Reviews (page 6 of 9)
Good, not great
Aaaaargh yli tunti tätä venyvintä mahdollista juustoa! Olen ilkeällä tuulella, tämä vaan masensi mua pilkkeellään silmäkulmassa. Ymmärrän paikan listalla kyllä, mut silti… yks puol.
Pidän siitä, että hän valittaa yli tunnin avioerostaan (vaikken onnistunutkaan kuuntelemaan sanoja), mutta musiikillisesti tämä on suureksi osaksi sellaista lounge-höttöä että melkein ihmetyttää.
Didn't love it, but it was nice to have on in the background
Jesus. This is probably the hardest to listen to album on here. It’s honest but in a way that feels mean and is painful in a way that just cuts too deep. I dunno I like it when Marvin is talking about fucking. Not when he’s really sad telling me he hates his ex wife
Very nice album, does not do that much for me
Was thinking this album would be better
marvinnnnnnnnnnn
Good, as he always is. But feels pretty derivative, not sure how it rates as a must hear album
It's Marvin Gaye, so there's a great vocal performance. It's Tamla Motown so there are incredible bass parts. It's late 70s soul, so there's some deeply funky Rhodes parts with jazzy hand-percussion. But I'm not sure it amounts to much - the songs themselves are a let down, leaning into that washy unresolved lounge sound and ending up cluttered with too many instruments. But when that sultry sax hits, oooohhhhh baby Favorites: Anger, Is That Enough, Time to Get it Together, You Can Leave
beetje veel van hetzelfde
Not the most cohesive, no hits really
2.5
I nice album to have on the background. Didn’t catch too much of the lyrics, which is a regret but otherwise it was enjoyable.
Didn't really find anything interesting to this album, but it wasn't bad either.
Brakeup ja 1h 13 album tulille.... Respectfull 3 star saanut herra minulta ennen.. tänään otetaan avg alas..
I can't give that voice not a 4
Schysst soul.
Unfamiliar with many of these songs. It is a tribute to how powerful sublimation can be as a means of dealing with tough life circumstances like divorce.
Anger and hate over lost love is such a powerful creative motivator. As one of the definitive “divorce albums”, this one wins (slightly) over Dylayn’s BOTT. At least this one you can dance to it while you rage over your ex. I Met a Little Girl is a little creepy when you learn it’s literal, referring to Marvin’s next wife who was more than a bit young to say the least, but overall another stellar album of Marvin’s amazing falsetto with lush grooves to support it. I just love this era of R&B musicianship. Four stars because I’m in a happy marriage now, but going back to my first marriage I think I’d feel this more and it’d get that fifth star. That falsetto
Most works from Marvin Gaye are worth a listen including, Here, My Dear, but unlike his best known works, it doesn't hold up as well or as enjoyable. I'm not saying this is bad by any means, he still has the pipes and the music is groovin', it's just not his best and I wouldn't consider it essential or the place to start. Now spin, What's Going On and Let's Get It On immediately?
Pretty good i guess 3 stars Marvin Gaye was full freaky - I liked some of the songs but nothing I would save or go looking for again. It does not hit the spot
Man he is yapping about his divorce
Real smooth and chill. The content matter of the album feels maybe a little dramatic haha. Is That Enough was really good and funky. Easily my favorite from the record. I really enjoyed the production of this one and I loved the sax. Overall I enjoyed this album but it did drag on for a bit too long.
No one does it like Marvin Gaye. He's the perfect blend of funk, jazz, soul, blues. Every song is so groovy. It flows, bends, bops. He brings in a wide arrangement of sounds and instruments that are always pumping in the background. The music is so full. He keeps the mood chill, and never goes over the top. Even on the obscure songs like "A Funky Space Reincarnation." The song is bizarre in its lyrical themes, but it's neither cheesy or over the top weird in the music. It's actually one of my favorite songs on the record. I really like the love, marriage, gospel, god, sex themes of this record. Its kind of his speciality to bridge the gap between all of that. This whole record fills so tight. Every song makes sense, and easily flows into the next. Its good background music, but it also demands an intentional listen. There's a lot going on here.
"Here, My Dear" is the fifteenth studio album by Marvin Gaye, originally released in 1978. **Warning:** This album will make you think about your ex. It's no mystery to find out why this record was met with criticism upon its release. His previous studio album, 1976's "I Want You" was filled with love and lust-filled tracks that Marvin Gaye had become known for by the mid-1970s. This album is a stark contrast. The lyrical content on here largely revolves around Gaye's divorce with his then-wife, Anna. When I say these lyrics are personal, I mean they're PERSONAL. He calls out Anna by name multiple times throughout these tracks, and even has a whole song dedicated to her! That would immediately be off-putting to even hardcore fans of Gaye's music at the time. It's kinda like when you're hanging out with your friend and he gets drunk then starts venting to you and it's kinda awkward cause you don't know how to react at first. Gaye's raw emotion on this record, and sometimes his bitterness, is out of character for him. But that's why I think this record is so great. It's a complete outlier in his discography. Even the production gets a bit interesting on here. They're starting to experiment a bit more with electronics and synths. I can tell that this record was definitely influential to modern artists, especially Tyler, The Creator (especially his 2019 album "Igor"). Definitely a fun and at times emotional record to listen to.
Nothing to write home about
Smooth but no notable songs
No one man personified 1970s turbulence more than Marvin Gaye. Such soul seeking, inward reflections of the self that he inhabited gave us some of the greatest albums of not just Marvin's career but of all time and it capped off with Here, My Dear, perhaps the most fascinating album of his. What Marvin once envisioned as chicken shit would soon give way to chicken salad as he did not shy away from the painful and hellacious breakup with his (much older) wife Anna. Rather, he wallows and revels in the grandiose nature of the music within as the disco flavoring mingles uneasily with the supposedly private topics dished out on wax. No wonder fans of his were put off. He was supposed to uplift them, give a voice to issues at hand and supply them with feel good jams when necessary. No one was ready to hear songs about paying attorney fees and the cost of leaving a relationship behind in 1978 but that was what Marvin was doing. We'd be wrong and he'd be right in due time. Exhausting, explorative, emotive, expressive and epic, Here, My Dear is Marvin at his most honest.
