Cloud Nine

Not bad but no song 'clicked'

1. cloud - 1 2. grape - 0 3. uuild - 1 4. love - 1 5. girl - 1 6. leave - 0 7. need - 1 8. love - 1 9. uuay - 1 10. uuin - 1

Love the Temps but not a lot of their very best here.

Przyjemne dla ucha.

A true classic. But not music I would listen to every day.

Lovely vibes and a strong opening but didn’t hold my attention in the back half. Would have enjoyed it more if I was off my gourd dancing with a skinhead lass I’m sure.

This did not do much for me. Sure it had good beats and rythems, but I didnt actively enjoy it. Wasn't bad, didnt dislike it, just didnt do a thing for me. I'm rating for enjoyment and how much I liked it, as I always do, so it just scraped a 3 I think. Ik its a good album. Just not for me

I quite liked it! maybe more of a 3.something than a 4 but overall good vibes. didn't rly like their rendition of heard it thru the grapevine, however i actually enjoyed the long song quite a bit which is saying a lot. had fun listening to it

3.5 Very enjoyable listen, a lot of classic Motown sound. Nice easy listening, was nice to have in the background while I worked. I found the first track, "Cloud Nine", the most interesting & unique on the album, it was really cool. Towards the end of the album I felt less interested, the songs were all a bit slower & more generic Motown-sounding. Not necessarily bad, but not as strong as the start. Their cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" wasn't my favourite (Marvin Gaye did it better imo), and the child screaming sounds in "Runaway Child, Running Wild" were jarring lol

O tipo de música que toca quando o protagonista de um romance está apaixonado. Disco divertido de ouvir.

Great stuff! Soul is a genre i dont delve into much so it was a pleasant surprise. the instrumentation was top tier and their voices were (obviously) soulful.

This was outstanding. I really enjoyed this one a ton! The bass lines are amazing!

This was way stranger than I was expecting.

truly magnificent representation of what it feels like in my head whenever Im cruising around on a july summer day at like 11AM. quite the fun shower album and very grateful to have been put onto this one. feels like a I'm on psychedelic drugs watching a flower bloom through the pavement cracks in the best way. drink: coconut water accentuated with some sparkling water, rose petals, raspberry jam, and a piece of a brass sax. rating: 8.58

Shockingly awful

Obviously some great songs in here but didn't grab me much. Still worth a four star

Good upbeat soul album, I’m never gonna love this kind of thing but it’s harmless and fun in places.

solidno s obzirom na žanr, ali ništa posebno i nije mi se baš dopalo... prva strana bila okej, druga već postala blago naporna. jebiga, nije za mene

Come for "Cloud Nine," stay for the half-and-half record that follows. This one is a groundbreaking piece in the Temptations' catalogue as it adds funk to the psychedelic soul sound they had been so seminal in development. Don't be fooled by the opener and 9 and 1/2 minute "Runaway Child Running Wild;" about half of this album is plain, by-the-numbers Motown, which is still a fairly high bar for quality. And really, nothing could follow up those two giant songs so may as well play to your strengths both new and old. I can see this was probably a harder choice of an album to include than most, as the Temptations were always more of a singles act, but they're just too important as a group to outright leave off a list of significant albums... Key Tracks: Cloud Nine, Runaway Child Running Wild

No disputing the great voices but the very similar arrangements for each song are very wearing. The lack of an outstanding song hurts this album too.

This album was a classic 1969 album for me. Low tempo, chilled out and all about love. The vocal performance is awesome but I think it's just a little too slow for me. I also would've liked to hear about something other than love but that is kind of the concept of the whole album so hard to fault it for that. Fav song: Why did she have to leave me (why did she have to go) Least fav: N/A

auntie music

No need for me to listen to this - Motown was the soundtrack of my childhood and then the Beatles saved us. Thanks to the gods for rock 'n roll. This pablum dance music was fun enough until we learned better.

Coolio

One of my favorite albums

Quite a pile of meh if I'm being honest. Very safe radio Motown/funk sound that might have been innovative for all I know, but falls deaf on my 2026 ears as its been iterated on and perfected since. As soon as I got into a groove with a song it was over, and as soon as I got used to the noise, the album was over. Stereo mix I listened to also wasn't really that great. All in all while I won't fault anyone for liking this album, you probably won't catch me paying much mind to it down the line.

Me gustan mucho las vibes, aunque no sé si como para ponérmelo en casa

runaway child

This is a very “low ceiling high floor” album. It’s like drafting Derrick Henry in 2025.

