Cloud Nine

First time hearing this one. Knew this singles, loved Cloud 9, but the album as a whole not as daring. Would probably go 3 1/2 if I could, but will settle for 3.

Good background music. No songs stood out though. Would listen to it again but probably won't seek it out.

Particularly enjoyed the version of heard it through the grapevine

Another repeat artist? I feel like I've gotten quite a bit of those lately. Oh well. I've been needing some more soul albums in my life, so revisiting the Temptations will do. This one's pretty good. Admittedly, I did like All Directions more, but Cloud Nine is far from a bad album. It's the earlier of the two albums and I can kind of tell. This doesn't really feel as refined as All Directions. Still, this is a perfectly acceptable soul album. The singing is pleasant and, well, soulful. The sound is also quite good. There are light psychedelic elements in there, but it's still a nice soul album through and through. The writing is pretty decent. This is some good stuff. It's nothing too groundbreaking or even special, but it doesn't need to be. Sometimes all a man needs is 34 minutes of some nice soul music, and this provides that. 3/5.

A funky album. I'm ashamed to say I didn't know that the "Heard it Through the Grape Vine" that I'm familiar with was a cover. Wild. Overall I'd say it makes for good listening and I'd enjoy popping on a record of it for an evening, the album in general was kind of flat and the songs all sounded similar to my ears. Favorite song: "Hey Girl" Most representative of the album: "Cloud Nine"

The temptations have some classic songs but they are not on this album. The marvin Gaye cover has been done a lot and to be honest it's just...fine. nothing amazing here to be honest but was an enjoyable listen 3*

Pleasant enough 3.6

Solid enough but nothing that really wowed me. A 3 because I honestly expected a little better.

Mostly enjoyed

this album is a pretty great encapsulation of why i love the temptations. their vocals are great and the production here from norman whitfield was absolutely groundbreaking for soul music of the time. although i would say that the two singles off of this are the most consequential (the title track and 'runaway child (running wild)' because of their great production and catchy, funky beats, the rest of this album is incredibly solid and really highlights the songwriting of barrett strong and norman whitfield. really, for me, the only blemish here is the somewhat pedestrian cover of 'i heard it through the grapevine' which is, unfortunately, sandwiched between two all time great temptations songs for me. but otherwise, i really love this album, and it is one of the temptations' greatest.

Not bad

W sumie to bardzo dobre. Na pewno do posłuchania jeszcze raz. 5/5

<shrug>

First time listening to a full Temptations album. I loved this one. Some of the songs are perhaps not too memorable, and I wouldn't seek them out, but I liked the album as a whole. I especially loved the funky and more upbeat songs Favorites: "Cloud Nine", "Runaway Child, Running Wild"

Loved this. I’ve been hitting a wall lately — not wanting to keep up with this. But this album basically reinvigorated me haha.

I feel like there’s a whole group of people who find the Temptations really, really historically important but no one ever said anything and they just expect us to know? They don’t run around trying to insert the Temptations into ever conversation, it’s more like ‘whatevz, yer loss.’ Strange.

A little self-indulgent. Nice tho.

Me and the boys floating through the Meat Dimension. It's alright? Slightly above having to listen to my thoughts, I guess?

Good record. Lots of strings and backing vocals.

Really solid album. Can’t wait to dive more into the temptations and see how they influenced 60s psychedelia

Really vibed with this album today

4.0

Not my jam. Very well done by talented artists, but I just can't handle screamy vocals of any genre.

Ok

Some good stuff here. I quite like the long 9 minute song that takes you on a journey. The rest doesn’t wow me. But it was a pleasant listen. 3/5

Not bad, very classic sound. All great sounds. But none of them stood out to me.

I wasn't tempted

The first side of this album was a 5, but the second was just a 4

I feel remiss giving this a three given the source! But I got this album when I was much younger and I wasn't vibing with it then either. Sad, mostly for me.

Funk, Soul

Soild Motown funk album, there versions of through the grapevine is disappointing though. Maybe just highlights how good Marvin Gaye is though. Good album worthy of the list, not sure I’d be rushing back to this one though.

Very enjoyable!

great tunes and great album art. winner!

Get's my foot tapping but I think there's better soul/mo-town than this

It's interesting that the albums from the Temptations in this list don’t feature the earlier hits that have stood the test of time ("Papa Was a Rolling Stone" excepted) so we have explored more into their experimental era. I appreciate that creative part of it, but I just don't love this lots and feel that it's just kind of dated in a bad way.

I dug it, for the most part. Maybe not a love love love, but it hit a good groove for me.

Funky, soulful, and deep. Yes!

The Temptations are one of those groups that as I grew up kind of perplexed me, because they had so many monster hits in different styles that dominated radio airplay for most of my life. I never really got my head around the career trajectory, having experienced a lot of their hits as one big amalgam of music in no particular order. I could probably entertain myself for months focusing my listening attention on their catalog. Now that I’ve taken a few moments to consider The Temptations and look into that history, I’m amazed to learn that that these guys continue to perform - having consistently released at least one album every few years since 1964! And in the early years, there were several years packed with multiple album releases. Remarkable! This album must sit near the top of that formidable body of work, although I will admit that I have a woeful lack of exposure to all but one other album from The Temptations. Cloud 9 is a favorite of mine, and getting to experience the incredible Runaway Child, Running Wild was enough to put my finger on the five star rating. I love this album and love The Temptations!