When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You Is That Enough Everybody Needs Love Sparrow Classic Marvin sounds spectacular and fills the room with a specific vibe that’s hard to replicate. Not his best album in my opinion but still great nonetheless
Day139 - it’s really good but kinda wild i’ve never heard one of these songs before
a bit too autobiographical for my taste. 3 stars
I like MG a lot and this is a quality album but he does tend to plough the same furrow over and over again. I'd class this as troubled soul as he's obviously very sorry about his relationships.
lovely
If you’re going through it, this is the album for you. Considering the other concept albums on this list, this has to be among the best. Setting a song about attorney fees to a sexy slow jam, is the chef’s kiss of pettiness.
Oof Marv, this was a lot les good than the early 70s work. Just a bit hackneyed I think and at times dull. There's no doubting the vocal quality, but I think if you're moving from a concept album that's 'the state of America in a post-Vietnam landscape' to a concept album about 'my divorce', you should maybe give up on concept albums.
Lots of really long form songs on the album. Can tell it’s not Gaye’s best, but overall a good album. 3/5 Might listen again
This is, I believe, the third Marvin Gaye record I've gotten so far and it's lead me to the conclusion of something I already had a suspicion of - I LOVE MR. GAYE. How can you not!? Gotta be the smoothest man to ever lay down vocals. Just a good vibing time from start to finish.
Very cool!
Not terrible. But it wouldn’t make the list if anyone other than MG had made it. And 30min too long.
Could not get past the first track. Can't do it
Grooves pretty well.
I love Marvin Gaye. This album was almost too cohesive as I’d not notice the track changed at times and that a new song was playing. It was good background music but there was nothing that stood out enough for my ears to perk up.
Some of the most raw emotion you'll hear on an album. That paired with the funk and jazz elements throughout make this one pretty addicting for me. Favorite track: A Funky Space Reincarnation
It was okay, very turned off to the title of the second song so wouldn't listen again.
There’s certainly no Let’s Get it On or What’s Going On, on this album. Just a lot of the same old stuff. They all sound the same.
It's the best 73 minute middle finger to an ex-wife that anyone has ever written.
Gaye. This sounds smoother than the silken fur of a cat's belly. Unfortunately, the lyrics are as sharp and eviscerating as a cat's claws. I can't quite work out whether he's bitter or not. No wait.... The music is good. The vibe is confusing. The lyrics are grim. I feel that as concept albums go, this is probably about one of the most bizarre. Why would you publish your diaries in song form? Especially if you're setting it to sex music. I mean... I literally never want to listen to it again. So. Um.
2*
Solid low key soul with a hint of funk.
Marvin all the way but there are better Albums than this
Koliko god ja volio marvina gaya, ovo je tek proto Drake kuknjava😃
He has such a beautiful voice that even without any songs that I really 'knew' I still really enjoyed just listening to this in the background of my work day. 4.5
I get the impression that this album, like a lot of Marvin Gaye’s music, is not intended to be focused on. It’s not designed for that purpose. Instead, it is intended to be background music for a very specific set of activities that are a lot more fun than listening to Marvin Gaye music. It can certainly contribute to a 5 star experience, but not on its own
Fine in the background.
His voice is nice to listen to, just like his other albums, but the album feels a bit too long. By the end, I couldn't wait for it to be over.
Marvin, I listen to your music when I want to bump uglies. You complaining about alimony in song form is a real buzz kill. It was an interesting album and I’m glad it exists, but it didn’t hit me.
Silky, sexy, smooth and sultry. The Voice is iconic the career was too short. His music will be revered forever.
I really love his voice. He makes falsetto sound so natural. I do think this album could have been a little shorter and it would have had more impact.
Great morning listen. Gaye has a phenomenally smooth voice that is a delight to listen to. None of the songs really captured me individually, but the overall vibe was nice, which is why this album is a 3 instead of a 4 for me. I definitely see myself listening to this on a lazy Sunday morning with a cup of coffee.
No
Smooth. 4
Groovilicious
He has 3 albums on the list. The other 2 are better. I don't even like those very much. I think this album is way too long and it doesn't belong on the list. Favorite song: Time to get it together.
Mavin Gaye good
I once heard a person claim that they didn't like Shakespeare because his work was "cliche.' " Granted we have seen ten thousand renditions of Romeo and Juliet, but considering HE WAS THE FIRST (!) he can't be working with cliche's. Everyone else can (possibly). Marvin Gaye's album has that underlying "OMG! Does that actually work?" feel to it. Even if he cannot be cliche' as an original swooner, the swooniness of it feels like it tries too hard, like it is part of the date night script. Perhaps it is just a tad too "same message" for the contemporary audience. If someone puts this album on in the background of a nice dinner I might think "that is just a little cringe..." But otherwise it is quite smooth and songs taken individually may well be "all that."
For my opinions on this album, I refer you to my friends at the Enjoy an Album podcast. I like the divorce album!!
Wish I loved this more, but comes up a bit short.
6.5/10
As far as Marvin Gaye goes, he’s incredible. But this album really doesn’t have many of the hits. Found myself getting a bit bored
Good vibes easy listening!
I'd really love to know the backstory and inspiration behind this album, because it has to be a juicy story. Marvin Gaye's voice is timeless and such a joy to listen to, even if I have no prior experience with any of these songs. I also thought the difference in topic from What's Going On to this album was very interesting. Overall, its not a bad album at all, its just a very specific subject.
