Here, My Dear

i know that Marvin Gaye is insanely talented, and the instrumentation here is incredibly sublime (look no further than the album centerpiece “When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?”, which bursts with rich saxophone above a tender bongo beat), but gosh, thematically and lyrically, the album gives such loser energy that it made me cringe so bad. some of the sarcasm is fun and biting, sure, but overall the majority of the lyrics are underbaked and overly trite. all of it gets better towards the end — “Everybody Needs Love” is a turning point for the record lyrically, that sees Gaye delve deeper than his spite — but by that point a lot of what makes the album good is lost in its length and annoying self-pitying. i know that Gaye has many more revered records, and thank all for that, because i do not think i’ll be revisiting this one.

"It's me against the world"-era Kanye but also disco.

Some good sounds, but it isn't as good as his other material

It’s a long one but a good one. 3.5 stars.

Not a overwhelming creative piece of art, comparing to previous or following albums. Sounds boring just as a marriage could be. ;/

Groovy, but nothing remarkable. Good background music.

7.5/10 trouvait qui manquait une touche que les autres Marvin Gaye. Tout de même très apprécié

J’ai l’impression d’avoir été caressée par une voix. Les arrangements sont si réussis que la musique semble naturelle, sans effort

I mean, it's Marvin Gaye, so yeah it's pretty good.

marvin, what the fuck are you talking about? best tracks: here my dear, is that enough, I met a little girl.

Odd and soulful and sometimes meandering but funky

If this is one of Marvin's best, I don't want to hear the worst. I love Marvin's voice, but I found this quite bland and a bit drawn out, not just the fact that it is a double album, but also the songs themselves. If I had to sum it up, I'd say self-indulgent soft soul. I skipped a few tracks to get to A Funky Space Reincarnation. With that title it *couldn't* disappoint. Right? Wrong, sadly.

I love the way this album blends together. It's more like one constant stream than 13 individual songs. As a concept album, the subject matter of divorce is a little, erm, odd. It must have been a particularly painful divorce to stretch to a double album. The album covers is bonkers. Coked up Marv at his best.

What a messy subject for a record. And whilst Gaye puts every effort into it, escaping the obvious distress and turmoil created by the divorce makes this hard, in parts, to listen to. At the core, though, is soft and sweet funk and listening to Gaye build up the layers of vocals to harmonise with his own voice, there are few singers finer. And yet, not really an easy listen.

first time listening favorites i met a little girl is that enough everybody needs love time to get it together you can leave but it’s going to cost you falling in love again *

Good album, the song with the little girl was kind of weird. I didn’t like it, but there were some really good songs

It's sad that this album became popular because of Marvin's death. I don't know if it's his best album. It's fine.

A Funky Space Reincarnation blew my tiny little mind.

Musically, the album showcases Gaye's knack for blending soul, funk, and R&B elements. The production is skillful and the arrangements are often lush and intricate. Tracks like "A Funky Space Reincarnation" and "Is That Enough" incorporate captivating grooves and infectious melodies that highlight Gaye's musical prowess. However, despite these notable strengths, Here, My Dear is not without its flaws. The album's lengthy runtime can feel overwhelming at times, with some tracks feeling repetitive or overstaying their welcome. Additionally, while the personal nature of the album's subject matter is compelling, it can also limit the album's relatability for listeners who may not connect with Gaye's specific experiences. Furthermore, the album's narrative structure and flow can feel disjointed, with abrupt transitions between tracks that disrupt the overall listening experience. This lack of cohesion prevents the album from fully immersing the listener in its intended emotional journey.

4+/5

Just a little too slow and long for me. Each song drags on and never pulls me in.

While I recognize the artistry of Gaye and his legacy, the genre and the length made this a bit of a dull affair

Some of it is quite good but it's overly long and there's 3 versions of the same song.

The pettiest concept album ever made. Glorious. Double album of spite. But as it's a double album, it is, of course, too long.

Oui oui les rumeurs disaient vrai j'adore la soul

la pochette de l'album incompréhensible

Mr smooth’s break up album, I liked this and deserving of being on the list. But come the end of it dragged a bit. Not quiet making my rotation list, might come back to it if I ever get a divorce.

Dark

lovely, nice, cute, amazing. listened to it on repeat the whole day

Music for special mood. Relaxed for slow dances.