It’s decent doo-wop. I like the range of vocals from the group. They have a singer for every octave, and their voices all hit the mark. I had never heard this version of ‘Heard It through the Grapevine,’ but I think I still prefer the Marvin Gaye version, and not just because I have heard it more. I don’t know what it was about ‘Runaway Child, Running Wild’ that caught my attention. Maybe it was the wailing child right in the middle of the track. I found it interesting that they would have such a long instrumental outro on that song, seeing as they’re mainly a choral group. The instrumentals are great, but it always seemed to me that the band intended them to be strictly supportive of the vocals.

Pretty average for me. I'm not a huge fan of 60s soul music, but it's not the worst genre. Sometimes all the hard singing can got annoying to me, but not a deal breaker as far as listening to it goes. The instrumentals were good. About all I can say.

Nothing to complain about here. Decently groovy with some good vocals. Nothing stood out as great though.

Hittir ekki alveg í mark.

Classic timeless stupendous voices. Will never be surpassed.

Obviously Cloud 9 is the big hit but the whole album is really good. I like their cover of I Heard It Through the Grapevine and Runaway Child, Running Wild is amazing.

I thought I would like it more

Super clean and easy listen.

V pleasant

Pleasant listen but very similar to most of the other Motown varietals on this list

decent but boilerplate soul/ Motown songs, but I particularly enjoyed the psychedelic / funky songs like "Runaway Child, Running Wild". You can hear the influence of Sly and the Family Stone on these songs.

You're goddamn right!!!

Nueva semana en éste reto, con una banda/conjunto vocal que (sospecho) sólo ubico de nombre. Disco con un muy buen groove, con canciones que podrían estar en el soundtrack de una película de Tarantino. Los temas llevan a un trance en forma delicada con voces envidiables. Cerramos acá.

Decent but not my favorite RnB album.

3/5 It's an alright album, a bit monotonous.

I accidentally came into this one with too high expectations knowing some of The Temptations work. I don't know why, but I found it sort of... like too basic. It wasn't quite energized enough or poignant enough or canon setting. In short, without offically badmouthing a good and talented band, it was sort of MEH overall. I think this is a classic example of a well known band that has fabulous hits that also made lots of other albums for true fans, but not casual listeners. It is like an old joke about people going home after a holiday "Yeah, it's been fun! It's been nice! ... Not much fun or very nice but yeah..." And so to does art imitate art and while this is no doubt someones all time favorite, that someone is a super fan.

Que cosa rara

Didn't notice it finished, it didn't catch my attention

One of the best of that generation

Fun good album 7/10

Mid

No. 234/1001 Cloud Nine 4/5 I Heard It Through The Grapevine 3/5 Runaway Child, Running Wild 3/5 (3x) Love Is A Hurtin' Thing 4/5 Hey Girl 3/5 Why Did She Have To Leave Me 4/5 I Need Your Lovin' 3/5 Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me 4/5 I Gotta Find A Way 4/5 Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love 4/5 Average: 3,5 Really fun soul album.

Really not a single exciting thing about this album. Dull.

not as good as the last temptations album, but still a 4

Made for a fine afternoon of driving around and not paying all that much attention to this music. 2.5

This was sooooooo boooooorrrrriiiinnnnggggg but an impressive number of times to write the same song

This was good! I like the earlier stuff by the Temptations better though.

i saw i need your lovin' on the tracklist for this and had the four tops song stuck in my head the whole time, smh. I listened to this yesterday and already can't remember a damn thing about it.

I was excited for this but then it didn't really grab me the way I expected.

Enjoyable album, pretty funky. Medium 3

Meget mere eklektisk end jeg forventede fra Motown. Meget sjældent jeg hører noget derfra, jeg ikke kan lide!

Ikke en vildt tight plade imo, men der er nogen lækre numre her og der

Dejlig plade! Man bliver helt i godt humør.

The Norman Whitfield years are underway—epic songs, psychedelic soul. David Ruffin is gone, and Dennis Edwards takes over as lead, but the voices remain the standard—Kendricks, Williams, and Franklin take notable solo spots throughout. The cover of the Gladys Knight/Pips version of Grapevine is decent, as are the other b-side cuts, but the title track and Run Away Child, Running Wild set the tone for the Temps to come. Funk Brothers moving at full speed. A perfect encapsulation of the late 60s Motown era.

Similar to other reviews, I enjoyed the funk songs but wasn't into the later Motown songs

What a cool, funky sound. So uniquely Temptations in their sound and just a great listen. Four stars.

Not as good as many of their contemporaries. Terrible cover of Grapevine. But still a nice sound, a comfortable 3.

Great group, not their strongest album

They were the best at what they did for the longest time !

Enjoyable, good harmonising

i do NOT fw the 10 minute song where a child starts crying for his mum. That was triggering - boring

lowkey fantastic, but so incredibly difficult to get through this very short album and i'm not sure why! perhaps it is the similarity between tracks that gets a bit boring after a while... 3/5

Groovy and soulful.

Good recommendation. They made their own niche really, still wearing suits and doing dance routines but singing psychedelic soul with political lyrics. I enjoyed this though maybe it's not the most consistent album. Extra star just for the bass vocalist.

Is this the wildest swing between first and second tracks in the history of music? The opener is fire and the bass, the rhythm and the melody are spectacular. Then we get the version of a classic that is so inferior to the Marvin Gaye version it's laughable, maybe it's the original I don't know but I couldn't stomach it. The rest kind of passed me by. Like eating too many donuts, eventually the consistency of the sweetness became slightly unpleasant but generally I have to say it's average but wildly varied.

