Reviews (page 5 of 13)
okay
Temptations at their best.
Vibing
Great singing throughout. A solid listen!
Cloud Nine is a whole mood. Such feel good music!
Giving this to my son as his first breakup album
A little too monotonously funky for me.
great sound but needs a few more killer apps. i like Runaway Child, Running Wild, but Hey Girl is probably my favorite
Rating: 5/10 Pretty alright as I probably listened to it in the best way possible, on the speaker while doing some Saturday morning kitchen chores. I think I might have actually liked the second half songs better.
Fun listen but a little forgettable 5.1/10
Ba da ba da ba dum. 6 wizards out of 10 lizads
Zuhause, Gerstetten, Deutschland. Ganz okay.
Groovy and fun, for the most part. A couple of songs didn’t do it for me, but most I enjoyed. Cloud Nine and Gonna Keep On Tryin’ Till I Win Your Love are the perfect opener and closing song.
Great album, bringing their brand of hard soul. The opening track exudes social injustice and love their version of I heard it through the grapevine.
decepção. começou com a OBRA PRIMA cloud nine pra brochar total no resto do álbum :( por favor alguém avisa os criadores desse livro que existem outras décadas na música. não aguento mais os primórdios do rock, muito menos músicas românticas dessa época. e esse homem sofreu coitado. supera ela mano ela não te quer mais. pelo menos esse álbum tem mais molho que outros da época, tem músicas com camadas, muitos elementos, bem baixudas etc. queria reiterar o quanto AMEI a primeira música, mas o fato de só ter músicas de amor anos 60/70 no resto do álbum achei meio pah sou meio hater desse estilo. cloud nine (música) vc é 5 estrelas no meu coração.
Não me importo com o fato de 2/3 do álbum ser sobre o sofrimento do sujeito que perdeu a namorada. O que me incomoda é que esse sofrimento não é muito bem representado musicalmente. O álbum começa interessante, abrindo com a melhor música, e logo na sequência, uma interpretação legal da "I heard It Through The Grapevine". Depois o álbum dá uma caída em qualidade. Apesar de ser um álbum pequeno, termina já com uma sensação de cansaço. Talvez encaixaria em uma trilha sonora, mas como álbum próprio não se sustenta muito. Melhor do álbum: "Cloud Nine". Pior do álbum: "Love Is A Hurtin' Thing".
Meh.
Fun lil album. Bass grooves were awesome and I was definitely vibing with that the whole way through. It’s also funny listening to their previous albums and finding out that this one is just so different than the rest.
A bit florid for my palate, somehow
funky and i fw this
This challenge has given me a good introduction to Psychedelic Soul: a genre I was probably interested in all along and never got around to it. This is so much better than My Girl.
C'était pas mal comme bruit de fond, mais je suis pas mal saturé en 60s. J'ai passé plus de temps à essayer de comprendre c'était quoi un Cloud 9 et c'était quoi le lien avec l'album du même nom de George Harrison. J'ai pas trouvé la réponse à aucune des deux questions et je vais laisser planer le mystère.
Easy to listen to, but pretty generic sound. Fine as background noise.
Nice sound for background music, I was quite bored listening to this though
I liked it! Pretty groovey!
Love a bit of Motown
Not really my thing
Best Song: Runaway Child, Running Wild Musically they are fantastic and they are amazing performers. That being said, I am not a big R&B fan and, while this is good, I am stuck with a relistenability quality that this doesn't have for me. In other words, I will never listen to this again no matter how talented the musicians are. 3/5.
I mean, it sounds quite nice but ultimately kinda left me feeling nothing. It's soulful and warm, but not very memorable except for the first song and that cover of I Heard it Through the Grapevine doesn't do the original any justice.
Motown upbeat, childhood trauma, optimistic
A real mixed bag - starts off funky as hell, Runaway Child, Running Wild is ten minutes long and great. Then half of it is 3 minute pop songs, Motown smooth, which are also mighty fine. More than I expected and a nice listen.
Enjoyable, just weird to hear the Temptations get more into the funk side of late 60s R&B and it felt like the arrangements didn’t bring out their voices.
SO GOOD
Though without David Ruffin, arguably the best member of the Temptations, and most egotistical, this album slaps. It’s funky, but then has the tender love songs we know them to put out. Overall, probably a 3.8/5.
Started strong but didn’t really keep my attention. Great vocals and cool recordings, but not exactly the style that catches my ear. Still, was a fun listen.
-love the album cover -some of the songs were kind of long and weren’t good enough in my opinion to withstand the duration -I do like Cloud Nine
Fun!
Classic and soulful. What a way to relax and unwind on a Friday. Good album.
Really thown by the track arrangement here; was excited to see 10 songs, 35 minutes, awesome. Then, like 7 minutes into runaway child, running wild I realized my assumption that I'd be hearing something classic, digestible, wasn't going to pan out.
Those iconic temptations baselines - NAME ANY ARTIST TODAY THAT EVOKES THE SAME EMOTIONS???
can never go wrong with the temptations
Outstanding sound but lacks anything that makes it truly pop 3.5
First 3 songs lean to the funk side ( side 1 of the record I believe). The rest is standard Temptations fare. You can't argue with either
Decent enough, but nothing that really grabbed me - steady Motown
I love me a black soul album!!
The Temptations are my favorite Motown group. I love the style and the music. I hope they added their earlier album on this list because again, this isn’t necessarily the album that makes the most sense to me for this artist.
Bit of the same stuff throughout the album, I probably need to listen. Few more times?
Some great tracks on here, but a couple skippable ones too
Seems very influential for psychedelic funk afterwards without losing its own value. Decent songs that unfortunately feel surpassed by everything the genre has to offer after it.
great vibes, classic album.
oh ya coool
Not my taste.
love
Enjoyable but didn’t quite hit the heights I had expected.