Back in January, I remarked about how The Temptations' All Directions could be characterized by one impressive song surrounded by easy-listening filler. The same could be largely said for this earlier effort, Cloud Nine, which was their foray into psychedelic soul. The first side of this record is pretty much the main attraction here. The opening title track is an impressive bop with the wah-wah guitars and driving beat, as the members exchange lyrics about the struggles of poverty. "Runway Child, Running Wild" is an equally striking nine-minute epic about a child running away from home and finding it difficult to survive on their own, only hampered by having the kid actually cry during the instrumental bridge, even if it is thematically appropriate. Rounding it out is a surprisingly good rendition of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" that worked with the members' harmonized vocals. As for the second side, again, it's easy-listening, largely inoffensive filler. Not a bad track per se, but aside from a smooth rendition of Lou Rawls's "Love Is a Hurtin' Thing", the rest can be chalked up to gooey, sentimental love songs that don't seem to offer anything as close to outstanding as the first half. Hell, even their take on Freddie Scott's "Hey Girl" reminded me way too much of The Temptations' earlier hit "My Girl". Between this record and All Directions, it feels very indicative of how Motown, under Barry Gordy's direction, could be distilled down to making an album out of one or two tracks. It's a practice that certainly worked, but limited what an album could be, at least until Stevie Wonder took creative control and changed the game. Still, I had an alright time with Cloud Nine. The album may have peaked in the first half, but I still got a kick out of it.

not my style but good

Interesting enough, but not enough to bring me back again

Not my thing but perfectly listenable.

First time listening to the Temptations. Really enjoyed this one. May be picking this up on vinyl soon. If you told be psychedelic progressive soul was I thing I would not have believed you, but here we are. 5/5

Bellísimo

The opening number hit me with way more funk than I was expecting. I enjoyed the album, but the A side was much stronger than the B side, which drug on a bit.

Very good record

Love the album cover and liked the music! The runway song was a bit long and didn’t seem to fit as well as the others - a low 4/high3

hermoso disco

Sweet.

how can it not be good?

I haven't properly listened to this band until this challenge. Very enjoyable listen.

Too singy for my liking, but pretty fun and not boring. I won't go back to it, but if you like it you like it, nothing bad to say about it.

not my type of music

Fuh ken A. Love. That Grapevine is incredible. Love that song, & this version is fantastic. Psych funk & soul. That’s a recipe for good times. 4 stars

nice sound

Психоделічний соул? Цікаво) Прикольні)

#129/1001 🇺🇸 A cracking slice of Motown with all that you would expect from the label. Pounding rythm sections, horns, strings and more. Runaway Child Running Wild, Love is a Hurting Thing, I Need Your Loving, Got to Find a Way (To Get You Back).

Flipping between early funk pioneers and run of the mill Motown . Unfortunately not enough of the former

Light 4

What struck me most listening to this now is that the album’s unevenness is not merely forgivable but revealing. It sounds like Motown caught halfway between two models of what a record is supposed to be. Side one pushes hard toward psychedelic soul, social commentary and groove-as-environment thinking, while large parts of side two revert to impeccably crafted romantic singles. Rather than weakening the album, that split becomes the story. You can hear a 45rpm institution adapting, slightly awkwardly but very intelligently, to a 33⅓rpm world. The title track still feels genuinely radical because it reframes psychedelia away from art-school exploration and toward social pressure and psychological escape. The lyrics sketch poverty, exhaustion and instability, while the music somehow combines tightness and sprawl at the same time. That becomes the defining sensation of the album as a whole. Whitfield’s productions are dense, busy and atmospheric, yet never remotely loose. The grooves stretch outward while remaining locked to the floor. A lot of psychedelic music of the period embraced collapse or drift. This feels engineered. The use of the voices is extraordinary throughout. On tracks like “Run Away Child, Running Wild”, the group stops functioning as a simple lead-and-harmony unit and becomes a field of overlapping signals - warning, pleading, narrating, panicking. The arrangements can feel frenetic without ever losing clarity. That tension between emotional disorder and technical control gives the album much of its force. The bass playing deserves separate mention because it increasingly behaves like a lead instrument. By this point, the rhythm section is no longer simply supporting the songs but actively defining their emotional and physical identity. Several tracks have an outright strut to them - not just groove, but body language. Even the more traditional romantic material feels heavier, more urban and more rhythmically assertive than earlier Temptations records. What keeps the album alive is that it never fully resolves its contradictions. It is neither a fully unified psychedelic-soul statement nor simply a collection of singles. Instead it documents transition itself. You can hear Motown’s old craftsmanship and new ambitions coexisting uneasily but productively inside the same record. The seams are visible, and the album is stronger for it.

Motown on niin että harvoin pettää

A solid start with Cloud Nine and Heard it Through the Grapevine but then while it is still pretty good it becomes less funky and loses a bit of its interest. Favorite Songs: Cloud Nine ; Heard it Through the Grapevine

Favorite track(s): Cloud Nine, Runaway Child, Running Wild

A mateo no se le da traducir canciones

excelente álbum saludos!

Personally one of my favorite genres. Big fan of I Heard It Through The Grapevine. Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love hit a prime spot as well. If I could give it a 3.5 I would but just a tad too repetitive for me to give it a 4.

Pretty dang good. I liked keep gonna tryin…

Some old solid classics.

I enjoyed this for what it is.

I I like the album. A good album to tie early 60s Motown and Gaye and wonder of the 70s

Enjoy the energy, fun album

The Temptations are iconic. Never sat down and listened to a full album before though. This one is very well done, with only a few misses. But also, none of the hits they're known for. On balance, it's a 3

Mid.

