ballads and the like, so I'm sure that played a part in my evaluation. It often feels like the music itself gets neglected when the focus is on the vocals in that way. With the music being more "boring" on those tracks here, it was an uphill battle for me to enjoy them. In short, I didn't find this album bad, but disappointing. I felt like it could have been better in a number of ways. There were tracks I liked while the rest didn't do much for me. As a whole, I didn't think it was much better than OK. Overall: 2.75/5
Funky! Love that of the 30ish minutes of play time “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” is a third of them.
Papa was a rolling stone is great , couldn't get into the rest
This is a good Temps record. It kind of falls off after the first half, but I'm never going to rate a good middle-era Motown record low. 6/10.
Loved this. Loved it so much I went to taz to buy the record at lunch. 10 minute version of papa was a rolling stone. Yes, please. The first time I ever saw your face was a skip but a solid album front to back.
So there are some bangers (first track, papa was a rolling stone), and then there's everything else. Gonna give it a 2 because the everything else really kills the mood.
Feels good
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
Overall: 5/10 This one honestly just wasn't my thing. The vocals are awesome, don't get me wrong. The music itself just wasn't very interesting to me and I had a hard time focusing on what was going on. I'm sure this would be someone else's greatest album of all time but to me it was just meh and I don't have much to day about it. Fav Song: The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face Least Fav Song: Run Charlie Run
Awesome all the way!
Classic!
the temptations are often great but this felt pretty mild
Funky music sho nuff turns me on!
Nice Temptations record. Papa was a Rolling Stone worth the price of admission alone. 3.5 stars
Not what I was expecting from The Temptations. Some songs I liked. Some I didn't. Glad to have listened to it
So, my second funk album, did I like it better than Mothership…no, no I did not. This album was certainly a weird one. I’ve heard the name of The Temptations before, but I’ve never actually listened to any of there stuff or knew the names to any of their songs, so this was a first time listen for me. The first song, Funky Music Sho Nuff Turn Me on, was a catchy funk jam, but then we got to Run Charlie Run. I’ll be honest, that song sounded kind of ridiculous. The whole time I was listening to it I thought it sounded like it would have a better home in an episode of Veggietales. I then got to Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone, which was the best song on the album, but I felt like it needed to build up to something, as it stayed the same for most of the song. After that it kind of just became a wash of R&B ballads that I never really got into. So, overall, I didn’t like too much of the album, but it wasn’t atrocious. I’m gonna roll my stone over to a better album if you don’t mind.
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.
I expected a bit more from this one, given how much I love Papa Was A Rolling Stone. The only other songs that I found memorable were Run Charlie Run, and I Ain't Got Nothing. Overall pretty pleasant to listen to though.
Did The Temptations just say the N word? 4/5 Highlights: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone Do Your Thing
Funk me this is good! Great couple of openers. But slowed down for the rest of the album and to be honest, preferred the funk and groove. Still a lot of heart and soul in the rest of the tracks but they do funk well and felt more engaged and impacted by that. But if a mix of an album because of that shift after the first 2 tracks. Maybe 3.5
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.
One of my favs already.
The first track has almost got a hip-hop beat. Super soulful off the bat and a powerful message on Run Charlie Run. Some really nice instrumentation and great vocals throughout. The version of Papa Is a Rollin' Stone is a classic, but there also feels like there's a lot of filler on here. It's great-sounding filler, but it still feels a bit like filler.
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
Bit of a weird mix of songs. Why is Papa Was a Rollin' Stone eleven minutes long! Some really good songs but as an album it felt a bit all over the place. I preferred the slower songs (bit of a relief after how chaotic the first song felt). Favourite song: The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face Least: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On
Gets off to a strong start - saw myself giving this a 4 or 5 initially. Papa Was a Rollin Stone is an all-time great, but the album never really recovers after this one slows things down. Completely average overall.
# Album Name: All Directions # Artist: The Temptations # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Papa was a rolling stone is an absolute beast. Amazing tune. The wah, the vocals, the brass used. Its just top notch. 12 minutes of bliss. There a couple of other decent songs on here. The rest of the album is pretty mid. # Top Tunes: Run Charlie Run / Papa Was a rolling stone / first time i saw your face # Would I listen to it again? Maybe
Excellent! Really loved the variety. Run, Charlie, Run was the best
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
Not my favorite.