This was better than I thought it would be; the opening title track was good, followed by a decent reworking of *I Heard It Through The Grapevine*, which means this song appears on the 1001 album challenge at least 3 times, although it’s no match for the CCR cover. The star of the show is undoubtedly the 9+ min ‘Runaway Child, Running Wild’, which is a funky, groovy track that surprised me, leaning far more into a long instrumental section, rather than the more renowned soul that dominates the rest of the album, which is what stops it scoring higher for my preferences. It’s good but I’m unsure when I’d return.
Amazing! 5/5
Dug it. 70s funk and Motown R&B. Not entirely a standout for me, but I enjoyed it. Didn't realize that The Temptations had some funk going on.
Tight pants soul cruise ship vibes.
i thought this was better than the other one but not really
I expected to absolutely love this, and for the most part I did really enjoy it. But boy does it take a dive about 4 songs in. We start with "Cloud Nine," and immediately know that we're in for a record with something to SAY. "Runaway Child, Running Wild" is the absolute winner of the album to me, no questions asked; it's gritty, powerful, and plain good music to boot. I figured the album would keep pushing it with more political commentary, but -- no! That's it! From then on, we just get happy-go-lucky radio hits. Now, don't get me wrong, I like them. The Temptations are hard to dislike, and they do the cheese very well. But they just don't grip me. Fave tracks: - Cloud Nine - I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Runaway Child, Running Wild - Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me - I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) - Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love
It's fine. I thought I'd enjoy it more.
Funkkky
I love them. This isn't them at their best but some cool base and great soulful pop vibes.
that one was surprising, actually awsum :D
I enjoyed this, The Temptations you always know that there will be at least 1 song you like a high 3
7/10
Vocal group goes psychedelic! I actually love when established groups try to shoehorn their way into trends, if only because it’s interesting to hear how they fall short. In the case of this record, ‘Cloud Nine’ and the epic ‘Runaway Child, Running Wild’ seem to be the ‘psychedelic’ entries, and both are not that fun to me (or particularly psychedelic, for that matter). Someone wailing ‘I want my mama’ during ‘Runaway Child…’ definitely made my family’s ears perk up, but not in a good way. As the album progresses, the songs become more standard Temptations fare, and is better for it, but this group in general never quite resonated with me, despite my deep love of Motown. Favorite song: "I Need Your Lovin'"
Hey if it works it works right? They don't stray too far off the path of what works, and it just works well for this album.
They sure know how to sing a song about sadness/happiness/power of love. Whether that’s chasing, waiting for, or losing it.
Really solid psychedelic soul
Solid soul. Proof that boy bands are pointless - this is the real deal. One or two unnecessary vocal theatrics just to include all the singers but WOW the band was working hard. The Funk Brothers doing tgheir thing!
Vibes: 4/5 Instruments: 4/5 Production: 4/5 Emotional Value: 4/5 Storytelling: 3/5 Album Cover: +0 Stand Outs: Cloud Nine, I Need Your Lovin' Overall Rating: 3.8
#197/1001. Well, i don't think this shot was just as a oassing phase, and thank God the producer Norman Whitfield changed this opinion in a few months in '68. But I have my doubts that cloud nine is about a state of mind. Come on, it is 1968! The times were hip and people turned on, tuned in and dropped out. This is psychedelic soul / funk, and according to ai, The term psychedelic comes from two Greek roots: • psyche (ψυχή) — mind, soul, spirit • delos (δηλος) — to make visible, to reveal, to manifest So psychedelic literally means “mind-manifesting” or “revealing the soul.” What better way to manifest the concept than a gospel / motown / rnb band turing in to a funkier, urban, new dimensions seeking sound. Album retrrats to old manners at some point though, but it was a bold move for an old band, and it has stood the test of time.
I like the Temptations, but this wasn't their strongest offering. There was a couple good songs, but the rest were nothing to get excited about.
Great album
Oh yeah, The Temptations so mi bli zmer všeč. In prvi komad ("Cloud Nine") se že začne odlično. Hiter, mal funky komad. Spomnim se, da so skozi leta šli skoz več sprememb med člani & wiki pravi, da je kle Dennis Edwards zamenjal David Ruffina, ki je bil glavni vokalist na verjetno njihovem najbl znanem komadu, "My Girl". Ok, zanimiva verzija "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" - hitrejša kot sem navajena. Ok, a veš kva pa ne sede? Poslušat kul, funky komad, po se pa v komadu začne otrok jokat, da hoče svojo mamo ("Runaway Child, Running Wild"). To me je mal ven vrglo. Ok, druga polovica je bolj motowni, k funky. Vsi so mi fajni. Se mi pa zdi psychedelic soul oznaka na wiki smešna, ker this ain't psychedelic, ampak očitno so to res začetki psihadelike? Anyway,
More like cloud 4.5 or 5.
4/5
A classic sounding 60s records with a lot of sonic qualities that I love. I was surprised to notice some of the fidelity of the room sounds present on one of the vocal takes early on in the record; a very noticeable "room tone" that sounded...pretty rugged. A couple of covers, no notably huge ear-worms for me. Enjoyable listen
Motown at its finest. Some good hidden gems
I really liked the bass, drums, Fender Rhodes, organ, etc. because I love the "swing" element in the rhythm section of music, and knowing that rock drummers incorporated these elements into their own music; the vocals had an acapella-like feel with each singer singing a different note on the scale; I thought that the lyrics/song themes needed more thematic variation than just being about love
REALLY GOOD VIBES
Un album des Temptations, c'est jamais mauvais. Mais celui là n'est pas particulièrement bon. Une des pires vbersions de I heard through the Grapevine.
Ça fit ben avec beaucoups d'albums dans cette liste : agréable et oubliable.
Good soul or whatever.