Taylor Swift has nothing on Marvin Gaye. You wrote a song about you ex-boyfriend? That's cute. How about writing an entire album about your ex-wife?! This is classic Marvin Gaye sound all the way through with an emotional meaning behind the whole album. Really beautiful, but I wish it was a little shorter. A good album, but it makes me sad because I know I will never be serenaded by Mr. Gaye like Anna was.
I get it, it's an interesting concept, the tunes are fine, but I'm just not feeling this as much as some of the other Marvin Gaye selections on the 1001.
This was incredible, love a bit of Marvin. 8/10
No, this cover is terrible. Whoever okayed this needs a talking to. And the rest of the album - I mean, it's Marvin Gaye so it's not likely to be bad, right? The ambience is pretty great. But there's nothing here that belongs in the Pantheon. Right? Pantheon? Because of the cover? Should that one be put in the Puntheon? thx
Sexy, slinky, nocturnal soul from Gaye - but soul that's also strange and quite eccentric, being a double album mostly devoted to the breakdown of a relationship. In scope and breadth it resembles some of Isaac Hayes' works - but where Hayes rumbled his wandering meditations on love over glacial gospel organs, Gaye trips lightly over thin-air disco funk. Which isn't to say the music is insubstantial - on the contrary, there's much to enjoy in the arrangements. What's curious is how much I like this, despite no one tune that jumps out of the speakers. Of course, Gaye's singing is great - impeccable even - but truly, this is an example of an album that is greater than the sum of its parts.
I thought it was a little funny to go from the world crisis issues raised on What’s Going On to complainant about paying attorney fees on this album. This is a very dark and bitter album, but it’s still full of soul and regret and it is still quite lovely. An interesting record, for sure.
Gode numre! Føltes ikke så lang som den var
Det var lækkert! Ikke hans mest memorable sange, men lyden var lækker nok til at det ikke gjorde noget at den varer 70 minutter
God funk!
Good songs.
smooth velvety voice... nice background music. funky space reincarnation
Literal divorced dad music. He was really channeling Bob Dylan on that first track. Also, the lines “why do I have to pay attorney fees? This is a joke” kinda have SNL Digital Short energy. I hate my wife now
Marvin serenading us with his instrument
Is That Enough was the stand out track. The rest of the album was pretty damn smooth. Def had me tapping my foot at some times. Smooth, smooth, and smooth
3.5
Coozy sounds! Great voice and melodies
Many albums are a spite listen, few are a spite make. From its awful cover art to Is That Enough? and other raw lyrics it's one of music's greatest FU's. The music though, is great.
Sorry Marvin, but I don't care. Sorry that shit happened to you or whatever. Didn't have to make a 70 minute album about it though.
Bueno. Se deja escuchar. Los más lindos, 2 temas lentos
Pretty good, and kind of funny that he paid off his divorce (I think) with an album being just super bitter about his wife. Long, but I still like it.
One of the best spite albums of all time. From heartbreaking to humorous at times, this is the work of a genius sending a giant 'fuck you' to his label and ex-partner in the most creative way possible.
2,5
некоторые очень хорошие, но в целом фоновая музыка. надо всё отключать и прислушиваться. вернусь ещё но впечатление одного дня - очень хорошо, но фоново
This is a solid album but among some of Marvin Gaye’s other work, it’s a little weak. Lyrically, Gaye mostly discusses his ex-wife Anna Gordy, and he really toes the line between standard generic heartbreak music and dissing Anna. It turns out sort of weird, but it also interestingly demonstrates a few of the stages of grief, namely anger and acceptance. Soul music is by definition passionate, and anger is a passion. But it’s still very interesting when anger comes through in soul.
Has something ever been so chill...that it makes you uncomfortable?
This is why you get a prenup, gents!
Excellent
Marvin Gaye could sing an infectious disease textbook and still make women swoon. Even with the pin and, at some points, bitterness on this album, he’s still incredibly soulful. It was admittedly a little difficult to listen to sometimes having gone through a divorce myself, but that’s a testimony to how honest this album is.
4.0
It was nice to hear more Marvin since I don’t know much by him, cool voice and use of instruments
10/10 listening to this album feels like a light has entered my life
Not Marvin's best. There's a LOT in and around this album, with alimony and lawyers and estates and royalties and all kinds of rich people in the 70s shit, not to mention the hot takes from a guy who probably honestly at one time did actually love his wife. But none of that makes it a better-than-average album. 3/5
MusicLly most of the songs sound very similar. It’s good music. This is a classic because of the emotion of the album, written and performed right after a divorce. Pain, longing, anger, despair, and melancholy, all on display.
chill vibes master of the love song i would love stats on how many babies were made to this album don’t really have a fave/least fave because the whole album just feels like sitting on a bench in the park during the first days of spring it’s a very long album tho!!! 14 songs - 1 hour and 13 mins
this album is soo boring and kept dragging on and on. i get that the man is super talented but this is not it i just wanted it to end.
Dudea got soul!
Это хороший альбом, который хочется переслушивать, но немного затянутый на мой взгляд. Сол в любом его проявлении никогда не был моим любимым жанром, но этот чел определенно особенный. Лучшая песня - Time To Get It Together.
Not Marvin’s best work, and understandably so.
Gaye is pissed at his wife and is not afraid to show it here. This record is directed entirely at her, considering she gets half the money. It details how they met and grew apart, with all the resentment attached. He gives it his all. It's a genuine and emotional album, and at no point does any of it feel like filler in the traditional sense. All of these tracks are some medium of expression. The production is incredible, as always with his albums. It's smooth and lush, and I love the use of synths and horns here. Plenty of standout tracks here. But there were also plenty I didn't care for much. The double-album certainly didn't help it much. Favorites: Is That Enough, Time to Get It Together, Anna's Song
Good but forgettable. An hour flew by and I barely processed it
First 2 tracks a bit non... but then Marvin kicks in!
I don't know what it is, but I just found this a bit dull and lyrics were pretty goofy at times.
smooth, sexy
3.5
Not good.