Nice chill out

two albums from the temptations within 2 weeks of each other made this feel a bit repetitive.

There's something so cringe about every post-motown album. They're all trying to pivot to the next big thing, to remain relevant, and it always comes off as inauthentic.

Don’t know if they have mummy or daddy issues tbh

are we going to pretend this isnt about drugs? great vibe, some tracks are legit bops but i cant say something that really stands out here not really soul not really funk, i can see the influence this had at the time but for a modern day listener falls a bit flat 2.5

Somedays you just really need The Temptations! Reading up on this album, it seems this Grammy winner pissed off a lot of their original fan base by funkin it up a little. I say good for them. One of the most annoying things, to me, in music is when "expert" listeners get angry when their artists take their art in another direction. Like, they're personally attacked or something. Switching things up to remain relevant or reach more people is a wonderful thing if done correctly (of course it can backfire). But in this case, it did not backfire, and it was very enjoyable.

Decent listen.

Excellent album and a wonderful display of a soulful Motown work. Gives me a starting point to further explore The Temptations.

Pretty solid all round

I love the funk and variety of voices. When I hear I Heard it Through the Grapevine I can't help but see the animated dancing grapes from the commercial in the '80s.

Psychedelic soul and funk built on deep bass grooves, sharp brass, layered percussion, and dynamic, multi-part vocals moves with vibrant, restless momentum. Listening feels like riding through a neon-lit city where rhythms constantly shift beneath swirling colors and social tension. The result is energetic and engaging and its dense arrangements are simultaneously over- and underwhelming.

i like it relaxing and has tension

Blue, country, and what wikipedia tells me is "roots rock". This feels like a slimmed-down version of the Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" album; a reviewer apparently once called them minimalist and I agree.

great music! impossible not love

Solid album. Bunch of great tracks. Sounds a little dated in the production, but overall it's a very enjoyable listening experience.

...

Really weird but great

Muy buen disco, sobretodo muy buena banda!

The Temptations' first album that goes beyond the group's typical Motown sound does so with mixed results. The opening track is the clear highlight, a funky-yet-depressing soul cut that makes good use of the group's vocals. The nine-minute "Run Away Child, Running Wild" is the clear attempt to try something psychedelic, with the varied production and long instrumental breaks. It ends up feeling weirdly empty though and is only sometimes interesting. The second side is fairly straightforward Motown soul that is good but not great. The group went onto move adventurous things than this, and while it doesn't really stand out from the 60s soul pack it's at least a pleasant listen.

Soul.

Me gustó, estuvo bueno el paso por el soul. Es divertido y creo que eso es lo que más le destaco. Ahora, no lo volví a escuchar, como dije antes estoy con esto de ponerme al día y mucha atención no le di. Sin embargo, lo disfruté.

Fun enough. ★★★

That soothing old soul R&B that puts your soul on cloud nine

Not for me, which is thought was strange because I love soul and rnb

Unlike most albums, I felt this started weak and ended strong.

The first couple of tracks on here were decent, and I was able to appreciate the more expansive, fuzzed out production which made itself well-known on occasion. The album often feels like it's pulling in different directions, contributing to the disorientating psychedelic-meets-soul sound. However, a significant portion of the rest either grated or blurred into royalty-free YouTube background music, and I mean that disrespectfully. Ultimately it's not really my bag.

Psych tinged soul. The 60s, man.

nice

Crying child on 3rd track very disturbing.

6.0/10 Thought this was pretty groovy.

Bien, bien setentoso.

very cool acutualli

i don’t like motown

I heard it through the grapevine didn't sound like the version I'm used to; the overall album was pretty mellow, not quite the upbeat Temptations I'm used to.

The Temptations are one of those groups I assumed I knew because I’d heard a handful of their hits. This is a much heavier, funkier album than I expected. Vocals are great. I find it loses steam a little as it goes on, but a very solid album.

Really like the sound, the album was solid.

Meh meh meh wop

Oh my god flawless from front to back. The perfect Sunday album. Not a single skip - would happily sit and relisten to this in full again and again and again.

Quick and groovy! The ol five piece sang songers.This is just a hunch, but albums always hit harder on Fridays as I phase out of the corporate hellhole I exist in for a glorious weekend respite!

A fun album with some good funky jams.

Surprisingly Rounded. I expected lots of those catchy pop hits, vocal focused, motown chart stuff. There are some fine examples of that stuff, but then there is some fuzzy guitary rocky funky soul too. Full of unexpected musical credibility!

It was a'ight

Wish I liked this a little more.

I've never gotten down so hard to the sounds of a pained child calling out for his mother

lovely, funky stuff, really just a flawless sound. i oughta learn more about this Norman Whitfield fella

es como el bringing it all back home de dylan pero del funk y soul

Calm album. It's decent, a bit boring.

The album is alright not really my sort of music but can be appreciated just nothing that stood out for me

This is just music that makes you feel good.

That can't decide whether they want to be gritty or sweet. There's a couple good tracks here and some generic second tier Motown

Bien.