I was expecting more from this one.
The first three songs are wildy different than the rest of the album. More funk driven, early in the era for it. Side 2 is much more classic soul.
Worth it just to hear The Funk Brothers, the backing band of choice for most Motown recordings across the 60’s.
впервые услышал этот альбом когда мне было 5 минут, сейчас мне уже 999 лет, но я все равно его слушаю каждый день.
Pleasantly surprised by this album. I read up on it and says it was the first psychedelic R&B album. A lot more sounds than you'd figure for The Temptations. Cool of them to step out of their box and make a classic.
It’s pretty good! 3
Liked this. Voices work well together. Main thing is I felt something
I honestly don't know how this is on this list. Very poor output from them. How can you take a song as soulful as Heard It Through The Grapevine and render it elevator ready. Whomever is attempting the falsetto on this album, please stop. The Temptations have some iconic songs but none of them (or their essence) is here. This is sad. Like when a classic band is touring 30 years later with just the original bass player carrying the name from casino to casino.
Good, but not great.
Very good, as always, can listen to them no matter my mood
3.0 - Ok
The first album I ever bought with my own money was the Temptations' All the Million Sellers on tape. My dad said that as long as it had "My Girl" on it, it was probably good. I don't remember how old I was, but I do remember listening to that tape as I played with tinker toys and getting super freaked out by the tales of a lost runaway begging for his mom on "Runaway Child" and a father dying and leaving his family destitute on "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone." Cloud Nine is a classic psychedelic soul album, a transitional form of the genre, as some of the tracks still sit in the old-school Motown/Tamla vein. And look at that smokin' late sixties album art! This record cover wouldn't look out of place if it were shown behind a classic Velvet Underground performance at an art installation. Even though the Temptations were pushing the boundaries of their classic soul sound here, the record is remarkably easy to listen to, both for better and for worse. Except for the extended "Run Away Child, Running Wild" jam at nine and a half minutes, no song goes over three and a half minutes, and the album clocks in at less than forty overall. That makes the record easy to digest, but it also belies the safety of the Temptations branching out in their experiments. This observation is not meant as a criticism. I happily listened to this record three times today. Every listen was enjoyable, but nothing really gripped me except for the killer title track. The only misstep here is the performance of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." The Temptations' version isn't bad by any means, but Marvin Gaye had a massive hit with the tune just one year prior, and time has only deepened the perception that it is his song. I know there were a couple of Motown versions before Gaye's, so maybe it was considered a semi-standard in the late sixties, but it sounds like an unnecessary cover today. Overall, I enjoyed this record and will be looking to pick it up on vinyl or CD if the opportunity arises. Four stars.
not their best work but could be a lot worse
This was a comforting album. The Temptations span generations and this particular outing seems like a hipper one. Something laid back and cool about begging your lady to stay. Maybe it’s the humility of it all.
I enjoyed it, The Temptations are cool, but nothing really grabbed me.
Funky, catchy. Great vocals and exceptional background vocals.
Wonderful vibe
Did not disappoint. Very easy album to listen to.
Good stuff
Classic soul album by one of the best , has Mrs Fitz favourite song on there top album
The title track “Cloud Nine” is the stand out
Some really solid old motown but a bit uneven.
Wikipedia says this is "psychedelic soul". It's basically smooth Motown soul with some flourishes of psychedelia. That means it's slick, well produced music with great singing. Granted, I have no idea why a Motown vocal group stuffed a 9-minute epic in the middle of their album which includes a child crying "I want my mama!". After said epic, it was just a string of 3-minute ballads that were excellent. This is a good album, but it falls short of masterpiece status.
Yo this was good but the little kid crying for his mom threw me for a loop
This was much more colourful than I expected it to be. I only knew "My girl" by them and that is such a sweet song. Those are here aswell. "Love is a hurtin' thing" for instance. But there is much more. The vocalists had such vastly different voices. Melvin Franklin's bass vocals were so soulful. It's wonderful. Paul Williams on their wonderful cover of "Hey girl" is fantastic aswell and honestly he is more fitting for the radio. But most of all the versatility within the group that's shown especially on the title track is brilliant. I also enjoyed that it is an obvious drug song but anyway. A very good album.
Nice - Detroit legends
Love it. Own it.
In the sweet spot of R&B right when everyone was getting all weird and experimental. Made some of the worst rock music, and some of the best R&B. Cool stuff.
This was a short listen. Easy breezy. I enjoyed it although nothing stuck with me.
Best Track - "Why Did She Have To Leave Me"
This is just too smooth to be great. Cloud nine is undeniably funky and soulful, but just doesn’t quite grab me. Unfortunately the same is true of Heard it through the grapevine, which like the grit of Otis and other versions. Runaway child continues the theme, but feels really long, in part because it is. I enjoyed the contrast in vocals of Love is a hurtin thing. Hey girl has a great opening bass line, but soon descends into schmaltz with the arrival of the strings. The drum intro for the next too as do similar i have to check i haven’t hit back on my phone. Don’t let him take your love from me is the point i finally realise i generally prefer the songs with a deeper bass vocal taking the lead
Anything by The Temptations is perfectly acceptable to listen to. I liked the title track, but this version of “Grapevine” was just dull in comparison to Marvin Gaye’s. The rest of the tracks were just background noise, albeit perfectly acceptable, mostly standard soul background noise. Why Motown groups also feel the need for a 9min song goes beyond my understanding - it’s just the opposite of what they’re good at, which is a tight 3mins.
You know when you expect you'll love something, and then its just fine? Yeah, that. The voices are obviously incredible - just the most emotive, gravely, beautiful voices. That version of I Heard It Through The Grapevine is definitely not for me though. And I could definitely do without the crying child in Runaway Child, Running Wild. I guess I like my soul less psychedelic. Should be a 2.5 but I think I'm going to round down. 2/5
Echt nett.