I'm glad I heard this album. Has some songs I have never heard before, some of them even funky. But the second part of the record was a bit boring for me.

I like the very story heavy approach, it feels like the album is a movie that combines a bunch of vignettes. It is also very catchy, so two birds one stone.

Really loved the first half of this. 2nd was decent but a bit more croony. Love their vocals especially lead singer. Thought after curtis Mayfield this may be left wanting. But no really liked it. 7.5/10

Solid Motown album.

Landmark record that really marked the beginning of their psychedelic phase. Really set them apart in a R&B genere with little artistic experimentation to this point.

Me aburrió. No me gustó la voz líder

Like the soul parts more than the more R&B focused parts. Totally fine, nothing I'll come back to

Thought this was going to be really interesting after the first couple songs that were pretty psychedelic and fun. Unfortunately it gets a little tedious after that, expected more after I read the wiki about how this was a big change for them and a pioneering psych-soul album. Still worth a listen, fun album.

Motown legends bring their A-game here, with wonderful vocal melodies that keep your eyebrows raised.

A dash of psychedelia tempts these Motown soul staples toward a higher ground.

BEST SONGS: - Love is a Hurtin' thing - I Need your Lovin'

Oh man I love psychedelic soul--hard for me to stop moving my foot and hard for me to stop attending to every vocal line and drum hit. Exploring gets you lost sometimes, but you find really really cool shit sometimes. This ain't your momma's grapevine.

Such great songs. Surprised about how low the production values are.

I spent the whole time thinking I should have been listening to the four tops after Abdul Fakir’s death last week. This was solid and some good arrangements and covers. Good but not great.

Their version of ‘I Heard it Through the Grapevine’ was interesting.

Groovy.

I love the Temps, especially this era, but Motown wasn't really an album-oriented outfit back in the '60s. That wouldn't change until Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. This is pretty typical for a Motown album from that era: a couple of bangers, a couple of remakes, and a bunch of filler, which often seems highly derivative of other Motown hits. I really wanted to like this one more. Greatest Hits Volume Two offers up a much better sample of their psychedelic soul period.

What a treat to listen to this with fresh ears and put aside the triteness that "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and other Tempations' songs have become.

Groovy, Funky, Crispy, and Soulful. I could do without the part where the "kid" is crying for his mama, but other than that really good. Not bad for a DEI band. (jokes).

Not really my cup of tea but solid, can see why they were so influential

I listened to the album while driving and Motown always hits when driving in the sun, but I found that the album wasn’t hitting as hard as I thought it would. The title track and I Heard It Through The Grapevine were kind of disappointing, but I found the second half of the album was way better which was unexpected. However, by the time the second half of the album was on, it was pouring rain and I was concentrating on not crashing my car which kinda killed the vibe the album was giving off. Overall I really liked the album, but I probably should give it a second listen while sitting in the sun or something.

I was expecting more from The Temptations, to be honest. Average, but fine!

Instrumentally and vocally gorgeous. Marvin Gaye’s version of Grapevine is far superior though. The title track blows the rest out of the water.

I like the Temptations but i think there are other bands which have more depth and perform the same type if music.

Very good album. Funk and Motown soul. Good mix of styles but some of felt a bit like filler. Worth listening to. 3.6

Ok

Das Album veröffentlicht 1969, markiert einen Wendepunkt in der Karriere der Band, da es ihren Übergang zu einem psychedelischen Soul-Sound zeigt. Trotz dieser stilistischen Veränderung bleibt das Album hinter den Erwartungen zurück. Die Mischung aus Soul und Swing, die das Album prägt, wirkt oft überladen und verliert sich in den typischen Klängen der späten 60er Jahre. Es fehlen herausragende Momente, die das Album von anderen Veröffentlichungen dieser Ära abheben könnten. Der Sound ist geprägt von zu viel Schum Schum und einem Beatkeller Klang, der das Hörerlebnis eher langweilig macht. Obwohl “Cloud Nine” einige innovative Ansätze zeigt, wie den Einsatz von Funk-Elementen und sozialkritischen Texten, gelingt es dem Album nicht, diese Elemente zu einem fesselnden Gesamtwerk zu verbinden. Die Produktion wirkt an manchen Stellen unausgewogen, was dazu führt, dass die Songs nicht die gewünschte Wirkung erzielen.

Волшебная музыка. Очень приятная группа

Most Excellent!!!

4.5/5 Really fantastic soulful songs. Cloud Nine 4.5/5 I Heard It Through The Grapevine 3.5/5 (LEAST FAV) Runaway Child, Running Wild 5/5 (FAV) Love Is A Hurtin' Thing 5/5 Hey Girl 5/5 Why Did She Have To Leave Me (Why Did She Have To Go) 5/5 I Need Your Lovin' 4/5 Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me 4/5 I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) 3.5/5 Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love 4.5/5

Meh

3.3. I heard it through the grapevine that this album isn’t very good.

Liked this one about the same amount as the previous temptations album. Saw a comment in the global reviews that said usually genre spanning groups mix genres within individual songs, but the temptations don’t do that. They have Motown songs and they have funk songs on albums, but no blends. Thought that was accurate. Liked the funk better than the Motown but overall solid

Its not my style

Smooooooth. Temptations at their slightly poppier fully soulful. Band is tight. Vocals are strong and smooth. Production is huge.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I like how they used their different voices throughout the songs, or at least some of them anyway.