Just felt right when listening to it.

Are ALL of these dudes having a hard time getting a girlfriend or something??

I like ‘Cloud Nine’ better overall than the Temptations’ other album in the book, ‘All Directions’. The title track and ‘Runaway Child, Running Wild’, are probably the standout tracks here, really leaning into the psychedelic soul aesthetic. I prefer other versions of ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ (Marvin’s is the definitive version), and ‘Love Is A Hurting Thing’ ( Gloria Ann Taylor’s version is a mesmerizing and emotionally devastating, sprawling, psychedelic soul epic). The rest is your above average but fairly conventional Motown fare.

Decent soulful harmonies. I enjoyed it as much as I can for Motown music.

Never heard their version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine — kinda interesting. Only one hit here, Cloud Nine. The rest was just OK. Great Motown house band. Not available on streaming, their Greatest Hits Vol. 2 was a fave album when it came out in 1970. Bangers all around.

Interesting piece of stylistic transition. The Temptations are one of our great cultural institutions.

Funky wah wah sound….different from their rather formal early smooth love songs. Lovely voice. Fave track…Runaway Child. Enjoyed.

filled with utter joy and whimsy

Weird album it’s like the temptations trying out different genres to see what sticks to the wall. I love soul music listen really hit for me.

waffling between 2 and 3. I think thats the difference for me, I prefer bands for vocalist groups. And here the band feels like an accessory to prop up the vocal performance....for the whole album. Not my cup of tea. That said, its too competant for a 2.

right band; wrong album

Leuk. Begon sterk, later wel wat saaiig

Maybe too much funk for me, sounded all the same

just feel good music. Its so nice and cheers me up

Super stylish music, really cool sound. The best Soul/R'n'B album I have come across in this project so far.

Not my style. Rating is purely personal, this does zero for me.

One thing that you’ll learn in this life, is that there’s two kinds of psychedelic soul. There’s the kind that happened before Neo-soul, and there’s the kind that happened after it. The former is sly and the family stone, and the latter is thundercat. Ya dig? Now let’s get into this album, which is obviously the former. I wasn't too confident in this one after hearing the pretty disappointing "Heard It Though The Grapevine" cover, but then was promptly proved wrong with the next song, "Runaway Child Running Wild" and can I just say that I was not aware of the ball that these brothers had. A funky, frantic exploration of a child's journey through running away from home... holy shit it's incredible. More than incredible, it's one of the most perfect songs I've ever heard. Every part of it moves perfectly together, in such an interesting way! It rivals the great funk and soul songs of the 60s and 70s perfectly. It's SO good. And the rest of the project just rides that afterglow, with some pleasant shorter songs. The big problem the entire time is... I'm sorry. Mr. Eddie Kendricks, your falsetto is not at all your strong suit. And you sing falsetto on most of these songs. However "Hey Girl" is positively beautiful, and "Why Did She Have To..." is a beautiful number as well, with some genuinely crushing lyrics for the time. The entire B-side is just really consistent soul numbers, and honestly that combined with “Runaway Child” makes this album a standout in the journey. Hell, without the falsetto in a couple of these songs, this is an easy 10. 9.5/10

I'm usually a big Temptaions fan, but this album didn't really do it for me. A couple good tracks, but was not a fan of their version of "Heard It Through the Grapevine" Highlights: "I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back)"

Groovy psychedelic soul

I thought these guys only had one song, and that it was 'My Girl'. To hear otherwise is, to put it bluntly, earth-shattering. Favorite Track: Cloud Nine

Title song definitely declares a new sound for the Temptations who were already too eager to follow the sound that Sly and the Family Stone had established. Soulful but psychedelic, multi-vocal, layered beats, taking on the proud Black sound without apology. I Heard It Through The Grapevine is almost as good as Marvin Gaye's but the arrangement is still very very cool. Oh mama! This next track Runaway Child Running Wild is on fire. Expansive, epic, all the singers dialoguing with each other. Otis is growling his rage through every note! The band is jamming so good. The album is practically done after this urgent track. Goes scary with the shrieking "I want my mamma!" This music takes me back to my multi-colored wide-flared bell-bottoms! An almost forgotten sound of the late-60s soul and funk. Then things slow down for the luscious love ballad, Love is a Hurtin' Thing." I used to slow-dance to this with girls too young to know what I didn't know... which is that we were on the threshold of something new. That what the Temptations ushered us through... they started with My Girl and all those amazing happy 60s soul songs... but now they were taking us into new territory, a more complicated territory. But hold on... we're not entirely done with the old Temptations. There's still Hey Girl... which pairs really well with My Girl. Carole King/Gerry Goffin penned this track, and producer Norman Whitfield knew what he was doing passing this to the Temptations. It captures the perfect Motown sound, which isn't giving up its original vibe without a proper tribute. And Eddie Kendricks is warbling that beautiful distinctive falsetto of his on I Need Your Lovin'. Gotta rate that high as high as he sings it. And the three final tracks are made for dancing, so be prepared to have everyone at your party bounce around the floor with verve and abandon. The fine gents etched a classic here, no doubt.