Not an all time great album at all
Nice blend of soul and funk. Not really what I think of when I think of this group.
2/2 Temptations Albums down. Having listened to the album All Directions previously, I had extremely high expectations for Cloud Nine. I added virtually the entire album after listening to it last time. So, how does this one compare? Well, in my honest opinion… This one isn’t nearly as good, sadly. The good news is that all the singers sound amazing, especially the guy with the immensely deep voice. Love that guy especially. The bad news is that as a whole, these songs are all just barely passable, maybe slightly boring, and I didn’t love the rendition of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” nearly as much as the CCR Version, so that kind of disappointed me even more. I think what held this album back compared to the other one is the level of Funk. It was easier getting down with All Directions because every song made me want to get down and dance, but this one felt like more traditional Motown and did not make me want to get down and dance. Not a bad thing, just not as good. It was a high pedestal to put the album on admittedly, and it did not pass my expectations. All that being said, it’s a slightly above middle of the road 3. Let’s go with a 3.68/5. My favorite song on this album was the opener, “Cloud Nine”. It teased me right away with a banger of a song and then went downhill rather quickly after that. Still, now that I’m done with these guys as far as this project is concerned, I’m free to check out their entire discography, which I absolutely will. That’s a huge compliment.
really solid but not something I'd listen to on my own time, 3.5
See, musical history matters. It wasn't a bunch of animated raisins that sang it first!
Fine but didn't feel like anything particularly special.
nice soul but heard better
Good album, Love the Temptations.
no
Es musica de l'epoca jazz/blues. No esta mal, pero no es lo meu.
Funky and groovy all at the same time.
Fairly middle of the road album. Cloud Nine is the standout track, which is a shame as it's the opener. Overall quite enjoyable, helps that it's nice and short 35 minutes.
not bad, jazzy
"Cloud Nine" by The Temptations is a nice album but I'm nevertheless surprised to find it on this list. I like The Temptations' sound and vibe - so I enjoyed listening to this record yesterday - but I cannot say that something outstanding on it has caught my mind. So, for me it was nice and solid but if you're not into the Motown stuff, it's a waste of time.
Love it.Favourite track is Cloud Nine 4/5
The title track is great, but most of the rest falls short and is pretty generic, even though the musicianship and voices are top notch.
Good funky music
I really like some of the songs. Some were just mid. I think I'm giving this one 3 stars.
Started off strong but not really a fan of their heard it through the grapevine. Started peetering out as the album progressed
This album is so good, especially the opening half. Starts with a very classic funk intro, ripping you straight into the era, with Cloud Nine. A solid cover of I Heard It Through the Grapevine, folloeed by the masterpiece of the album Runaway Child, Running Wild. The story told is great and the funk is at its best here. The back half are a bunch of love songs about trying to get your girl back or to stop her from leaving, and some of the funk drops off, but that doesn't mean there isn't great stuff here. My favorite here is Hey Girl, which was almost enough to be my favorite from this quick album.
upbeat and very easy to vibe along!
Classic banger. Best version of the song "I heard it through the grapevine"
Love the jazz-psychadelic instrumentals and very good voices
An album of two halves, which is one of the few things to count against it. If they’d carried on in the groove of Side A it’s a solid 5/5, but seems weird they returned to the old playbook on Side B. Not that there was anything wrong with the old playbook - but it does end up feeling like they lost their nerve.
Really cool soul music that is completely new to me. smooth songs and good singing. Might have to listen to a few of the songs again today now that I got in to the groove.
3,5
Probably one of the best transition albums.
I don't have a whole lot to say about this album, it is clearly very competently made and full of talent. That said, it's just not really my thing. I did like some of the more atmospheric instrumentals. 3.5 -> 3/5
Every Man, Every Man Is Free 1001 Albums Generator 153 (11/03/2025) I am only aware of The Temptations through their classic song "My Girl", but Cloud Nine is something totally different. It is a deep funk style, especially on the first side, which is super strong. The title track is fantastic and energetic, and the nearly 10 minute Runaway Child, Running Wild is really fantastic. It flies by and does not feel like 9 minutes at all. The second half of the album is more forgettable and is just unfortunately not nearly as strong. It's not bad, but some of the vocals, especially the lower register vocals, are pretty cringe. Not a bad album at all, but I don't think I would come back to it in its entirety. 3/5. Favs: Cloud Nine Runaway Child, Running Wild I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) Least Fav: Love Is A Hurtin' Thing
This album is just NOT the "real" Temptations.
Super interesting hearing the first 3 tracks taking on a psychedelic sound, and the rest going back to that classic temptations soul/funk sound.
Yeah it’s the temptations
Oh, it went a bit long since I listened to when I reviewed. IIRC pretty weak even though it was cozy.
It makes me feel like i'm in a movie
Mediocre, back half picks up
Pretty good.
RANKING 1) Love Is A Hurtin' Thing - 9.55 2) Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go) - 9.31 3) I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) - 9.3 4) Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love - 9.23 5) Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me - 9.22 6) I Need Your Lovin' - 9.1 7) Hey Girl - 8.8 8) Cloud Nine - 8.4 9) I Heard It Through The Grapevine - 8.35 10) Runaway Child, Running Wild - 7.7 AVG RATING - 8.90 PERSONAL RATING - 9 2/3 Spot are Interchangeable - Distinct but both very good, same with 4/5. Vocals, Instrumentation, Catchiness, Everything sounds distinct and amazing. All songs stand out, and they are all certified bops.
Alright.
I expected a lot from this, and I feel kinda meh. Couple of nice ideas, but especially the first half is convoluted, a bit too jammy, and then side B goes all repetitive. Meh.