Cloud Nine by The Temptations delivers a solid collection of tracks featuring great harmonies and smooth vocal performances. The album showcases the group's signature blend of soul and pop, with each member contributing to the rich, layered sound. Tracks like Cloud Nine and Runaway Child, Running Wild highlight their ability to mix emotional depth with catchy rhythms. While the album overall is enjoyable, it doesn’t always push the boundaries of the genre. Some songs can feel formulaic, lacking the innovation that might set it apart from their previous work. The production is polished and well-executed, but it occasionally leans towards a safe, conventional approach. Despite these minor drawbacks, Cloud Nine remains a testament to The Temptations' vocal prowess and harmonisation skills. The interplay between the voices is a standout feature, elevating even the more routine tracks. The album flows smoothly, maintaining a cohesive feel from start to finish. Cloud Nine is a good, solid effort from The Temptations, with enough highlights to make it worth listening to for fans of the genre. It may not be groundbreaking, but its strong harmonies and consistent quality make it a worthwhile addition to their discography. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 5 STAND OUT TRACK - Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go)

I've never sat down and listened to anything similar to this It sounds beautiful but given that I relate to practically none of the lyrics, I don't see myself giving this any repeat listens. 3/5

This is probably great for its genre, but I felt like I was listening to one big advert for couches, or a car, or something that can only be sold by the upbeat sound of Motown.

Definitely a turning point for the Temptations, as the group seems to have evolved a bit from their signature Motown soul sound into more funk and psychedelia here. Of course, that soul isn't gone entirely as the second side of this album features it prominently. However, the first three tracks are very indicative of the aforementioned new direction with the title track "Cloud Nine" showcasing this right off of the bat. Honestly wouldn't have minded if the rest of the album had followed suit with side one, but it was still enjoyable nonetheless.

3/5

Some Temptations material I hadn't heard before! Mostly bops, one or two weird ones.

this was a funky album with some nice tracks, i enjoyed a fair few of the songs

Loved the fact I was listening to this while driving through Motown. My mom was/is a big fan of Motown so I listened to a lot of this stuff growing up. This absolutely deserves to be on the list.

Nice production and harmonizing, could've used more dynamic lyrics. Half the damn songs are about a girl leaving the singer, guy needs to up his game.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I generally found the sound to be really uplifting, but nuanced from song to song. My limited experience with soul prior to this hadn't really left an impression on me, I could often enjoy a song here and there, but overall felt that a lot of songs kind of blend together and sound the same. As an album, cloud nine tends to escape this context I came into the genre with, I found myself listening to this album more than twice to really explore how I feel about the sound and style of the music. Soul still has a lot of room for growth with me, but this album made its own impression well.

groovy

Very nice album. Enjoyed a lot

Really funky and great vibes

Sooooooul

Love old motown music

It's the Temptations. Shut up and listen.

Holy shit! I was expecting doo-wop and the opener just blows the doors off the hinges with some of the greatest psychedelic inspired soul I’ve they heard! Hell yeah!! Sly and The Family Stone influence here is undeniable. More of a return to form for the back half of the album but still solid material.

Too same-y, content wise, and not much sticks out as extraordinary, but it is thoroughly decent.

I would say that there were no songs in this which I disliked. But by the same token I am not sure I heard anything I loved. Overall liked the sound though.

This was an unexpected treat for a Monday morning! This was the album that saw the Temptations add a psychedelic twist to the Motown funk sound, played with impeccable swagger. The highlight is the 9 minute epic Runaway Child, Running Wild which features Hammond organ and plenty of wah wah guitar riffs. Groovy!

Really groovy, feel good and fun. The music is flawless, nice guitar riffs, solid rhythm section, and great brass section!

This feels blasphemous but I really wasn’t entertained

Unexpectedly edgy in the first half and more of what I was anticipating in the second half. Neither is better than the other: a strong blend of tradition and experimentation, built on a foundation of powerful vocals and hypnotic rhythms. Best song: Hey Girl

A great listen from start to finish.

I gotta find a way to get you back Cloud nine I heard it through the grapevine

Good album. Love the Tempts

Really funky and enjoyable. Second half was worse than the first. 3.5 rounded up

ok

It was a nice album. Now that I am older I can listen to the lyrics and appreciate this music on a deeper level. I like the beat, bop and harmony of voices.

I respect the talent and the artistry but I guess The Temptations are not so much my thing. It's good. It's probably phenomenal... but none of these songs especially grabbed me.

Super funky grooves! I’m into it.

Os Beatles do Soul, como chegaram a serem descritos no período, a The Temptations em 1969 lançaram esse álbum que era uma partida do seu estilo clássico, motivadas pelo novo paradigma que alguns nomes, como Sly Stone e sua família, estavam criando na música da época e pela saída de um dos seus membros, o David Ruffin. Com isso, eles adentraram no Soul Psicodélico, pero no mucho, ainda mais considerando que somente o primeiro lado do disco parece ter assumido 100% esse novo estilo, com o segundo, bem mais fraco, soando muitas vezes como um Soul beirando o genérico que a Motown fazia na época, mas com carisma bom o suficiente para não afetar tanto minha avaliação sobre esse álbum. Apesar da inconsistência de ser extremamente top-heavy, ainda é um bom álbum.