Yesssss
Wikipedia says this album was a 'critical and commercial failure' upon release. I'm on the '78 critics side
38/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
A surprisingly challenging album - only because the vibe is so consistent from song to song. It is a document of a man working through complex feelings on divorce, so it's kind of like someone running a conversation in their head over and over and over and over and over... you get the idea. The music and beats are fairly compelling, even though, as mentioned, they are very similar throughout. There are definitely some good songs here that I enjoyed, but again, it all kind of blends together. Maybe it's just the subject matter, but I can't see myself coming back to this album in the future (unless I get divorced, but hoping that doesn't happen).
too old, too melodic, not suited for modern music connoisseurs
Soul, Funk, 1978 eh 3.5
Soul. Se me ha hecho bola. Pero bueno, ni fu ni fa.
De éste disco no conocía ninguna canción.
Chill.
Marvin Gaye macht schöne Musik - für bestimmte Stimmungen/Situation sensationell. Aber eben auch Langweiliges - wie dieses Album.
Disappointed
Perfect album to chill to.
idk man. It's freaking Marvin Gaye. I don't think any of his music is a skip, but it's kinda repetitive for me.
3.4 - it was good but I don’t think I’d sit and listen again
solid marv 4/5
So smooth
Some great songwriting but an overall boring album. Didn't really connect with me. A lot of the songs just felt boring and long. Great lyrics and emotional storytelling but overall not for me
I’ve never really listened to much Marvin Gaye beyond his hits and What’s Going On. This was a surprise to me. The lyrics are very personal and emotional. You can tell for better and for worse that he put his soul into this album. Some songs aren’t winners. Great instrumentation throughout. That yell he does in Anna’s Song is incredible. Album is a little too long. Favorite songs were When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Everybody Needs Love, and Falling In Love Again.
Nothing about this album stands out.
4/5. A complex, yet simple R&B and soul album. Most of the songs follow similar structure and sound but the lyrics differ from self-pity, to regret, to love, to sci-fi funk? Hey not complaining, the sci-fi song probably the best one on the album. It's a very vulnerable and complex lyrical album, and will take me a few listens to really get into it, got lost for a few of them, but I enjoyed my listen throughout.
Shot by his dad! Real shame! This isn’t his best work. Also a real shame. 3.4
Divorce album. Never pretty.
Not my thing
мило, но скучно а еще обложка дурацкая
not my cup of tea
Just straight groove. No highs or lows, just consistently great
Horny mofo. Tragic man.
is pretty good 3,5
I can see why it was not popular when it first came out. It comes across as the whinings of a bitter, rejected lover.
Marvin Gaye was a gift from God. That voice is so smooth. Iconic. I could listen to Marvin every day-not the same album but all of his songs.
To me, this is hilarious. It’s genuinely very good. Music is beautifully composed, the singing is excellent. And the lyrics really are about the end of a relationship. What tickles me is how on-theme all the songs are. The man was seriously upset by this marriage. He put it all out there. It’s a very cathartic project. If you’re going through it, this is the album for you. Considering the other concept albums on this list, this has to be among the best. Setting a song about attorney fees to a sexy slow jam, is the chef’s kiss of pettiness.
The algorithm is failing me. Back to bs k Marvin Gaye. What’s Going On yesterday and Here, My Dear today. Gaye’s talent is undeniable. The quality of the production is undeniable. It’s more jammier than What’s Going On. It’s also much much longer. Too long. I respect Gaye but it’s too smooth, runs together for me 6.1/10
Well Marvin Gaye's vocals are good. That's pretty much where this album ends though. It's just so darn boring. Someone listening with me described it like they felt like they were at a bank and it was one continuous song. 5/10 (2.5/5)
Smooth!!! First time listening to more than the one Marvin Gaye song everyone knows. Really great! Particularly like "A funky space reincarnation" and "Falling in love again"
Not his best
So boring. It's not like Marvin can't sing but I don't want to listen to these songs. I really don't want an hour of this.
I'm almost too relaxed right now.
I'm a fan of Marvin Gaye, but felt this album got a bit old as it went on.
Love the sax
Rather boring, flat, unremarkable. It may well be a grower or some hidden masterpiece but on the listen I gave it, it's not worth bothering about.
Great mellow listening. Marvin Gaye was awesome!
love me some Marving Gaye, but this one’s not great
A self-indulgent Marvin Gaye working out his feelings on a musical divorce journey that I didn't want to go on. This is a career's worth of topical songs concentrated on one release and it's a lot. Not all of it was horrible but one listen is enough.
Marvin Gaye brings the funk. Is That Enough stands out but the whole record is good. Chilled out beats.
Although a can understand the greatness of this, I would not listen to it by intention
This was A Funky Space Reincarnation.
Way longer than it needed to be
Really boring compositions.
Actually pretty funny after a while. God, he was really going through it!
listened to again not his strongest album
Nice for a gray evening and a cup of tea
3.5
A smooth sounding album. I can see why people like it. Not for me
Very sensual
I guess i don’t like the genre
duplicate
Good album, just not really my preference in music
Qualitätsmusik. Tamla. Zwei Sterne.
De este disco no conocía ninguna canción.
Fascinating album and a good listen, although maybe more for the back story than anything. "Somebody tell me please, tell me please/ Why do I have to pay attorney fees (My baby's)" is a WILD lyric and worthy of it's inclusion on the list alone
One year, getting ready for a vacation in Iceland, me and my friends decided to read some of the Icelandic Sagas. Full of mayhem and murder, as you would expect, but also a weird amount of lawyers and lawsuits. Weird but kind of cool. Listening to Marvin Gaye and hearing about attorney's fees is also weird and out of place. In this case, though, just weird. Still some pretty good stuff in here.
Music to get divorced by...