Great opening track. The rest of the album felt a bit same-y, but was brought back by the closing track. Nothing stood out to me in particular, but I did enjoy listening to this album on the whole! 7/10
Really enjoyable album. Incredible for its time
Pretty good album. Some of the songs are classic Motown, but there are a few darker sounding, more psychedelic sounding songs like Cloud Nine. Notables tracks include Cloud Nine, Runaway Child, Love is a Hurtin Thing, Hey Girl, I Need Your Lovin. Enjoyable listen, all the songs are listenable.
Good old Motown album. A couple of different sounding signs but overall had that Motown feel.
I was slightly disappointed by this - I guess I’m used to their 70’s stuff and was expecting more OOMF in their works - not to say it wasn’t bad at all - they had hits esp in the 2nd half that kinda redeemed the album.
Great artist, they all have so much talent, and it was well produced. Just felt a little bit lacklustre and that they couldn't mesh out the brilliance that they have.
3.5
Motown, soulful, funky. Nice vocals.
B-sides were better than the hits. Good ole’ Mo-Town.
Not my sort of thing
No standouts but a solid background album
What you'd expect from a mid-60s Motown record: well-produced, pleasant vocals and swooning lyrics in an attractive package. But it never quite grabbed your attention
Good but not really my kind of thing. Their version of heard it on the grapevine is good.
7.5
its a bit better than other soul albums i have listened to but its still not my thing 3/5
nah
cloud nine- 5 i heard it through the grapevine- 5 runwaway child running wild- 5 love is a hurting thing- 5 hey girl- 5 why did she have to leave me- 5 i need your loving- 5 dont let him take your love from me- 5 i gotta find a way- 5 gonna keep on trying til i win your love- 5
Not sure I had any of these Temptations songs before - love some soul deep cuts. The I want my mommy parts were def unexpected. I feel like I should learn all the bass parts on this album.
Fun lots of pizzazz
Great MoTown stuff.
👍
Groove e tranquilo.
Can hear the Sly influence. Quality of course.
Slick soul, tight and groovy - half funk jamming, and half motown crooning. Mega bass!
This was a fun little number
Love a bit of Motown ❤️ Good album, very easy to listen to
Not my vibe
I love this band. I had never heard an entire album before - only compilations. I would buy a copy of this.
Good funk but nowhere near their best.
2/5
I really enjoyed the laid back funky vibes of this record. The first half seemed stronger than the second if I am being honest. Good though.
Loved the vibes, favorite song was Cloud 9
Enjoyed this in my Sunday walk… saved a couple songs. Fun to listen to
I love this album with its early funk influences and classic soul that made them one of the best. Cloud 9 sits up there as one of my favorite songs by them and the rest of the songs do not disappoint wituer
3/5
Just a really good album. It's probably a 4.5 because of the 9 minute sing that could've easily been 4 minutes shorter... but I'm still gonna round up. I'd buy this on vinyl.
good vibes, it's feeling like you got a free whole day for yourself.
Hahaha den här spelade jag när vi hade Temptations förra gången för att få en referens. Så den är i färskt minne. Ok ingen "Papa..." här men titelspåret och "Run away child..." är nästan lika bra. Annars är kvalitén på det här albumet snäppet högre än den andra skivan. Gillar det här gränsslandet där dom har ett ben kvar i det gamla och ett ben på väg in i det nya. Whitffield är en superb låtskrivare vilket gör att albumet känns sammanhållet och jämt, det är inte massa klassisk Motownutfyllnad och två singlar. Däremot är jag frågande till varför inte samtida singeln "Ball of confusion" är med, den hade passat bättre in på "Grapevines" plats på skivan. För jag saknar nån riktig topp till för att nå fyran
Jag tänker att Tempations är ett bruksband. De gör jobbet - lika säkert som en pålitlig hantverkare. Alltid en stabil lägstanivå, men sällan fantastiskt. Alltid bra sång, men aldrig gåshudsframkallande. Hantverksmässigt utförd soul helt enkelt.
Jämfört med förra Temptationsplattan vi hade med finns mer av det traditionella Motownsoundet här, även om det redan nu går att höra de psykadeliska influenserna. Hursomhelst det låter bra. Fint let him… (som Håkan gjorde en fin cover på) är alldeles underbar. Sen om detta är originalet eller om Four tops kom först låter jag vara osagt. I regel spelades ju samma låt in av flera artister i hitfabriken, sen fick man se vilken som funkade bäst. Precis som Heard it through the grapewine. Temptstions version har sina styrkor men når inte riktigt upp till Marvins. Funken i titelspåret gungar fint. Temat tuff uppväxt är gångbart (samma i Papa Was a Rolling Stones). Ett bra album helt enkelt.
Fina låtar men lite splittrat för ett album. Cloud Nine ger en föraning om Withfielfds psykedeliska soul. Texten är politisk på ett sätt som Motown inte brukade vara. Cloud Nine verkar inte riktigt höra hemma på albumet. Övriga låtar är bra, men kanske inte fantastiska. Jag uppskattar att temptations tagit sig från den sockersöta Motown-popen till något annat. Ibland låter det nästan southern soul om dem.
Loved it
los primeros tracks están buenos, llegando al final se pone medio repetitivo musical y liricamente. la produ está muy bien
Gotta love the Temptations, excellent album, more of this please!
Fine - other than the title track, this was a pretty bog standard Motown album. Nothing bad, but nothing else really stood out.
Hell Yes!!! Finally an album I can get behind! Not their best album but I definitely liked this better than yet another overrated 70’s rock or folk act.
Quality 60s soul. Enjoyable
It IS THE Temptations
Best Song: Cloud Nine. I liked the building crescendo to kick off the song/album. Worst Song: I Heard It Through The Grapevine. It's just all around worse than the original and many of the more famous covers. Overall: Pleasant but unexciting. It verged too far into the psychedelic realm for me, whereas I wished it stayed more in the Motown/soul area.