The acapella was great Liked how the first few songs had a instrumental intro They sounded all unique in intro but somehow in the middle of the song its hard to find out what makes each story stand out I liked why did she have to leave me, Cloud nine, i need ur lovin' Need more listens to properly judge

Notables: - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Why Did She Have To Leave Me

Cool and funky, with those classic choppy guitar riffs and bubbling bass lines from the Funk Brothers. Smooth harmonies and lead vocals delivered with conviction. 'Runaway Child Running Wild' is epic.

Not gonna listen

Groovin on cloud9

Solid.

it’s hard to hate the temptations

When I looked at the song titles on today's album I was a bit concerned as the only one I knew was I Heard it Through the Grapevine, but not their version. I am a fan of their music, and very much enjoyed All Directions which I got from the generator a while back, but I was still uncertain how I'd feel about this record. I liked the opening track, Cloud Nine, but didn't really care for their version of Grapevine. When I saw the runtime of Runaway Child, Running Wild I wasn't sure what to think, but I absolutely loved it. And then every song after just felt like what I want The Temptations sound to be. While I knew none of the songs, they all made me feel how I feel when I'm listening to their greatest hits. I smiled throughout and ate it all up. Standouts were every song aside from the first two.

Funk and soul, good vibes!

A solid entry—it just gets rather monotonous for me. The best element is all the backing vocals. The writer is how they rely on the same tricks over and over again. Also: is “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” the song that appears the most throughout the entire list? I think I’ve heard it 3 times during this project.

Supremely easy to listen to but nothing really jumped out as me as incredibly memorable. Very much a background listen for me.

Pretty damn cool! Funky vibe to this. 3 for me. Glad I’ve listened to this one.

listened while cleaning my room. enjoyed.

me ha alegrado una mañana de puta mierda en Vértice

Bonne découverte

Très bon album, très jazzy Content de la découverte !

Nah

Loved the A side. B side dropped a bit but still solid.

I was expecting "My Girl" and the band that all the 90's boy bands tried to be as cool as. I got more than that with some social commentary and very funky beats. Sure lots of songs about boys with girl issues (second side of the album) but the first few tracks (A side) was much more than I was expecting. I nearly gave it a 5.

The album that marked the pivot towards funk, spear headed by the prescient Norman Whitfield. Some great tracks here, and some dusty warmed over Motown tracks as well. Also, this is the first post David Ruffin record, and I think Dennis Edwards is a great singer but he's no Ruffin

Oh wow I've never heard this version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine...

Na początku dobrze buja, ale w drugiej połowie energia trochę klapnie. Nie lubię, jak w utworach są dźwięki płaczącego dziecka (zamknij ryj). Słaba wersja "I heard it through the grapevine", bez charyzmy, koniecznie posłuchajcie sobie wersji w wykonaniu The Slits. Należałoby dodać, że mimo tej krytyki to solidna płyta, zajebisty groove.

Es un lindo album, no me sorprendió tanto como los anteriores que me tocaron. Aun asi lo volvería a escuchar

decent enough Motown, very repetitive lyrics

Très fan de Love is a hurting thing, le reste plus basique j'ai trouvé. Dans le genre, l'album Makings of you de Curtis Mayfield est vraiment bien même si c'est plus symphonique

7/10

It's good. Fine, even. Not really my vibe, but it's hard to go against the Temptations.

3 - decent

Mogla bih sve prepisati što sam rekla za njihov prošli samo se bas manje ističe pa je ovaj ipak malo lošiji.

Rather enjoyable. The child crying on Runaway Child was a bit uncomfortable to hear.

Side A is pretty great but side B is pretty standard. They average out in my book.

They took me to cloud nine alright.

This started off very promisingly even despite my pet peeve of a cover song. Track 3 was good. However, it trailed off into derivative soul/motown. One of the better of this style I’ve had though.

overall feel good album!

i heard it through the grapevine!!!! GREAT album.....reminded me why this project is so cool :) woooo

love these baddies

Júst as funky as the last album, kinda the same vibe

This one’s okay. I liked I Need Your Lovin and Runaway Child. All the songs about getting the girl back were kinda samey.

Cozy soul music. The B side is clearly stronger. 6/10

How to ruin a good song: step 1) add the vocals of a screaming child.

easy listen

Funky and soulful all in one. Great addition to this list.

Me gustó pero tampoco me pareció tan destacable.

Fun and soulful, I especially liked "Hey Girl"

Bonitas vozes, estilo bonito, tranquilinho. Me lembrou uma vibe alegre dos Jacksons 5 que eu curto. Trabalhei na mó paz aqui. Nada mais o que falar, só achei bãozinho mesmo.

Good but I feel like there are better Temptations songs?

A beautiful marriage of jazz and blues. The chaotic limitless jazz instrumentals with lovesick vocals filled with yearning. Very fun album.