Ok so I am big fan of 70s soul and funk. Let’s get it on and innervisions are absolute classic albums. However this just feels like Marvin Gaye complaining about his ex-wife for an hour and fifteen minutes.
I'm guessing-couldn't find it on Spotify-same with Neil Young last week.
some good funky songs on here, it is an interesting foray into bitterness and other emotions not usually something you pair with funk but it works well in a number of songs. The album seems to indulge in this at times maybe a bit too much so the sense of on song playing off another does not happen, they just bleed into one another.
Forgettable. Sad ass lyrics tho
Really engaging album. Never have heard many of these songs before. Probably will give a few more listens over my lifetime.
I was a teenager when this album came out, was familiar w/ Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” and “Let’s Get It On” albums…. But had never heard of this one… hmm…. Looking at Wikipedia, I see it’s a divorce album, not just an album about failed love, but an album recorded as part of a divorce settlement (awkward). And an album that didn’t do especially well at the time, but has grown in esteem. Anyway, it’s ok as an album, the sound is pretty similar to “Let’s Get It On”. Lyrically, there’s quite a lot of overt bitterness here…. This is a message to his ex-wife, dumping some emotional baggage on her. I think that detracts from the overall album, it’s just too front and center, and pervasive. It all comes off as a little self-indulgent. Unlike some other divorce albums, like Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks, Phil Collins’ Face Value or Tom Petty’s Echo. Meanwhile, there’s no hit here, and while the music is solid, there’s no really memorable pieces. “A Funky space Reincarnation” is the best song here, and reached #23 on the R&B charts. Bottom line. It’s ok, but I’d rather listen to Let’s Get It On. Solid 3/5
Personal, touching album. Knowing what was happening in his life, how shattered he must felt, how vulnerable… it gives a strong meaning to these songs. Even to the point of the song titles. Listening is like witnessing how his world was coming undone. Anger really struck me. How Gaye preaches that anger is not the solution while going through one of the darkest episodes of his life. It is a totally recommended album.
Utterly forgettable. I tried very hard to closely listen to this, and my attention just slide away every time. The songs sound very much the same. I'm sure a lot people like it. It is a very comfortable sound. Not for me though. 2/5.
Pretty good but not spectacular.
I gather this is considered a classic but I think there's such a thing as getting too personal, and for me that aspect got in the way - not just the lyrics, but the almost conversational singing style. Though it did grow on me as the album went along and had pretty well won me over by the end. It's still Marvin Gaye after all.
4/10
Soft and smooth, knows where to hit
It's a very different album than "What's Going On" I will say that. Reading about the context of the record afterwards... I wish I had read this before. A lot of the songs didn't strike me because I was listening to the instrumentation. They actually sounded a bit ahead of their time because I thought this sounded more mid-80s. But thinking about Gaye and his style and what would be the sound of the 80s, it should be placed firmly back there in the 70s (keyboards I think did it for me, I dunno). One of the stronger tracks (although I don't know if I needed to hear it three times) was "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You". Again, had I gotten the context that the whole album would be about their divorce some of the other songs would have hit me harder. But this one really did. "A Funky Space Reincarnation..." Yeah, no. That could have not been included... Stand out tracks: Anger, Time To Get It Together, When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You .
The back story is fascinating. If you don't read it first, you're probably wondering what the heck is going on with the jaded, strange lyrics. But knowing the back story, I understood a man pouring out his sadness and frustration (and sometimes love), and the beats were super funky. And it's Marvin Gaye so the voice is incredible. In the end, it's actually the unusual lyrical content that is what makes this album so unique and cool - a breakup (er, divorce) album to end all breakup albums. He captured it to a tee.
Couldn't get into this one. Seemed too self indulgent
I mean it's Marvin Gaye.
Everybody love some Marvin Gaye
Good but way too linear to justify such a length.
Great breakup album, but I guess I just don't like music when I'm having sex.
This album contains nothing bad at all, but it's so long winded and forgettable that I just can't love it and engage properly. Nice mood, tho.
Marvin Gaye was super Gaye. 4/10
Baby making Marvin Gaye. In the middle of the first song I hoped and prayed they all wouldn’t sound like this. That I would actually get some variety. How foolish of me. I do enjoy candy but I couldn’t have an entire meal of it. Likewise I could listen to a song or two, but this entire album was just too sweet and slow for me to want to listen to it again cover to cover. 6/10
I like Marvin Gaye and this sure sounds like him but there is only so much I can take of one man talking about his divorce. It's a raw and open emotional album where he spills his heart out but I almost feel like the public wasn't supposed to hear this album. Sad to hear but still smooth all over the album, just not songs I would associate with Marvin Gaye. 6/10
This is not quite what I remember Marvin sounding like. I like this but I don’t LOVE this. The lyrics to every song are basically the same exact thing repeated through this very very long album. The fatigue hit hard on this one. Marvin Gaye is another childhood household name but I somehow have never heard anything off of this. Middle of the road Marvin Gaye album. 5/10
Oh boy, I don’t spend a lot of time analyzing what artists are trying to say with their music, but these lyrics are fucking dumb.
Didnt love it tbh
No thank you, my dear. I'm not interested in listening to the desperate self-pitying ramblings of a divorced man after it's already too little too late. Musically, it's what I expect from Marvin -- his voice is emotive and powerful as always -- but thematically it is such a turn off. This album cover is creepy and off-putting too. This is not the vibe, not at all. I can see why it was a flop on release.
sweet melodious tunes fro a velvet throat
R&B artist don't make good albums. The genere is geared toward singles and rightly so. No o e wants to listen to some one drone on about the some Ole love story for an hour. Marvin Gaye obviously produced two of the greatest songs in americam musical history, he has not, however, produces an album that we NEED to hear.
Pretty good actually
Its a hard album to listen to. But I feel if I listened to it a few more times it would grow on me. Gets an extra star for that I guess
Would be a lot better with less songs and some of the songs being shorter. I enjoyed everything here, but the runtime made everything feel very samey and boring by the end
Generally enjoyable but doesn't stand out at all to me.