Album muito bom, muito gostoso de ouvir. Ritmos muito bons com um swing muito bom
I liked this a lot. Fun music, heartfelt performance, and entertaining. I liked the motown stuff more than the funk, but even the funk was good.
No one is begging to keep their love with a funky horn and percussion anymore!!! Smh Anyways much love to DETROIT royalty...those who get it get...and those who don't well...🤷🏿♀️
Este challenge me esta haciendo escuchar soul todos los días, no me quejo igual pero no eran sonidos a los que esté tan acostumbrada como para hacer tanta review. Este tambien sería un 3.5 si se pudiera. De todos los que tocaron del género, fue el que menos me cautivó. Hay veces que las vocals están medio crudas, parece que lo estas escuchando en vivo. Por que hay un nene llorando que quiere a su mama?? No se si de todo lo que sacaron los temptations este era justamente el indispensable. Me causo tambien mucha ternura la foto de perfil que tienen en spotify 😭 Favs: I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Love Is A Hurtin Thing, I Gotta Find A Way.
I get it, son los Temptations y son muy imprescindibles en general, pero me parece que tienen trabajos más pulidos. Sin ir más lejos, hay cosas suyas de 4 años antes que suenan mejor y son más rompedoras. En cualquier caso, me gusta mucho este tipo de música así mala nota tampoco le voy a poner. Favs: Cloud Nine, Love is a Hurting Thin, Gotta Keep On Trying Till I Win Your Love
Según he leído, este álbum es un puente entre dos eras: los Temptations clásicos diciendo adiós y los más psicodélicos diciendo hola. Como tantos otros artistas, mi experiencia con este grupo hasta la fecha se ha basado en escuchar singles en Spotify después de haberlos reconocido en películas, y debo decir que, con lo poco que conocía de ellos, ya me temía que fuese otro ejemplo más de banda cuyo punto fuerte son los hits puntuales, y no necesariamente los álbumes. Sin embargo, hay algo fascinante en ver a una banda tan asociada al soul más pulcro lanzarse de cabeza al sonido funk. Dudo que este sea su mejor álbum, pero me parece uno que refleja riesgo, transición y curiosidad artística. Y eso, viniendo de un grupo con una fórmula de éxito tan asentada, ya dice mucho. Favs: Run Away Running Child, Love Is a Hurtin' Thing, I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back)
Disco transicional al soul psicodélico (al menos en las primeras dos canciones), que más allá de la curiosidad de escuchar a The Temptations incursionando en el género no me generó mucho más. A la playlist: Cloud Nine.
This is a different version of the Temptations, that's for sure. I did not love their version of I Heard It Through the Grapevine, as I think it pales in comparison to Marvin Gaye's version (though, whose version does not?) and the CCR version. I find it a bit odd there are two Temptations albums in this book and neither of them feature the approximate 354 hits from the 60's they had, other than Cloud 9 of course. I see the move towards a more psychedelic soul in the sound of the album and overall the results are really strong. I admit that Runaway Child, Run Wild is a bit of an outlier due to it being almost 10 minutes long and there is a child screaming for his mother in the middle of it. It's difficult because this album is not a great representation of the Temptations sound, as it is more of an outlier. It is probably one of their better complete albums and the back half of the album trends more towards the "traditional" sound they are famous for. I like this one though, as it has a nice edge and different instrumentation from their other music. Cloud Nine Hey Girl Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go) I Need Your Lovin' I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back) Gonna Keep on Tryin' Till I Win Your Love
Музыка на фончик
Love me some Motown. Pretty chill album
Tempted to go higher, but just didn't quick click with this one.
I wanted to love this and some songs were very cute, but ultimately I was bored. I am not bored by the two impossible whoppers I am currently eating in a parking lot
Maybe I fell asleep listening to this because it was so good but I’ll never know because I only made it through 4 songs.
AH, THE TEMPTATIONS- Dewey Cox The title track always clung around in my head with the dynamic harmonies. Love the extra deep voiced guy. The rest of the album is alright but nothing as clingy (3.5/5)
15.10.25 klo 12.30, hima, varvas, spotify very good very nice
Koselig album.
9 I’m giving this album a (cloud) 9!!! HA HA HA!
was ok to listen to...
Pretty good Motown.
Husker ikke stort av det siden jeg hørte på.. Men virket helt ok. Kommer ikke til å høre på igjen.
3/5
It was good. Didn’t really blow my socks off and I wouldn’t rush to listen to it again. I think other artists do this better, Otis Redding for example. Favourite Track: Runaway Child, Running Wild.
Easy listening. Inget starkt intryck. Trea.
sentimento de cafezinho numa manhã de quinta-feira. 5/5
Some good, psychedelic soul. Brilliant singing, obviously. Just doesn't capture my imagination as much as I'd hoped it would.
Very cool and nice, but did not have any song that was like "wow, THESE are The Temptations!". Love their work, the presence, and the history/context in the Motown scene, but did dont feel like this album was "the" one. Excited for the "Grapevine" cover, but did not like it too much. Overall, good album and musicianship, but kinda bland.
I love the Funk sound, never heard this album and it is so refreshing to finally hear this genre. 4.5 stars
Ca m'a pas "stick" à l'écoute
Music that's nice to cook your dinner to on a Friday evening to or breakfast on a weekend morning. Seems to have been revolutionary at the time so props to the producer. It just doesn't blow my mind in 2025. 3/5.
C'est doux, sensuel et chaleureux ce petit album polyphonique Pas mal d1ns une ambiance cosy
2.5/5
Didn't love it. A few songs were alright.
I heard it through the grapevine that I was feeling fine on cloud nine jamming these tasty grooves.