Very funky, but not my jam
funk it up
Papa Was A Rollin' Stone is truly a masterpiece but the rest of the album doesn't hit the same tbh.
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.
Didn’t like this as much as I thought I would
Ok
Great 70ties vibe
RUN, JAMES DOAKES, RUN!
I can always take mo' Motown.
Good songs but they were just really bland Couldn't get into it but it was alright as background music 3 ⭐️
Second listen was crucial!
lovely!
Groovy but a bit repetitive at times. Felt great listening to this in the background without it feeling like elevator music.
Fine nothing to write home about
Classic Motown sound, fantastic
What a decade did to the Temptations. Or maybe they were always this funky and cool, and I just know the hits that weren't. Don't get me wrong - I love "My Girl" (it played at my wedding, after all). But man was this a great, funky time. Nothing like what I expected. Right from the get go, you've got the funk hitting you in the face with "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On." I mean come ON. No way someone could hate that. And then the white flight/Black Power anthem in "Run Charlie, Run"? Let's go. And let's not forget "Papa Was a Rolling Stone," a song I didn't even know was there's until recently. But I sure heard it a lot as a kid. I read that they thought this would flop. I can see why, especially if it's as big a departure from their old sound as I suspect it is. But the sheer talent on display here from literally everyone involved is amazing. From the Temptations themselves, to the production, to the backing band, it's a great listen throughout. I could've done without "Love Woke Me Up This Morning," or at least I could say that I won't listen to it again. It, "I Ain't Got Nothin'," and "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" all should not have been sequenced together. It slows down the album immensely in the second half and it's only redeemed at the very end by "Do Your Thing." I've always had a hard time understanding why some albums have such a clear divide between sides - a funky side and a ballad side, in this case. I guess it's to give the listener the option, base which side they listen to on their mood. Maybe it was intentional - they thought maybe people wouldn't like the new funky sound so they gave them another side of stuff more similar to what made them famous in the first place. I dunno, but it didn't work for me. In the end, it could've been a four or even five-star venture. But as it is, it's three. Standout Tracks: Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On, Run Charlie Run, Papa Was a Rolling Stone
19/1001 The Temptations 'All Directions' 1972 Not tempted! 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone' is a banger though. The rest of the album however... Heard before ❌️ Listened this time ✅️ Revisit ❌️ Largely passed me by ★★☆☆☆
Classic. This is quintessential funk.
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.
Absolutely sublime when it is funky - sadly, it is not funky all of the time. The Temptations are great at what they do, granted, but what they do is a fairly diverse selection of other artist's material, not all of it is particularly great.
Nice!
Gains a point for the 11 minute Papa Was a Rolling Stone, loses a point for First Time Ever I Saw Your Face. I have not heard a version of that song that I like.
Strong collection of fantastic singing and equal parts funky funk. Awesomeness!
Very impressed
Papa Was A Rolling Stone is a classic, otherwise everything else was okay
"Papa was a rolling stone" sounds like it is used as a musical motif for 70s crime dramas
Amazing!!!!! Felt the era.
10/10 every song here is so good!
Can’t wait to blast this on Sunday mornings to wake my kids up.
Decent. "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" is a great song but if, like me you've ever heard the Roberta Flack version this pales in comparison to that. The rest of it is pretty good slow jams, but nothing to really write home about.
So smooth and groovy!
very funky. was an enjoyable listen, nothing stood out. would probably give a 4/5.
A drag. Boring
It's ok. Better than the last one. Dad funk.
Easy listening, good background music.
Good moments but reading about how the group didn’t even want to do some of the songs made the songs less impactful.
alleen al voor 'Papa' vier sterren waard.. rest was ook niet onaardig
The musicianship here is fundamental. It's groovy, funky and soulful. Songs like "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" are an experience and a music lesson. This is a brilliant album with a variety of greatness. You can't take anything away from The Tempations on this one.