3.5 favorite: title track least: the 10 minute song

This was a good album guys I rate

good vibes, perfect 3.5/5 album too bad this website can’t handle that

A phenomenal album in a genre I’ve little experience with. The voice, the instruments, everything blended together to create an awesome listening experience. The first three tracks were stand out and I preferred the sound to the later parts of the album.

классика соула, вернуться по настроению. но все таки есть перекос на игру голосом немного в ущерб музыке, которая есть но на "подпевках"

Catchy and fun - quite liked this!

Schubidu

Opening track was such a banger man. A little let down we didn’t get more of that psych/hard groove but you know what this shit still slaps. I need your lovin’ is also a certified hood classic. The R&B/Soul albums on here hardly let me down.

Today has been a fucking Journey! This is fucking incredible. New singer, new sound, yet it is so fucking hot I love this. The back half of this is literally legendary. Hey Girl is amazing and just hits so hard. Why did she have to leave me is just amazing there is a moment where he sings "Only yesterday I was king on a throne" that moment the backing vocals cut out which gives it more emphasis and also they change key and it is so so goof and I don't care if it is covers or what THERE IS A 9 MINUTE SOUL SONG PYSCHEDLIC HERE WTF, and it is so smooth and dreaming and really digs into the vibe that the music world was giving. I think is my favorite Temptations record, it is just so so smooth and even the drumming is so contained. so much instrumentation. I am so happy I found this.

Hell yes love motown, definitely music from my childhood. There's a bit of a stark contrast from Cloud Nine to the rest of this album, its definitely the funkiest track. Also some of the tracks (and Temptations in general) follow the theme of "Dont leave me I love you come back right now" type of lyricism. Fun album but definitely not their best.

Fine! Not my favorite Motown album but the title track is a heater

Funky, groovy and soulful. What's not to like? Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: Cloud 9 Date listened: 22/06/24

riddim

I love the funk but the other stuff is just ok...

Classically wonderful

Classic Motown sound! Enjoyable listen, but nothing especially new or revolutionary on this record. Solid R&B vocal leads and harmonies with an immaculate backing band.

Definitely enjoyed this album but there weren’t any tracks that stood out to me. 3.5/5

I thought I would like this more. For me it was pretty good but a little disappointing.

Very solid and groovy album. The songs are a bit same-y and the album is rather short. Enjoyable though. 3/5

Fun music

Favourites: cloud nine, runaway child running wild, hey girl, I need your lovin, I gotta find a way (to get you back), keep on tryin til I win your love. Pleasant and fun. 4/5

I was really sure I was going to like this more than I actually did, since I love this genre of music. Unfortunately for some reason I just didn't love it all that much and had a hard time connecting with it, especially in the beginning. However, there was a nice four song stretch mid way through that I really liked (from Hey Girl to Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me), but maybe that's just because I left work around the time that those songs started. I also liked Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love. Not a game changer for me but happy and pleasant enough! 3

I like this record. But not quite as much as the other one I’ve heard on here.

Day166 - i like the psychedelic soul description i was into cloud nine and runaway child running wild but the rest maybe a little to much of sad sack songs

Groove baby! 7/10

This would be good music to dance to.

STANDOUTS: n/a OVERALL: 2/5—somewhat okay soul...but I won't return to this. None of their big songs are on this.

I started out liking it, but then wasn't so bothered as it went on.

Decent but nothing stands out

Love their voices and really like their happy vibe

This is one of those cases where this is an absolutely foundational album for its genre, but to the modern ear can sound dated, as it did to me. Very happy to have heard it, but it personally didn’t resonate with me.

I mean yeah, that was kinda fun I guess.

The Temptations are cool & I'm always down for 60s soul music...unfortunately this album was kinda boring as hell. Nice enough for me to say I don't have a negative opinion, but didn't do anything to excite me.

7/10

Classic soul. Loved it.

Enjoyed this v much and would go for 7 out of 10. Slightly unmemorable perhaps so I'm rounding down rather than up. But I really liked it!

It was OK, but I didn’t really enjoy a load of songs about cheating/unavailable women. If there’d been a variation musically/thematically between them it might have been better, but was very samey to my ear.

It was OK, I enjoy psychedelic but it didn't blow me away

Not really my kind of music. Too jazzy

Not my fav

Interesting

This album didn’t do it for me. They’re talented musicians but it just didn’t connect for me. I can’t put my finger on what exactly doesn’t click. I like funk and I like Motown, I guess I just don’t like the temptation’s take on funk/motown.

Not bad for expanding outside their Motown comfort zone.

Good album. The temptations are nostalgic for me

I recently developed an appreciation for The Temptations, and this is one of their good ones.

Groovy! Nice, smooth sounds. Compared to other soul or soul-adjacent music, it's been my favorite so far; I had heard Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield before this, but enjoyed The Temptations much more. I think I just prefer my soulful, funky oldies albums a little more upbeat, so this worked for me.

110/1001 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑

Men don’t be yearning and begging for their girl to come back anymore, that’s the real problem. They made simping classy

good stuff

V good

Good but not outstanding.

funky

4+

Соул-музыка, которая не сильно запоминается при прослушивании. Есть однообразность в звучании.

Classic soul. But not my kind of music.

After a great, funk-like start I found it a bit stale in the middle. Where’s my momma part is a lol. Overall great vibe for a chill sunday afternoon, glad I listened to it.

Pretty fun!