Fine background music I guess
The Temptations are obviously legendary for their awesome vocals, great motown and funk sounds. For people unaware, The Temptations were pioneers in creating a sound that transcended race and help bring black artists to mainstream radio during segregation. Their sound inspired the Jackson 5, The Beatles, Rolling Stones.....basically everyone. Not saying these guys are copycats or lack originality, but it's the nature of art. You hear something new/different and want to incorporate parts of it. Like the funk in this BUT just not a fan of the falsetto wailing. I know that's kind of a part of it in this time period, but there's something grating about it. I do, however, love the deep bass vocal interjections and the bass guitar riffs. Psychedelic funk though? I'm not sure. I hear the funk. I'm not really hearing the psychedelic parts. This album was The Temptations starting to transition from Motown to something new, but it definitely feels like a WIP here for sure. B Side for example feels just like straight Motown still. I'm also not a fan of Runaway Child........it's just not for me. Idiot kid shouldn't have ran away. Listen to Psychedelic Shack or their stuff post 1970 and it's way better imo. I was looking for their connection to Funkadelic because I love their album Maggot Brain....and it's post 1970. So this album is a catalyst to their transition to something more. Personally, I prefer what they evolved into over where they started. Cloud Nine isn't my cup of tea exactly, but I recognize this was an important fork in the road for The Temptations. All the elements I really like from this album are featured more prominently in their later work, and it's disappointing if people listening to this don't explore what came after. Honestly, listen to this album and then listen to Psychedelic Shack or Take A Stroll Thru Your Mind and it's shocking it's the same Temptations just ONE YEAR later.
Good. Very good even. Extremely groovey and slick. Just plane old fun. I really enjoyed my time listening to this.
Not that interested by this. The vocals are good, they harmonise beautifully, there's some great singing here. To my untrained ear I don't really hear much of the funk / psychedelic style which makes this notable though, the second side especially just sounds like standard Motown to me. Considering these guys have loads of classic songs, bit hard to understand why this album is in the book. Enjoyable enough listen but not that excited by it
Okay I love the Temptations, so I’m expecting to be wowed. We shall see. I enjoyed this album. The Temps will always have some of my favorite songs!
Psychedelic Soul is just not my genre in general. I'm positive The Temptations body of work is WAY above of 2 but this album just isn't something I want to revisit (which is my criteria). I didn't hate it but I feel like they must have a better album.
Pretty sure I would enjoy early Temptations far more. I Heard It Through The Grapevine did NOT need covering 🤨
Not as catchy as I expected, and let down by a “Grapevine” that compares poorly to Marvin Gaye.
Funky and smooth in equal measure. A good time but minus one for a rendition of heard it through the grapevine that doesn't slap anywhere close to as hard as Marvin Gaye's. If you're gonna do a cover you have to do it better!
Nice, chill album. Doesn’t fully grab my attention all the time, so not five stars, but a solid four! 4/5
Another case here of phenomenal album from a musicianship angle, I'm glad I heard it, but is it really a 1001 albums you need to hear before you die? They also sure love making a song way longer than you'd expect it to be. This is making me want to go back and give more specific numerical scores to my reviews because I want to give this a 4 but it is just not at all the same 4 that I just gave Judas Priest. After sitting on it for a while, I simply can't do it. It is undeniable that the temptations are great, but this is not their strongest album that's made it on the list.
Probably way out in left field for their typical album, but I liked it. Kept the melodies but jazzed up a bit.
Funky greier, jeg er her for basslinjene. Alle tekstene handler om det samme, men liker viben. 3/5
Ser hvor Big Bang henta inspirasjon Et ganske fint album, behagelig. Ikke sånn at jeg oppsøker det igjen tror jeg. 2-3 et sted
Pretty sure they've had better albums.
It’s got none of the hits I know but it’s still a cool vibe. But yeah, none of the hits I know.
4.6
Great album!
Out the gate, the driving beat of "Cloud Nine" is such a relief to my ears. The bongos are mixed so well with the driving beat being held down by the drummer. No one is trying to climb on top of the other to be heard, which has been an issue with some of the albums we have listened to from this decade so far. Norman Whitfield did his big one with this record. This is such an interesting departure from their previous work and such a welcomed change to their sound. The late sixties seemed to be a time for a lot of experimentation for pillars of the industry. The Beach Boys and The Beatles doing it around the same time too. "Run Away Child, Running Wild" is such a sick track. There is so much tension musically happening as the frame for the story. The harmonies are mixed to the left almost like the voices of your anxiety. The building of the instrumentals to a climax around 5 minutes in really paints the picture of this lost child wandering the streets at night, scared. Hearing a child cry "I want my momma" around 5 and a half minutes in was a haunting experience. This track takes your mind on a wild and unsettling ride, but I think it is the standout of the whole record.
Finally some good music. Hearing the original Heard it Through the Grapevine really highlights how crazy Marvin Gaye went on that track. Runaway Child was pretty funny. Lots of simp anthems Not the Temptations best, but I liked this a lot
I’m always here for thirsty boys with anxious attachment styles singing their hearts out. Story telling: on point. I too have dated hoes, I get it. They may need a little therapy but that’s ok. Beats: on point. How do you hold still listening to this? I’ve looked like a crazy person at work all morning… Oooohs: completely on point. Oooh! I 100% picture the California raisins when I listen to I Heard It Through The Grapevine.
This is some high quality Motown. Back when Simpin was just good natured Yearning.