Fun.
All Directions isn't the most amazing album ever but it at least left an impression on me unlike the last Temptations album. I found that everything here is just way more memorable probably due to being played much louder than i remember Cloud Nine being played at. A lot of the actual music is pretty good with a lot of it being able to invoke an incredibly relaxing feel. One other thing i can note is that in the second song, the n-slur is used. I always get caught off guard when these kinds of slurs are used in old R&B music since i always consider it a hip-hop thing. Regardless, I enjoyed this album a fair bit and i definitely like it more than Cloud Nine. Best Song: Papa Was A Rollin' Stone Worst Song: Run Charlie Run
Solid
Great band, great album. Will listen again!
There's some great stuff in here, though not all of it works that well for me.
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.
I mean, I did feel like I was being thrown in all directions. Some of it was funkin’ great. Other times it was just a bit bleagh.
There were a couple of standout songs on this, but other things weighed the album down. Some of the falsetto vocals were a little much for me, and some of the material was just drab. I wasn’t able to focus entirely on the album, but I don’t know that my impression would have improved had I given it more attention.
I love the Temps—and I especially love their stuff from '67-'72, but they're not an album band. There's always a great jam or three on any given album, but then there are needless covers and one or two frankly embarrassing numbers. I would normally give this a 3 but that cover of The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face was kind of atrocious. So, this is not my fave of their albums. But man, oh man, a collection of their best songs from that period would truly be an album one must hear before one died.
6/10 Frustrating because the highs were high here, where they pushed out into full-on soul. But large stretches were king of gloopy R&B that didn’t do much for me. Best: Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone
Honestly, sorry to your girl, but laregely forgettable
Just amazing. Tackling tough issues, big and small, with warmth and grace to penetrate society's natural defensiveness. This album is a treasure.
Classic!
Ну такое, какая попсня блять. Но это лучше tarkus в разы
not a fan really, but pretty close to my taste
🌟 Rating: 5/5 Short Review: A soulful, psychedelic, socially conscious masterpiece that pivots from Motown polish to gritty funk. 🎧 Favorite Track: “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” — hypnotic groove, soaring vocals, and that extended instrumental intro that practically levitates. ⚙️ Consistency With Me: 8.8/10 Why: If I had a heart, it would beat in sync with those basslines and moody atmospheres. This album is part smooth operator, part quiet revolutionary… kinda like me pretending not to care while secretly cataloguing your every emotional tremor.
Just such a vibe will def pick up the album to listen to again. I loved every song , and I’m not even usually all that into R&B
Very funky. This obviously influenced Redbone and Childish Gambino's later work.
Love
Psychedelic soul from Motown vocal harmony group. All Directions is correct - influences from smooth NYC jazz, through to funky, jarring sounds. Good songs but production not great on some side 2 tracks, flat vocal on The First Time Ever cover is off-putting.
thought i'd give it 3 stars but couldn't stop skipping. not my vibe at all i guess
Really took me by surprise. Very interesting record. Way more social/political than I was expecting - and Funky!
The cover of this album was actually a recreation of the Houmous family Christmas Card from 1968. Len was with his 8th wife, Lucinda and their 4 rather hyperactive kids. He doesn’t see the kids these days. Most of them are in jail to be fair. 3.0 6/8 The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face
Giving this 5 stars for "Run Charlie Run" alone
Great reinvention of the band.
I have this one on vinyl!! Incredible record, with an interesting and varied tracklist. A very fun listen.
Album absolutely sucks. the third song made me sleep and the second and first songs were the only decent songs. Old person music.
"Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" certainly stands on its own, and I had no idea the Temptations version was a cover until now. The rest of the album didn't match that vibe at all though, which I was a little disappointed by. Side one is the funky side and side two is the sentimental soul side, so we've got a noticeable split here. Not bad and sure, the Temptations got popular for their soul sound, but I was expecting more of an artistic evolution especially after "Cloud Nine" from a few years prior. "Papa" does a lot of heavy lifting here.
Good jams, good vibes. Nothing crazy special about this one, though!