Good background music.
It's alright
Fine. This album didn’t grab me like his other higher profile albums. Turns out I have a short attention span for listening to a guy talk about his divorce. It felt like reading something on Twitter.
A mixed bag for me. Some stuff in here I really enjoyed marred by what felt like tossed together songs that may have been cathartic, given the circumstances but don’t necessarily make for essential listening.
Maybe this just caught me in the right mood, but I liked this better than the last Marvin Gaye. I knew about this album’s history and legend. It’s one of those albums that’s in the “This person made this album bad on purpose to screw some over” pantheon. In this case it’s his ex-wife, who would get the revenue from this album and also goes “…but Marvin Gaye couldn’t make a bad album even if he tried.” Turns out, there’s not a lot of truth to this. Marvin did try on this album and was disappointed at the response to it. I wonder if the legend has helped it gain more acclaim over time? I don’t know. I liked it.
WTF. This is laughable.
Marvin Gaye was a phenom in the soul/R&B realm. Unfortunately, this just isn't my jam. I do feel that this album does require multiple listens to really understand it however.
Abit self indulgent. Maybe If you've gone through a divorce you can relate. Not bad just nothing sticking. 4/10
R&B or soul music or whatever you call it - it’s Marvin Gaye.
Not my thing but it's fine
Marvin Gaye is a petty bitch. And ultimately, that does not necessarily make for a great album. There are some funky jams here and it’s Marvin Gaye so the vocals are great, but nothing really stood out about this album and it didn’t feel like there were any real hits from it. I enjoyed the concept, as petty as it was, which elevates the experience slightly but overall found this album to be fairly mediocre.
This album was certainly long. It has a pretty compelling backstory and circumstances behind it. And I suppose that context it makes it interesting, but it's not my favorite. It was fine.
"We gon be getting down on the moon. Light years, interplanetary funk" I used this album as background music, otherwise I'm not sure if I would've been able to stand 1hr 10 mins of Marvin Gaye crying about the fact that his wife divorced him. It was very nice as background music. The entire album (predictably) merged together into what felt like one long song. some particular tracks that stood out to me sonically include T4- Anger, with a nice funky beat alongside his usual type of vocals. and T11- A funky space reincarnation (which is the playlist track), which is super funky and I think the lyrics are hilarious. I'm not sure why he felt the need to include the same song three times in this album, and not a particularly good song either. I guess he really wanted to drive home the point that he wasn't sure when his ex-wife stopped loving him, so he included an instrumental and a reprise. Whatever Mr. Gay 2/5
Not bad, but not great. Sorry, Marvin.
Musically good but not something I'd rush to listen to again. This was a pretty heavy album thematically. 3.5 stars.
Too long too emotional
I very much appreciate one Marvin Gaye album. This is the second. This one is a departure. A little bit deeper. More retrospective.
Let's razzmatazz and all that jazz. Crikey. This is way too hippie space cadet. Marvin Gaye has some classics but they aren't here.
Funky, chill with some highlights but still a bit one-dimensional which would be fine if it wasn't a 1 hour 15 minute album. Still overall had a good time though. (75%)
damn he really had a bad life huh
Songs of sweeping sorrow. Marvin Gaye’s standard sexiness tempered by misery, making for a weird and distinct emotional tone. Great vocals, subtle but twisted and stretched. Drags at times and more focused on mood than melody, but a strong and memorable breakup album. (Maybe one of THE seminal breakup albums along with Blood on the Tracks?) Best song: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
Well produce. Great rhythm section. Marvin flow is legendary. Talking about his divorce with so much truth must of been hard for him. Unfortunately, it’s not my style at all. 3 stars
eauful
Okay, I'm going to say it: This album is not only one of Gaye's best works but maybe even better than the well known What's Going On. The music is more interesting (the drums) and Gaye works with many harmonies. Maybe it doesn't win out thematically but it is the better bedroom music.
Very lovey dovey. Got bored but it wasn’t bad at all.
Smooth and sultry, this is as easy to listen to as anything you'll hear. It might fly right past you that this is about Gaye's divorce from his first wife. It starts out very, very slow -- not inherently bad, but slow R&B trends not to be my thing, so there's my bias upfront. There's some funky guitar here, some very smooth sax (When Did You Stop Loving Me jumps out) and you just cannot beat a Motown rhythm section. Gaye himself is extremely introspective lyrically, but it never descends into navel-gazing and it remains emotional and compelling. His vocal work runs from silky and seductive through howling and plaintive. He's one of the greats, period. Check out Anger for a grooving, seething jam about being pissed off (and possibly about a cocaine habit, apparently). I can't begin to list all the musicians on this record, but as Gaye writes in the liner notes, they're all superstars. Listen to this record even half-attentively and you'll frequently catch a player laying down something completely infectious behind a whole band that's busy with something else.
This guy feels wronged by divorce
First listen Saved 3/14 Top track: When Did You Stop Loving Me
HL: "Is That Enough", "Everybody Needs Love", "Time to Get it Together", “Anna’s Song”, “I Met a Little Girl” It’s been about 500 albums since the last Gaye on this website, so I don’t have the most insightful comparisons to Let’s Get It On. I did see the controversial stat on this website showing Here, My Dear as the lowest ranked of his, and I get why. It’s fooken miserable, that’s why- or as the book tells it, “grimly fascinated” by misfortune. To quote Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay: "It doesn't quite get you the first time” and… same. Part of me understands this is some great 70s soul, while the other part tried and failed to be prepared for the bitter 70 minutes of this double album (alright, 62/70 minutes) October 8, 2023
Not his finest hour. Tedious to the extreme. Why did he think anyone would want to listen to this.
OK, but not the type of music that excites me.