Some enjoyable mo-town for a friday.

Great fun stuff

Every single element of this album is infused with creative flair, boasting some of the best, subversive vocals I've ever heard. The track-to-track storytelling is excellent and the vocal performances harmonize perfectly with the instrumentals. Listened to: walking through Prospect Park. Favorite tracks: Cloud Nine, Love is a Hurtin' Thing

Not much to say about this album, other than I found it incredibly boring from start to finish... I saw "Grapevine" on there - and thought maybe they had written it, but they did not - they were just another cover version, and it's a pretty crappy cover at that... Marvin Gaye's cover is the definitive version... Boring will get you a 1 from me every time...

Hell yeah. The track really makes a strong statement and it continues for much of the album. All the musicians are really well trained and they make a great band. The Motown tracks were less interesting that the funk tracks.

That was fine?

Absolutely love the groove of the high hat in one ear and the bongos and tambourine in the other on Runaway child. Keys, horns and guitar popping in and out. I loved the funky grooves on the title track also. Those two alone get this over a 3 for me. Most of the rest is good quality music, but arguably more or less just the generic Motown sound. Very enjoyable listen, the passion and soul really comes through the music. 3.75/5

Just good soul-driven music with solid grooves that makes you forget about life for awhile. Runaway Child ironically seems a bit out of place here due to its length and jam vibe when compared to the rest of the tracks. But it doesn’t take away from the overall enjoyment.

A total vibe with maybe a few low points, but what’s not to love about this record?

That’s just damn good music. When you put this on, if your head doesn’t start bobbing and your foot start tapping, then you have no soul. Bass guitar was the highlight for me. I want to isolate that and have it as the soundtrack of my life.

The perfect palate cleanser after that I Am A Bird Now shite. Also, Mavs going to the finals. LETS GOOO!!! 4/5

I’m not super familiar with the temptations but I enjoyed the album. Reminded me a lot of the Jackson 5.

The Temptations is one of the musical groups that has been on my waiting list for a long time. Then the day arrived and everything I heard met my expectations. The wonderful songs My Girl and Papa Was A Rolling Stone have been part of my life for years and this album gave me everything I expected and more. Sensational! What else can I say? That's my kind of music!

I normally love Motown (and the Temptations.) This has to be the weakest album of theirs I've ever heard.

groovy and smooth. An enjoyable listen

What the fuck is bro on about in half these songs. I understand that The Temptations did not write a lot of (if not all??) of these tracks, but lyrically, this is some 1960s nice guy fuckshit. Besides that, this was fine. Instrumentally pleasant for sure, but this was extremely by the books. My knowledge of soul is limited, but this sounds like soul at its default settings to me. Not offensive, but sometimes boring. Vocals are great, mix is great, and nothing (aside from dated lyrics) feels poorly executed. Not one I would really go back to if I were in the mood for a soul record, but I respect this project's place in the soul music canon.

Love the temptations

Álbuns de jazz e blues costumam ser mais agradáveis mas este é bastante desinteressante. Tem a pior versão do I Heard it Through the Gravrepine que eu ouvi. O álbum lucra por não se estender muito, visto que não tem nenhuma música marcante, mas também não tem nenhuma cantiga especialmente má. Tendo em conta a indiferença darei um 5 ao álbum. Nota: 5/10 27/05/2024

Passo fácil. Repetitivo, salvo uma musica ou outra parece que é tudo uma coisa só. É gostoso o som, mas nao é nada marcante. Nunca estaria na minha lista. Acredito que deve ter sido revolucionário à época e vejo a influência deles em muita coisa. Porém, não consigo por num pedestal não...

I enjoyed this. It had good rhythm and was catchy. Nothing in it particularly stood out to move the needle, but a good listen over all. 3.5/5

enjoy the funky beats

Not a bad Motown album, although I'm not sure it's the best I've heard by the Temptations.

4.5

Very good. A fun album.

Not great, like Papa Was a Rolling Stone, only they got distracted while writing the lyrics.

I feel very neutral about this one. 3/5

Fun starts, dropped off

When I read "psychedelic soul" I was concerned, but this was much better than I was expecting.

I'm starting to think that psychadelic soul might be my favorite genre of all time. Great album.

These guys knew what they were doing and they did it so well. I can't deny the importance of these songs, 3 stars!

This is not the sunny sound of 60s soul. This is gritty. Very different listen. Likely a new sound for me as a 52 year old white man, I never listened to the darker side of 60's Motown as they rarely played it on the stations my dad listened to. Give this a listen.

Ritmazo.

ei täysin minun tyyliäni, mestari on myös outo ja sitä on vaikea kuunnella, ehkä se olisi kiva vanhalla levysoittimella.. Jotkut kappaleen muusikot läimäyttävät täysin, mutta minusta hyvän varjostivat elottomat melodialinjat ja sieluttomat soolot, jotka kuulostavat siltä, ​​että he ovat siellä vain siksi, että ääni soi samassa sävelessä. Tämä ei vain ole sitä. En voi uskoa, että arvostan Taylor Swiftiä tätä korkeammalle…...Ihan silleen bulkkihyvää, mut miks just tämä albumi... Epätasainen tuotanto myös. Runaway Child, Running Wild oli ainoa, joka kuulosti aidolta ja hyvältä.. cloud nine

I don’t know a lot of these songs. Before my time really.

Strange that "Grapevine" is one of my least favorite tracks on this album. Better than expectations overall.