5 singers at their peak strength, drawing on what they do best while also pushing the boundaries of psychedelic soul. What more could you want? An outrageously good album and solid proof there should be more Motown on this list. (Although, most of the iconic 60s Motown recordings were released as singles, yet again revealing a problem with the album-focused list.)

I love the Temptations but this album didn’t do it for me

Now this is romance

Past their prime?

Cool

I love how they can be a Motown pop group one minute, and funky, psychy, experimentalists the next - they seem to cover both ends of the spectrum on this record. I found it a bit meandering and aimless in places, but the world’s a better place for them.

I was looking forward to this for a change of tempo and sound, but found it a bit lacking. I wanted to be thrilled by that motown popness, but it seemed to lack sparkle somehow. Not helped by the slightly lacklustre version of Heard it through the grapevine (which I know was a Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong penned tiune) but I don't think this was the first version?? A fine album just not what I hoped for.

Title track was stronger than the rest

Thoroughly enjoyable.

boopyboopyboop

album #21 every track name on this made me giggle because of how it reads as more and more desperate as the tracks go on LOL. 3/5 because it's the temptations and they have a very clear influence on music and also their bass lines fuck. ꩜ album rating: ★★★☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,068 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 10 (+1 Cloud Nine) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 3 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 14

it's ok but nothing particularly outstanding for me

Runaway Child, Running Wild

I never usually get the opportunity to listen to Motown music from the 60's. It was a nice change up from the music I usually pop on while working. The Cloud Nine single on this record is pretty good. Which reflects the amount of plays on the track. I would give this album a 3.5/5

After this last run of albums, a breath of fresh air. No one can get mad at The Temptations. Now, while a standard Motown record would probably rate a 3 as perfectly cromulant background music, this brings in a little proto-funk, which lives up the proceedings. Fun album which unfortunately loses a bit of steam towards the end. 3.5 rounded up.

Not as good as I expected

Chill

Sounds like receiving a haircut from a butt naked man. 6.5/10

Funky but catchy. As lil siddy said, “ Ts sounds like getting a haircut from a naked black barber”

Good album! With very instruments and the voice is rlly cool!

Didnt offend me, but didnt set my world on fire either. 2.5/5

Very interesting record, dealing with some „pulpy“ topics. The music mirrors this and gets darker and experimental, well at least in the cosmos of the Temptations. :D Fav: Runaway child, running wild

Jamais écouté avant. Top : Cloud Nine Flop : Hey Girl

cloud nine: 9/10 i heard it trough the grapevine: 6.50/10 runaway child, running wild: 8/10 love is a hurtin´thing: 9/10 hey girl: 9.70/10 why did she have to leave me: 8.40/10 i need your lovin´: 5.90/10 dont let him take tour love from me: 8/10 buena linea de bajo. i gotta find a way: 6/10 la ultima, muy largo: 7.50/10

I enjoyed this a lot, especially the more political/social comment stuff on the first side. Not a great version of 'I Heard it Through the Grapevine' though.

Good vibes! Funky motown action

Listened to this on a plane and it kept my spirits high, good stuff

Just a very happy album, impossible to not put a smile on your face

6/10

Nice album. Enjoyed but not exceptional. Solid 3

A pleasant, enjoyable album for the most part. Didn't find it to be much more than that, though. Just solidly OK/good. Overall: 3.2/5

Started off really interesting, then turned into a bunch of love songs. -_- At least some other albums on this list have done interesting things with instrumentation or vocal technique. Not this though. Nope. Just 35 minutes of "ooo baby, I love you but you don't love me, sob" (with the exception of "Cloud Nine" and "Runaway Child, Running Wild"). Of the three versions of "Heard it Through the Grapevine" I've heard - this is the weakest. What a bummer. I hoped for better. PS: I think I've realized the difference between the love songs I'm ok with and those that irritate me: authenticity. The love songs on Nick Cave's album are real: that dude is IN LOVE with his wife. The love songs on this album are marketing kitsch. They're put on to sell records. In a word: phony.

good would maybe listen again

more psychedelic than other temptations albums. hadn’t heard this version of “i heard it through the grapevine” before, wasn’t expecting so much whimsy, don’t know if they should be that pleased given the premise of the song. highlights: - runaway child, running wild - why did she have to leave me?

Bra!

Härligt funky. Kände inget specifikt som riktigt höjde det för mig, men en stark 3:a!

Velar med betyget, men känner att soundet är jäkligt najs och även om det inte är så mycket som sticker ut så känner jag att det är nåt jag vill komma tillbaka till i framtiden. Känns jäkligt cleant för sin tid!

Skön african amrican amblum 4/5

Jovars.

I am quite partial to a Motown album and enjoy many of them. This felt however, a bit ‘mid’, decent enough instrumentals and such but just sort of made decent background music and didn’t feel like it was anything special. ‘Cloud nine’ and ‘I gotta find a way’ were highlights but everything else just seemed a bit forgettable not bad just not special. I wasn’t keen on the grapevine cover, the original by Marvin Gaye is a phenomenal and very emotional heart felt song, which in this cover I think completely missed the meaning of the song by using a very upbeat instrumental which just seemed so wrong. Overall – Okay not bad but just very background music vibe, a low 3 star from me sort of a 2.5.