My only reference point for Gaye is What's Going On, which is a politically poignant album. This one seems more direct R&B with standard themes: old love, new love, lost love. Mostly lost love. Beautiful voice with soulful if at times boring compositions. When Did You Stop Loving Me? is a jam. Maybe not the most unique lyrically, but so well done. Love the vocal layering and embedded funk. Had more written but it didn't save. Not my particular cup of tea, and I don't think I'll be back. Some of the compositions are really cool and ahead of their time, but a lot of this ran together for me. All in all, not bad,, but not revolutionary 3/5
Pretty good funk music. I listened to this one a couple of times because I kept forgetting to write a review. It definitely got better the more I listened to it, and it gets better throughout. There are some serious jams in here. It also works really well as a background album. A soft 4 for me.
Marvin Gaye may be the best singer I have ever heard. Along with some great jazz instrumentals this is such a great album. Is That Enough is such a good song I was about to give this album 5 stars just off of that. The intro and outro are just so good.
Some easy listening in here. Nothing special but also nothing offensive. Solid 3
Really beautiful music. I wonder if this album gave her the creeps.
Not bad. Very clear topic on this one
Nothing i really got into on this.
-TIME FOR MARVIN GAYEEEEE -so very excited for this -his voice is so beautiful -i don’t think this is marvin gayes best album but i am still enjoying it -the beginning of is that enough is really cool -i do really like this album, the jazzy bits and his voice are delicious together -but im going to be honest, this doesn’t feel like his best album to me personally -so for that, its 3 stars for me personally
Listened Before? N This is my first full-album exposure to Marvin Gaye. He was certainly an amazing singer and a unique talent. I really enjoyed listening to this one. Some of the songs were a bit long but meh, it's ok. Good style of music for long songs. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Everybody Needs Love
Genres: Soul, funk Formed: Detroit, US in 1960 Run time: 14 songs, 1 hour, 13 mins The fifteenth studio (double) album by the artist. Marvin Gaye has a silky smooth voice that he can turn from angelic to seductive. The album focused largely on Gaye's acrimonious divorce from his first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye. I was impressed that it was a reflection on loss, rather than a vehicle for accusation and blame. Spotify: Least popular song: >318k Most popular song: >7.7M plays. Apparently he put his all into the album, which was probably very therapeutic, but it doesn’t contain any of his most famous tracks. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***
Nice romantic music
The type of music you listen to with a significant other. I like it. 3
Relatively pleasant album, mainly thanks to the soothing voice of Marvin Gaye. The small drawback is that I couldn't differentiate between the songs at all, because they all sounded the same to me. Easy an gentle melody, groovy bass line and Marvin. Hopefully his other albums are more interesting than this.
Dude needs to move on.
Good tunes.
Plenty more fish in the sea mate.
Some smooth R&B soul to use for mood music for certain activities. But for just listening to on my way home from work, it doesn't do a whole lot for me. However the lyric about his father needing love hits hard considering he was shot and killed by his father a few years later.
My first Marvin Gaye Record ! Liked it very much and as always, so cool to hear the source of Neo Soul ! It's also sounding really futuristic for 1978 8/10
A bit too long for me. Not my vibe, but I get it. 2.6/5
thats a whole lot to say abt one divorce
I'll return to this, as I was grumpy while listening to the first few tracks before realising this album might be brilliant. What sounded at first like rote, well-recorded mid-seventies soul/funk murk resolves into a weird, sometimes uncomfortable but memorable lunatic mash of ideas - it never gets boring, and "A Funky Space Reincarnation" is glorious.
really good, up with his best and the rare "concept" album that isn't embarrassing in parts despite the content
i don't think marvin gaye could've made bad music! while i don't think here, my dear is his finest work, it isn't bad. it's still unbelievably smooth, and his voice is just as delightful as always. he really was made for soul music. it seems to miss the spark his other music has, though. but i'm not mad, because his voice is still full of love. i'm no gaye aficionado, but i think he did something a little different here. i thought funk would be on this album more, but it's only a touch of funk sometimes. "is that enough" contained electronic pieces, and "a funky space reincarnation" reminds me of parliament's mothership connection with its sci-fi.
1001 has been throwing me a lot of soul in the last couple of weeks, not the least of which was another Marvin Gaye album. If I'm being honest, I was kind of bored with this album. It was incredibly smooth, and the soul was there no doubt, but it just didn't have a lot of energy. It makes sense, given the context of this album, but still. While this album had some funk elements to it, even the funk seemed subdued and depressed. Again, he was hit hard by his divorce, so no judgment here.
Now this is the definition of an album to listen to before you die. Maybe not so much because of the content itself (although interesting in its own right), but because of the unique circumstances surrounding the recording of the record. Gaye's vocals are of course velvety-smooth as always on Here, My Dear, but it's the brutally honest lyrics that makes this one stand out to me. The whole concept of writing an album for your ex, an album where she will profit of it's commercial success, is just wild. Of course, the entire thing is anti-commercial and pretty much unmarketable compared to Gaye's previous catalogue. And although the compositions meanders a bit too often, the experiment pays off, resulting in a very captivating listen.
A divorce album, dedicated to and profiting his ex-wife with artwork depicting Gaye as a Roman sculpture. The energy on this is wild!
Not so much
Well, again it is what it is but very creamy dreamy
Easy listening but not spectacular
Angelic
Too long, but you can enjoy the trip
Massively preferred this to “Let’s Get It On”
Wonderful
Today's edition of Hill I'm Willing To Die On: This album is remarkably better than What's Going On. Seriously, where's the lie? And don't @ me, you're only wasting everyone's time. The pain Marvin writes and sings about here is even more personal, and real if you will, than his material on What's Going On. That's not to suggest that shit was manufactured or somehow wasn't real. The dissolution of his marriage just hits much closer to home. It's also more universal, more relatable. And you can't argue with that. What's Going On has three all-time classics for certain, but really that's IT. The rest is filler. This thing is a complete work. Give the man his props. Marvin knew if that bitch was going to take half of him, he damn well was going to make sure she felt it.