3.5
3.5
3.5
"Cloud Nine" and "Runaway Child, Running Wild" are the clear front runners of this album. Their version of "Grapevine" the fourth time Whitfield produced that song for Motown is good, but lack the smooth of Gaye's and the energy of Gladys. Although side two does not shine a bright as side one, I think this does a better job at sounding cohesive than most deep cuts Motown and shys away from genre hopping to show depth, which made this one even out a bit more than most Motown albums as a whole. I'm gonna give it a light 4, because og the strength of the two mentioned, but it's mostly 3½ material. (4.01) ★★★½
Very uneven soul album, but "Runaway Child, Running Wild" is cool. 3.5 stars
Apparently, this was the Temptations attempt to switch up their style and sound more like Sly & the Family Stone. I'm not sure I'm particularly sold on that version of the band, but by the second half of this album, it kind of reverts to a more classic Motown sound, which I found pretty enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
3.5
Far from Cloud Nine, this is the kind of ho-hum Motown (Ho-hum town?) that leaves me fully planted on lousy terra firma. And so greedy of Temptations that they have multiple albums on this list that are super average. Album sleeve is pretty gross too and looks like a big 60s mamma gushed a huge whoopsie period onto it. Or maybe it’s spillage from the murder scene of Heard It Through The Grapevine.
A 9 minute song as the third track is wild. A full 6 minutes longer than any other track on the album. It seems like they did the same thing on each of their albums. Interesting. Luckily, that song ended up being my favorite on the album (I remember thinking the same thing for Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone on All Directions). The rest of the album, however, didn’t do much for me. 3/5 Highlights: Runaway Child, Running Wild
Nothing like being told I’m just a scared little kid who’s not tough enough for the city. Great song topic, guys. I love the early hits of The Temptations, so I find listening to some of their albums interesting. But, maybe because my ears aren’t trained on these songs, or maybe because this is the funk/motown crossover album, or maybe because these songs simply aren’t as good as the tried and trues, I simply found this to be a forgettable experience. Not bad, but not grand.
Although not their best album in my opinion (that would be "All Directions"), this is incredibly great funk, especially in the first half of the album. From the psychedelic funk in the opener "Cloud Nine" to their remarkably fresh take on "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", culminating in the timeless groovin' and jamming soul/funk of "Runaway Child, Running Wild", this album is a goldmine for lovers of pure funk music (which I consider myself to be). Although the album continues in their previous "Motown" sound in the second half, it certainly foreshadowed what was to come with their masterpiece "All Directions". Solid 5/5!
Psychedelic soul. Propper Motown.
good groove, perhaps a bit too topical for me. Also, I didn't like some of the wailing.
regular rnb
5/5 - i really loved it!!! Amazing album! Wanna purchase it!!!!!
It's ok, first track is groovy 3.2
24.09.205 Favourite song: I heard it through the grapevine. Grade: 7/10
Motown vibes. Probably pretty OK dinner party listening. Not my daytime vibes tho - nor for gym. Love is a hurtin' thing is the best track on the album.
I think this album is alright but I never really think of the Temptations when it comes to their full-length studio albums. In their early days and like mosts artists/bands during that time, they were known for their hits and singles. Songs that were played on the radio a lot and listened to by almost everybody. But this album is still pretty good and innovative for its time and really pioneered funk as well! Favorite Tracks: I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Runaway Child Running Wild, Love Is A Hurtin' Thing, Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go), I Gott Find a Way (To Get You Back) Rating: 4/5
Wanted to like this more than I did, but unfortunately psychedelia can come with insane innovation for a band or turn them into something that sounds all blended together, mushy and you can’t really distinguish one moment from another. I feel the latter on this one.
Tempting...
It's nice background music and would listen to again if it came up
I don’t know much about soul, but this was so unmistakably Motown that even I could tell. I don’t dislike it, but it feels like the kind of music that loses some of its appeal when heard as a recording rather than live. The title track, “Cloud Nine,” is genuinely exciting though.
Good psychedelic soul on side A with a more standard sound on side B
I had no idea that The Temptations had that kind of funk in them! Those first couple tracks were wild!
Good album, Motown!
Starts and ends strong; contains ‘Superstition,’ arguably SW’s best-ever track. ‘Big Brother’ is breezy w a lyric that is very relevant to the current moment. Would say tends a bit too saccharine elsewhere. For me this completes the 2 album ‘warmup’ to SW’s peak period: his next 3 albums.
this is an album where the hits are very good, and the other songs are rather forgettable, with the exception of Gonna Keep on Tryin. The vocals are good as you would expect, but it all sorta starts sounding the same
Honestly not what I expected at all based on the sound of most of their classic hits, but really dug it - this is apparently where they pivoted sound almost entirely from their romantic Motown roots and I loved the funkier, grittier, more psychedelic sound, as well as the more sociopolitical themes. Sounded more Stax records than traditional Motown which is the sound of 60s soul that I greatly prefer. Cool instrumentation, extended solos, excellent vocals - sign me up.
The funk grooves are excellent, while the more Motown feel gets a little same-y toward the end of the album. Enjoyable start to finish.
2 stars I was not familiar with this album or its tracks. Not really what I would have expected from my first Temptations album. While I read “Cloud Nine” was a Grammy-winning single, it didn’t do much for me. The rest of the album was similarly kind of generic filler soul. This is the first album was a different lead singer in the group and I feel, from my limited experience and knowledge of the group, that he wasn’t as strong. The album is listenable enough, but doesn’t break through as something worth more than the sum of its parts, and those parts are adequate enough.
For soulful groups I prefer the Persuasions, but the funky selections where the band shines are fantastic.
This album started real strong with the Sky and the Family Stone influence, with thick bass and strong vocal messaging. On the A side. Then that B side is a window onto what they were before this moment. I've heard them be better at being themselves. The A side could've gone with a driving force on the second half of the album but I'm not music producer. I'm confused why this is on the list. 3.2/5
This album washed over me nicely but after listening I had no particular inclination to listen to it again.
Admittedly I had never listened to many of the Temptations songs before. I really loved it - the vocals are incredible.
I needed this today. Short and sweet. 4/5
I would never though to listen to this, really glad I did
65