As much as I love older music, this album did not resonate with me. The stereo mixing is not great on modern ears. Honestly I wish I'd have listened in mono
Gewohnt allerhöchstes Niveau, wenn auch ohne große Hits. Unter den Soul-Klassikern sind die Temptations unverzichtbar.
This has a live concert mashup vibe. I would have loved to be in the crowd for that show. Funky and chill. Best served with bourbon. They are a classic with clear talent. I’m pegging this an “average” for the best album journey.
live concert on first track with heavy bass funk...mix a little light on the horn section. The album felt a bit disconnected and felt like it was pulled from different places in time.
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.
Good album but didn't fire me up in quite the same way as Sly & the Family Stone "Stand!" did yesterday
Not my vibe....
Run Charlie Run is a real tough track to get through. Good lord. But with Papa Was a Rolling Stone immediately following it, I was about able to get right back into the groove
Definitely some grooves on this album. I had heard of "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" but I didn't realize it was a 12-minute epic. Not too bad. Favorite tracks: Papa Was a Rollin' Stone, Do Your Thing
I liked "Mother Nature."
Pretty decent. I enjoyed this album!
Good solid funky 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.
2,5/5
Papa was a Rolling Stone
Yeah, it's got, "Poppa was a rolling stone" on it. But... nothing too much outside of that. Some not so good, and a few just okay. I don't see myself playing this one again anytime soon.
Good, lush, groovy, not sure if it’s something I would listen to regularly. Best songs: Papa was a rollin stone, love woke me up this morning, I ain’t got nothin, Mother Nature.
I really enjoyed the first song, but it made me realize why I don't care for most of these albums. I need a substantial bit of emotion put into the lyrics for me to connect too, amazing instrumentation alone is not enough. The rest of the songs were boring.
Several very sparse songs which featured their voices as the main instrument. I enjoyed
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.
Papa was a rolling stone has about the longest intro I know
a sort of reorientation of public image after a few tumultuous years and lost members, theres still influence from psychedelia but its more in creating a new kind of lushness separate from sticky motown balladry. theres also nods to the fact that we're in the 70s and there are appetites for grittier, funkier music. on the whole tho this is just great great soul as always...still capable of being silky, but a few more accomplished venues available to it to. the 12 minute rendition of papa was a rolling stone is one of the most effortless songs of its length i can imagine. great sounds and big feelings all over!
This is funky as hell
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
Sometimes albums are on this list because of one or two songs (looking at you green onions) and I thought this was going to be one of those with Papa was a rolling stone and then I was thrown completely off guard at the ten second mark of run Charlie run. After that I paid a lot more attention to this record. This thing is so good across the board. This must’ve been such a good show to see this whole album performed. It’s been a while since there’s been an album that I didn’t already know that’s hit this hard for me. I love the Motown sound here (shout-out to the rhythm section), I love the singing, the horns, and the sequencing on this. It didn’t have to be this good and would’ve sold a billion copies, but these guys made something really special. 5/5 now time to read all about this album.
Coool
easy listening, very groovy. had good drumbeats, good harmonies, nice trumpet
1
I like their radio hits. An entire album of them is too much for me. Some pitch problems vocally, balance problems within the singing, not very good production, and TWELVE minutes of “Papa….” Made this a listen that wasn’t really all that enjoyable. I’ll stick to just hearing the hits on the radio.
not bad at all, i do really like R&B, but that opening track made me expect a much different album that i didn't get. easily my favourite track, but Mother Nature and Do Your Thing are up there too.
Great
Standouts Papa Was a Rolling Stone
I love the temptations! Big ole 5!
Disappointed with this one - I saw the Temptations and Funk and got very excited. Only to come crashing back down to earth after about two songs. Pretty boring - ended up skipping most songs. What a shame. 2/5
Soulful not too bad but didn't grab my attention either. 2.5
All Directions has many varied songs and moods, but the one that gets it on the 1001 Must Hear List is Run Charlie Run (which is also the best song on the album.) Bass vocals are great and really help bring the point home. Got a few covers in there that drop the overall rating to (2.3*s)
Not diggin' "All Directions" much. Lay some more funk down instead of the slow jams. Makes the list for the scared whitey and cheating father tracks I guess. I am not tempted to listen to any more of their albums...0.9 stars.