Was hoping for better. Found myself tuning out.

Not as good as I expected. I know I’ve heard better temptations songs.

Not bad, enjoyed the baritone.

3.5

A great classic. Not really my thing but enjoyable listening. Great voice and music.

60’s don’t care

Really interesting to hear this from the Temptations, who you normally associate with a more doo-wop kind of sound.

Some classic Motown here.

Classic

really good stuff

Motown classic. Run Away Child, Running Wild is an epic classic, though the album gets a bit middling after that.

7 / 10 Mezcla de sonido Funky - Psicodelico y Motown. Tiene algunas canciones que sorprenden muy buenas.

Some grooves here. If a sunny day at the park were an album, this would be it.

Kind of enjoyed the chilled out music here, but it wasn't anything remarkable. It's a pretty middle of the road three star album for me.

Didn't do it for me. I don't need my Temptations jammy and psychedelic. I want the tight soul music of the early years.

After about 20 seconds I thought "Oooh yeah, I'm going to love this!". But the next 24 minutes just kind of washed over me in wave of 60s soul bass. Maybe I caught it on the wrong day? I like all of the ingredients, but nothing really hit home. Including a cover of 'Heard it through the grapevine' which I wouldn't have spotted if it wasn't for the track being listed.

Very enjoyable soul and funk. The standouts for me were the extended funk number “Runaway Child, Running Wild” and the light and airy doo-wop song “Why Did She Have to Leave Me.” This funky bass throughout the album is so good.

"Cloud Nine" is one of the best R&B / soul songs of all time! Kind of a shame that the rest of the album doesn't come close though. I'm listening to these others and I'm really missing the energy that that song brings. I really hate the panning choices. Percussion isolated to one ear is one of the worst things you can do at a mixing board, and thankfully this trend only happened for a very small period of time. The child crying "I want my momma" in the middle of "Runaway Child, Running Wild" really surprised me, and not in a good way! I do appreciate this 1969 entering the 70's sort of "experimental but not too much" approach though. This was a hard rate for me. I want to be generous and give it a 4 because of the pull behind "Cloud Nine", but really no other song comes close on the record to that one. Mix that with poor production choices and I have to give it a 3.

1. Cloud Nine - Super groovy, like kind of the song you see at the beginning sequence of a film introducing the main character n shit. The bass and drums of this song bang so much. The low register and high register voices in some parts do get a little bit goofy, but overall a very nice track. (added) 2. I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Cool guitar intro, not really digging the vocals that much, lost it's Motown growl from the first track. A pretty classic example of the Soul genre, especially with the antiphony between back ups and main vocals. I like the keys riff. 3. Runaway Child, Running Wild - Grooviest intro I ever did see, the guitar tones are pretty sweet. 10 minute track is a bit dodgy, but has a really strong start. Keep featuring different effects, amps and pedals, but they kinda stop doing that once they settle into the track. Kind of wished they kept their initial vibe that they started the song with, but I really do like the instrumental of this track. Don't know why that kid is crying though. (added) 4. Love is a Hurtin' Thing - Mixed feelings with the vocals, crossing between Bill Withers and Mickey Mouse. The strings sound nice, a good song for a sunny day. Quite short in comparison to the other tracks. 5. Hey Girl - Cool chord progressions, can't really see myself putting this on regularly but thats alright. Can't really say much else about the track. 6. Why Did She Have To Leave Me - These tracks are progressively getting more and more the same. I dig the mixing of this track a lot more, the drums are also really strong in this song. The vocalist is staying a lot more consistent on this track in comparison to the others, really like the raspy soulful timbre. (added) 7. I Need Your Lovin' - Angelic voice on this one, cool harmonies from the backing as well; feels like an old fashioned Bruno Mars in some areas. The groove is quite mellow, acoustic guitar was a good choice for this track, really fitting well into it's genre. 8. Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me - The bass on this track is awesome. Really strong song, the vocalist is going off. Really catchy chorus and what not, I rate it. (added) 9. I Gotta Find a Way - The track feels like it's sticking to the same tune the whole way through, which isn't bad but sort of gets old, which is odd since tracks like Runaway child is three times long, but manages to keep it fresh. 10. Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love - Don't really feel like the lyrics mesh very well with the compositional style, really clean bass lines though. Not a lot else to say about the song, the band sounds really tight, but there aren't really any outstanding moments within the track. Rating: 7.5/10

The temptations are amazing this album is only very good

This was alright but it all kind of ran together. Interesting version of Heard it through the Grapevine

Fun instrumentals and vocals

Different versions of the songs I have heard.

there are a few great bops on here. the rest is alright

Runaway child is odd - great groove with lyrics that aged poorly. Grapevine is great - it's neat to see how the song has grown from this version.

Ok

The title track is a decent little track with great energy, however the cover of Heard it Through The Grapevine isn't anywhere near the heights of Marvin Gaye's, it doesn't have the right vibe. Overall some great R&B and soul tracks with fantastic vocals. Favourite Track: Cloud Nine Least Favourite: Heard It Through The Grapevine

Funky

Nice album if not their best.

I always enjoy some funky soul. The first 3 songs are a great update to the Temptations sound. "Grapevine" funks so hard. "Runaway Child" is an extended jam that swells and ebbs to let everyone play around with the theme. The next few songs were less compelling for me, but had some great bass lines (both instrumental and vocal).