Just funky background music but not really my style and a few songs I actively wanted to skip. Like a 2.5 / 5. Round up to a 3/5.

SO GOOD FIVE STARS

Classic

I was a bit afraid there would be a lot of filler but no. It’s all quite groovy and fun. I love The Temptations. I saved the title track to my Generator playlist.

I was excited when I saw Cloud 9 come up. I don’t know loads about The Temptations, but every time I hear them, I end up loving it. This album doesn’t disappoint at all. It’s a great listen from start to finish. You’ve got standout tracks like the title track, Runaway Child, and their version of I Heard It Through the Grapevine, which is right up there with Marvin Gaye’s. The production is superb, the musicianship is top class, and the basslines in particular are brilliant. There are also a few longer jams on here that really work and give the album a different edge. It just feels like a band at the top of their game, trying new things and pulling it off. Favourite tracks: Cloud 9 is a great tune and the clear standout for me. Least favourite tracks: There isn’t a bad song on the album. Album artwork: Cool cover, very much of its time.

C'est funky et dynamique, on aime

C’est pas le meilleur J’ai un vinyle de ce groupe qui est plus sympa

Sympa

This album is by all interpretations, a transitional album both in its date of release (at the end of the 60s the cusp of the 1970s) and in the style of songs. the first half of the album has groovy funk rhythms that would become the bedrock of the 1970s soul funk genre while the second half of the album is the classic Motown sounds that the Temptations were known for.

It has that motown feel, which is fine. None of the songs really grabbed me. I didn't know psychedelic soul was a thing or that their fanbase would be annoyed by this "pivot" (doesn't sound like much of a pivot to me).

In the first half of the album, there are some songs that have a lush and experimental sound that reminds me more of the Isaac Hayes albums on this list, before shifting to a more traditional doo-wop soul in the second half of the album. Waffled between a 3 and 4, but bumped it up for sheer talent and the fact that the first few songs made me see a "known quantity" in what I feel like was a new light.

It's amazing to hear such an established act and sound try different things, yet retain so much of what makes them appealing. The funk-infused 'Cloud Nine' is such a crazy opener, and 'Runaway Child, Running Wild' is somehow even more ambitious - giving a Sly & the Family Stone-level of jamming, preaching, and urgency. The ballads can't compare to these two monster songs, but they're still solid - some flourished with Phil Spector wall of sound strings. A fun listen overall.

Increíble y nostálgico, muchos feelings, ojalá no estuviera tan caro en vinilo

1

The first 2 or 3 tracks were great then it got rolling and was good

V good yes more

The problem with this album is that the last two thirds of the album virtually all make the same point and do the same thing. The first third was more ambitious in topic and style and promised a lot and then it became a bit repetitive in theme. I'm mostly happy with listening them do that but I feel like the album could have offered more ambition.

Smooth rythmn

Took me to cloud nine, a couple of stand-out classics

Chilled

Game of two halves. Side one comes in with a bang. But side two goes out with a whimper. In footballing terms it might be an entertaining score draw. In 1001 terms that's 3*.

Forglemmelig.

incredibly soulful and funky. makes me want to dance. it’s just so groovy

Good

Wasn't feeling funky this morning.

Rv

The Temptations did funk well! Love Cloud Nine! This album was a lot of fun!

Love how the Temptations went into a funkier direction. I prefer the next couple albums, more Papa was a Rolling Stone, but this is a fun listen.

Its good motown with a hint of funk coming in. I enjoyed it. Some parts got a little boring.

Listening session: march 19th, while commuting home from internship Listened to before: no Thoughts: I always love funk and motown and this album was really nice to listen to while sitting in the train and watching the sun set Favourite tracks: Runaway Child, Running Wild, Hey Girl & I Need Your Lovin’

Fun - enjoyed the funk / Motown but it lacks a tightness.

think I’d probs enjoy more with a few more listens

HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE Best Song: Cloud Nine Rating: 7.0/10 Stars: 4

It's good but it didn't put me on cloud nine.

This might just be my genre. Likes: Cloud Nine, Runaway Child Running Wild, Don’t Let Him Take Your Love From Me, I Gotta Find A Way

This is a bit boring, especially for funky Motown. I also hate this version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine

A fun mix of motown soul and 60s psych that peaks on the long instrumental jam at the end of side A, where you get the glorious Jamerson style bass and some great fuzzy guitar sounds combining for a heady bit of funk. The B side is classic but not especially inspired RnB - great vocal harmonies and more of that perfect bass but the schmaltzy strings drag it down a bit and the songs are mid.

6/10 - A fun album to have on in the house. I prefer the funk songs on the album to the more Motown/Soul songs but that’s a personal preference. Cloud Nine is a great song!

The album starts with a bang and then doesn't really do a whole lot the rest of the way. It's fine, 5/10

Motown's answer to psychedelia - if you can't beat 'em join 'em.

Love love love this Motown/funk sound. First half is banging, second half is fine.