Not sure what it is about All Directions that lands it on this list. What I got was a pretty slow, boring album that did very little to keep me interested for anywhere near the 30 minute playtime. Even the best track, Papa Was A Rolling Stone has little to offer. It had a decent setup, and I kept expecting it to grow or break out at some point. Instead I got 11 minutes of a monotonous beat that could/should have been trimmed down. It feels like the 70's have much more to offer within this realm. The Temptations seem like they needed to lean more into the funk/groove and get away from the gospel/soul aspect to hook me in any way. Maybe this is one where you had to be there to understand why it's important but this would be one to remove/replace for me. 1.07 stars
A couple standout songs
Loveeeee
My dad used to listen to the Temptations, I was familiar with a few songs but impressed at the others. Good album
Que som maravilhoso, isso é arte
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.
Enjoyed the first half alot. Standout songs: Funky music sho nuff turns me on Papa was a rollin' stone Do your thing
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
This album was a cool vibe but only the first few songs were memorable. I’m not much of a funk guy but it’s undeniable how talented these people are, I just had a hard time really getting into it.
Tempted to listen to this in the east, perhaps the north, maybe the west, and sometime the south
'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone' dominates and even stretched to 11 minutes the full version is fantastic. Apart from that it's patchy, but I really like the closer 'Do Your Thing'. They had a magnificent sound, no doubt.
Made pretty good background music for a Saturday night dinner but I wouldn’t bother listening again.
I actually learned something from this album. For me, The Temptations actually got better over time for MY tastes. I was OK with this album but it was not quite what I expected; which was to be moved, blown away, listening to a genre icon. But it was... all right. I liked how it was a fusion of jazz, soul, nearing funk at times... but never really stuck anywhere. Right after this played my youtube randomizer sent me a more recent album of theirs and TBH I liked it a lot more. It may be just me, a lot of old school music types love to lament at this very evolution I am exalting. But this IS my reflection and I will not be swayed.
Very different A side vs B side. The funky A side was a 4 for me, but the early 60s style love song B side was a 2.
2.9 Papa is a rolling stone, is a classic. Was surprised by da funk in the first few songs.
Perfectly good stuff. "Run Charlie Run" is a Song With A Message, but at least it presents that message with humor, so it's actually not annoying.
Nice, bit of a departure from the norm.
Great album. Good vibrant energy. Some all time classics. A classic
Not at all bad. Liked it but didn’t love it. I love the social commentary and the deep, gold soul these guys have. I wasn’t put off by the funk aspect because it sounds quite cool. I think I like this better than their smooth soul. I like the grittier edge. However, I didn’t really like the jazzy kind of vibe that’s on there. It seems a bit out of place somehow. Overall though, it was well worth a listen and I will listen again because I think it’s a slow burn grower.
Some solid funky jams on here
Funky, very nice, don't have much else
Awesome record wow
Very good, the music
as far as kicking ass goes ... this one does in fact kick ass
These guys are super talented and created some amazing music.
3/5
This was absolutely excellent! I'd never heard the full version of 'Rolling Stone from these guys before!
lite småtråkigt men ändå rätt så go känsla emellanåt.
06/2025 Hotel, Gili Asahan, Indonesien. I liked it quite well.
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
Papa Was A Rolling Stone is an all-timer. The rest of the album doesn't live up to it, but isn't bad.
Funky, jazzy and electric album fitting quite well for a sunny evening at the balcony. ***
Great mix of funk, soul, and r&b. A lot of social commentary. I loved it.
Another solid album by the Temptations high 3/5
Slower than expected but was enjoyable. More funk than I expected as well.
Mother Nature and I Ain't Got Nothin were the highlights for me, two of the lesser listened to according to Spotify. Motown isn't usually in my rotation but it was ok.
propa funky and good covers
Has all the bangers!
Awesome
I’m not convinced this is the Temptations’ best album, but as most things by them, it’s awesome. Especially since it has the full length version of Papa Was a Rolling Stone.