This kind of smooth synth soul is something I didn't know I wanted. The funk playing at the edges helps out heaps as well. It's really thoughtful album lyrically. I'm not super familiar with Marvin Gaye, but that seems to be a through-line for his work. I'll have to catch up on his other work based on how quickly this one landed with me.
I like Marvin Gaye's music, but this is not his best stuff.
A slick and smooth double album from one of the all time great soul musicians. I really liked the first disc. If Gaye had left it there, I would have come away thinking this is excellent. Unfortunately disc 2 is not as good and drags the album out, making it a lot less enjoyable. Also, on side 4, the album's lead single, 'A Funky Space Reincarnation', tells the sci-fi story of a future love. It's really weird, but not in a good way. Disc 1: 4/5. Disc 2: 2/5. 'A Funky Space Reincarnation': 0/5. Overall: Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You Date listened: 28/07/23
Marvin is the king of his genre. Smooth listening experience if not all a bit samey.
Best Song: Sparrow. Something about the contrast between Marvin's slow, methodical vocals being contrasted with the spastic solos in the background just really worked. Worst Song: Here, My Dear. Wasn't digging the spoken parts. Felt like a too on-the-nose intro for the album. Overall: It's actually a shame that some of Marvin Gaye's name has become synonymous with some of his more outlandish songs (e.g., "Sexual Healing"), because damn if he doesn't have a consistently great catalogue. Each track was funky, or soulful, but always buttery smooth.
My first issue is track #10 is billed as an instrumental, when Marvin Gaye clearly sings on the song. Small nitpick, of course. This album is what happens when an incredibly talented artist goes through a tough breakup/divorce and isn't able to churn out his feelings into a classic album. Because Marvin Gaye is one of the best R&B/funk/soul artists of all-time, there isn't a way for him to make a bad album and this is not a bad album. I can understand why he was stung by the lack of success of this album, as he pours his heart into it. It's just...a lot. It's not that nearly every song is about his breakup, as "Blood on the Tracks" is the same way, it's just there is more of a focus on the lyrical nature of the songs and less on the musicality on "Hear, Dear." The lyrics are more straightforward, so there is a bit of a lack of depth and less universality to them. I can't decide if this album is a "must hear" album, as in the context of Gaye's career it's a milestone in terms of the reaction to it and his reaction to it. Sometimes an album can be too personal, at least in terms of the lyrics. An artist has to be able to differentiate between an album "about divorce" and an album "about MY divorce." I am not sure he does that here. Maybe I hold Gaye to a higher standard than I should.
Vähän yksitoikkoista vaikka ihan jees Is that enough ehkä paras
Highlights: "Time to Get It Together," "When Did You Stop Loving Me...Pt. 1," "Is That Enough," "You Can Leave..." Five years out from What's Going On, this can't take credit for anything fresh but retains the flaws and adds new ones. Later Gaye is all too diffuse. The band is tight except for clunky synths, but the lyrics just ramble hither and yon and peter out in the middle of nowhere. Everybody remembers the hooks, but 99.9% of people couldn't remember one of these songs front to back. And now Gaye lacks all his former energy. And all that lyrical dithering is embarrassing bitter breakup confessional that conveniently elides he's an incestuous statuatory rapist whenever it frets about what went wrong. And then there's the agonizing amount of spoken word in a quasi-Dylan sing-song. Awful. Only redeemed by the band, with strong grooves and compelling changes, which are mostly rehashes of past success.
Sounds like one continuous groove. All good except I've heard it before on other Marvin Gaye albums. Think I'll stick with What's Going On.
A double album of smooth, groovy vibes to vent about your divorce as part of you alimony settlement. Dick move Marvin. Dick move.
sultry, sexy, stalkery
Not his best fairly standard
Overly long, smooth and funky as expected but only all too brief moments of interest to rise above the self-indulgent bitterness. There's better Marvin Gaye albums out there.
A bit too smoochy for I.
Took one glance at the artwork... I couldn't bring myself to listen to it yesterday! Listened today, it was alright, it's no What's Going On or Trouble Man though.
Do I really need to listen to 8-minute songs about divorce? Answer: No.
BL: know how influential Marvin Gaye is but never really listened to anything by him besides “let’s get it on”, so will be interested to hear a much later work AL: very solid album, soul & funk - lots of emotion, everything I could ever want. Just felt like there could have been a little bit more of range in the dynamics between soft ballads and funkier tracks FT: “Anger”, “Is That Enough”, “sparrow”, “when did you stop loving me” 4/5
An interesting insight into the man behind the hits. I enjoy the uniqueness of a lot of the songs.
Sure, I like Marvin Gaye. Very soulful and enjoyable.
Here, My Dear // I Met A Little Girl // Everybody Needs Love //
Some cool funky tracks, it’s long
Here, My Dear is the fifteenth album by singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye and it's a double album. The album's main theme focuses on the divorce between Gaye and his first wife Anna. In fact, Anna receives half of the royalties from this album as a condition of their divorce agreement. At first this condition made Gaye want to be lazy during production, but it actually spurred him on to give it his best effort. This album was a hands-on project for Gaye, as he was involved with almost everything. The music on this album can be described as funk and soul. Marvin Gaye poured all of his feelings into this album so he was crushed when it didn't perform well. Here, My Dear was a commercial and critical failure upon its release, but it was later hailed by music critics, in the years following Gaye's death, as one of Gaye's best albums. I enjoyed this laid-back, soulful album for what it was and would recommend others to do the same.
I can see how this album wasn't a commercial success. I can also see how it ultimately made this list. It's not what I would consider "classic" Marvin Gaye, but it's an honest album, the story behind it is intriguing, and - let's face it - I'd listen to this guy sing about anything.