Sweet, silky, clear, soulful. Satisfying. I'll listen again. Good choice. 39 minutes! Sweet.

I think I enjoyed this :)

Clound Nine I do like The Temptations psychedelic soul period, after David Ruffin left. Like everyone I love their earlier ‘classic’ stuff but I was interested to hear this in full as I only know Clould Nine and Run Away Child, Running Wild. I love the excellent Cloud Nine, a brilliant bit of psychedelic pop soul. Running Away Child, Running Wild is also great, in that similar vein as Cloud Nine, Papa was a Rollin’ Stone, Psychedelic Shack, Ball of Confusion. Quite a simple electric piano riff, great bass and drums and nice guitar accents. Along with Sly and the Family Stone this really laid the groundwork for Funk and the Parliament-Funkadelic albums in the 70s. I think George Clinton worked at Motown so I’m pretty sure would have been around the Temptations and would likely have played on some of their songs. I’m Not as keen on their version of I Heard it Through the Grapevine, obviously Marvin’s is the definitive version but I don’t think the riff on piano works, and they style in which they’ve done it makes it sound quite lounge. The second side is almost like a completely different album. I was expecting more 9 minutes psych soul jams, but it’s 7 tracks in the traditional style of the Temptations and Motown. Even if they may not be top tier Motown tracks they are still all superior examples of the type of throwaway pop music Motown seemed to casually toss off at the time. Excellent playing, (particularly bass and particularly bass on I Need Your Lovin’), great vocal group harmonies, sympathetic production make an extremely enjoyable listening experience, especially on my final listen through this rainy Sunday morning. The last 4 tracks from I Need Your Lovin’ to Gonna Keep Trying till I Win your Love I particularly enjoyed. Again even though they aren’t top tier Motown they give you those little dopamine hits of joy in a way not much else can. Overall it’s kind of tricky to rate as it seems like two psychedelic soul freak outs, a weird demo seeming version of I Heard I Through The Grapevine and then half a record of classic Temptation style tracks. The first side is clearly very influential and Cloud Nine is a truly great track, and then the second side is very enjoyable vocal soul. Three feels a bit low, it’s not quite a 4, but I’ll go 4 for Cloud Nine, the playing and the vocals. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Nice background music, but not really more.

Couldnt stop tapping my foot from start to finish.

вроде фанк (ладно, прог соул говорит вики) но хорошо легло на море и солнце, с удовольствием послушала

This album starts off super strong, title track and Runaway Child, Running Wild are both fantastic tracks. However, after Love Is A Hurtin' Thing and Hey Girl, the album quality dips into a seemingly random assortmant of love songs that sound alike. I also am not a fan of the production as a whole. But still, great vocals and killer 1st half of the record

It glides along without becoming noticeable.

Ok

8/10. Started off strong. Runaway Child, Runnin Wild was a top notch 5⭐️. Added two others as well. But as the album went on it did feel like the same song over and over eventually.

Ай как старички копчёные прокачали, я пока мыл санузел натанцевался вдоволь

I like the genre, and The Temptations was a hugely successful funk and R&B act in its heyday. While I liked the album, I did not love it...

Not my favorite version of Heard It Through the Grapevine, but a pretty funky album from start to finish.

A fine album but forgettable. A few surprises thrown in there like runaway child that make it more groovy that a typical Motown.

Enjoyed this. Something of a departure from the singles which is what an album should attempt to offer.

It's more flat than funky

The Temptations update their sound to stay current in the psychedelic era and wind up making the best album of their career

This was good but didn't hit as hard as "All Directions" for me. I'm shocked that I had never heard their version of "Through The Grapevine" - I just had the Slits version the other day - I wonder how many more takes on that song are represented in this collection.

why did she have to leave me e I gotta find a way <3

I thought I liked The Temptations. Now I'm thinking maybe I don't. Or at least I don't like this album. Also...why does every album on this list so far have at least one unnecessarily long song? Kinda driving me nuts. 2/5

Good. 4/5

This didn't make any sort of impression on me, frankly. Bad cover of 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine' and not much else.

Middle of the road between motown and funk. Tried listening to it a few time but nothing really grabbed me. A decent funk album if you are in the mood. I think I preferred the funkier songs to the more motown-sound. Weak 3?

Good - overall enjoyable but I found it a bit forgettable

Funky. I dig it

Thoughts before listening: I certainly know the Temptations, but I’ve never seen this album cover be though. This is a 60s Motown soul group that has some massive songs. Looks like this album has at least one of those songs with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” which will be nice to hear. Review: These are the types of albums I like discovering through this project. I knew the Temptations transitioned from being Motown hitmakers in the 60s to a more psychedelic funk sound in the 70s, but I had never really dug in other than the Psychedelic Shack album I once picked up on a whim in a record store budget bin. The first three songs on this album have an incredible sound that is quite different from what the Temptations had released prior to this album. All three of these songs are going on the playlist, and I especially enjoy the 9 minute "Runaway Child, Running Wild". The second half is more traditional 60s soul sound that the Temptations are known for. This is an enjoyable listen, but nothing is standing out. 4-star album.

Really really great mix of styles here for the Temptations. I think I've been spoiled by other versions of Heard it through the Grapevine because I didn't think this one was all that good. The other tracks had way better performances all around. Favorites were Runaway Child Running Wild, Love Is A Hurtin' Thing, Why Did She Have To Leave Me, and Gonna Keep On tryin Til I Win Your Love