Album Review 090 Cloud Nine by The Temptations (1969) Rating 4/5 1969 was the year that the peace and love “sound of Young America” grew up, realised the party was over and became a lot more cynical. On Cloud Nine, we hear the Temptations mirror this change as their sound moves from the poppy Motown roots to a heavier, funkier and darker style of music. The first half is a 5/5 masterpiece of cinematic soul but the momentum stumbles with side two. That’s not to say Cloud Nine isn’t a landmark record; it’s just an album that peaks too early, trading the force and spirit of the title track for a second half that feels like it’s searching for a direction it already found on Side A.

Right up my Alley. Thoughtful but catchy lyrics. Layered vocals and harmonies. Interesting instruments and riffs. A delight for the masses.

*Solid R&B album

1969. First full album after they fired their lead singer David Ruffin and replaced him with Dennis Edwards. Style change to psychedelic soul.

Groovy, sticky, funky. The temptations deliver a solid project.

I liked the first half of this album, which is really the first three songs, more than the back half. The front is a bit more funk and psychedelia based whereas the rest is classic 60s soul. I don’t think the classic stuff is bad, just not nearly as interesting.

Very nice

4,5

5/5

Day 213 Nice enough harmonies, love putting one overly long song on an album don’t they? Highlights Cloud Nine Hey Girl

Seems to be a lot of these soul funk records on this list

The Temptations’ "Cloud Nine" is anchored by wonderful solo vocal performances and peerless harmony vocals, and the late 1960s production remains remarkably fresh decades later. The instrumentation, provided by Motown’s legendary in-house studio band, The Funk Brothers, is quite simply superb. The title track is a magnificent five-star opener. With its iconic wah-wah guitar intro and "gang vocals" - where all five members trade leads with breathless energy - it remains a definitive moment in both Motown and soul history. While the subsequent cover of 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' is a competent effort, it feels somewhat uninspired compared to the definitive versions. However, the momentum returns instantly with 'Run Away Child, Running Wild'. This epic five-star centrepiece is brilliant, featuring extended instrumental breaks, swirling organ riffs, and a gripping cautionary tale regarding the dangers of the street. Side One concludes as a potent mix: two funky masterpieces and one standard cover. The second side offers a different experience. The "Psych-Soul" ambition of the first half settles into a more traditional Motown sound. While it lacks the radical edge of the opening tracks, the execution is flawless, carrying all the classic hallmarks one expects from The Temptations. Though it is somewhat disappointing that the experimental energy of Side One isn't sustained throughout, the craftsmanship remains high. Four Stars. Side one 1 "Cloud Nine" (5/5) 2 "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (3/5) 3 "Run Away Child, Running Wild" (5/5) Side two 1 "Love is a Hurtin' Thing" (4/5) 2 "Hey Girl" (4/5) 3 "Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go)" (3/5) 4 "I Need Your Lovin'" (3/5) 5 "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me" (4/5) 6 "I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back)" (4/5) 7 "Gonna Keep on Tryin' till I Win Your Love" (3/5) Total - 38 Average - 3.8 270/1001 145/270 albums reviewed were new to me

Tento album má nezaujal prakticky ničím. Mám rád iné ich pesničky.

I’m a sucker for Motown and funk. Loved it

This is one of those examples of a record that I know is good, and know is highly regarded, but that doesn’t move the needle much for me. I just don’t love the falsetto singing, and lead vocals go a long way towards whether I’ll enjoy a band. So it’s a good sound, but not my cup of tea. 3/5

This was wonderful. That's was just so much depth in the music

Great record. The Temptations are awesome. I think most people just know them for their Smoky cover album and their doowop style tunes, which are great, but this shows a more down and dirty side of the group. The love ballads are still there, the strings and great musical production but also here are the references to The Struggle. The parts of life which are hard and rough, but are made better through finding love (or losing it). Great, timeless music that I think is one of the best showcases of purely American art that’s ever been created.

interesting album. the first half is like funk soul ala later marvin gaye, sly stone and then the second half is back to what you know the temptations to be. not sure about that "grapevine" version tho...

Nice funky R&B.

Not only are these guys getting cheated on, but they're also being really pathetic about it.

No es mi estilo at all. Música de fondo

Found it fine. The Temptations are solid R&B Motown. The latter half just kinda petered out into the generic.

Psychedelic soul 🎶

Actually peak wtf

will listen later

Good funk with a psychedelic twist. 3/5 would listen to it again.

Okay

Oh yeah. This one is pretty good. The temptations are a great vocal group.

Экспериментальный соул какой то

I wasn't expecting the strange extended plea for mommy, but otherwise some great bass-heavy deep cuts.

Left me cold.

Amé

Nice album but a bit middle of the road

super awesome heartbreak album

My Temptations knowledge is very sporadic, mostly centring around their Motown output with David Ruffin. Following his departure, the group move away here from their classic Motown sound, embracing orchestral and psychedelic soul and leading to the records highlight, the 9 minute _Runaway Child, Runnin Wild_. It's a solid album, perhaps a little inconsistent in places but well worth a listen

Good