Oh heavenly... I love Mr. Gaye's voice. This album makes me feel like I'm watching the boring, (aka the formative) scenes in the beginning of Boyz n the Hood before everything gets wild. This has a unique vibe and sound, great for scene setting and nostalgia but not something that I'd actively listen to.

Following "What's Going On" just 8 albums later, our second dose of Marvin Gaye is actually more appealing to me musically. It never hits the heights of "What's Going On" or "Mercy, Mercy Me," but the album is overall more even and less gospel-y. Not nearly the cultural impact, though.

similar vibes to the last one. Great voice, cool as fuck. Just not an album I would sit and listen to. If I was at a party and this was just playing in the background I'd be all for it but not noteworthy when listening alone from start to finish

Nice and smooth. Subject matter is sad though, mostly about falling out of love and divorce. But Marvin makes anything sound like lovin'.

Today's album was a slog for sure. Firstly, it is a double album. Secondly, it is very heavy lyrically as the whole album is about Marvin Gaye's divorce. It flopped upon release, because more than being an album, it was Marvin laying everything he was going through (the rollercoaster of emotions) out on tape. If you purchased this hoping for some more typically upbeat Marvin vibes, this isn't it. Marvin's telltale recording style of doubling his voice so he can harmonize with himself is spectacular. This record still has that silky smoothe slow, funky soul feel to it, that I can only describe as "bedroom music". It is soothing to listen to. There are a few more lighthearted tracks on this record, notable A Funky Space Reincarnation. The lyrics of this song are hilarious, and so typical of Marvin... 2073, 2084, 2093 Light years ahead, You and me gonna be getting down on a space bed, We gonna get married in June, We gonna be getting down on the moon. Or, another gem from the same song: Let's razzmattazz and all that jazz, Let's feel each other's ass Overall, a great listen today. Marvin's music is always good. This album is so long though, and the topic so heavy, that it just doesn't hit like the rest of his stuff does. Don't get me wrong, the album is great, it's just not something that I would put on again. It is perfectly average. Favorite songs: A Funky Space Reincarnation, Time to Get It Together, I Met A Little Girl, Anger, Everybody Needs Love, Is That Enough Least favorite songs: Sparrow 4/5

Great stuff from Marvin

its marvin.

Smooth

Solid all the way around. His wife shouldn’t have done him dirty.

Marvin Gaye's epic double album on the subject of divorce is one of those albums many of us probably heard about long before we actually listened to it. The story behind the creation of this album is well known. But you don't really feel it until you actually sit with the album yourself. Plenty of artists have made albums about marriage and divorce, but this one feels especially raw. Yes, the anger and the hurt you would expect to hear on an album like this is there, but also passion, sadness and hope for the future. And it's so elegantly and soulfully done, a real pleasure to hear. I kind of expected the album to be a bit of a throwaway for him, but Gaye delivers on every level here. You can feel the craft that went into creating it. The quality of individual songs varies somewhat and Gaye might have benefitted releasing the album as a single disk. But this is a truly engaging and memorable work, one of Gaye's best. Fave Songs: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You; Is That Enough; Everybody Needs Love; Time to Get It Together; Here, My Dear; Falling in Love Again; Anger; I Met a Little Girl; You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You

Call it the Divorce Album. It's not Marvin's best but there are some interesting and chill tracks on here. His voice is just superb even with the bitterness that permeates this album. Decent but not a classic.

Usually don’t listen to this genre of music, but I enjoy the chill, soulful vibes of Gaye’s voice. More of a fan of the songs with slower arrangements. The bass playing slaps so hard.

Seems like this should be my thing, just not in the mood for it.

I enjoyed this but it was pretty strange, with bitter lyrics over really smooth music. Big fan of sparrow and Anna’s song. Didn’t like the less structured songs that were just complaining about his divorce.

There is definitely a time and place for Marvin Gaye but this album is so overindulgent and heavy handed that it's cringey. I also hate sappy, breathy talking before/during a song and this album is rife with it. Some good/funky tracks but lost in the length and the lack of variety

Good voice but I got really sick of the style by the end. I think it's just a personal music preference that I don't enjoy it.

Marvin Gaye is so smooth but from a personal standpoint, he’s kind of bland. I much prefer Al Green to this.

Smooth, sexy and silky R&B - which is basically the embodiment of the genre. It’s a bit naff with many wedding references but if you want to set the mood for bonking, lower the lights and spin this record.

I was enjoying this, but then I kind of drifted off and forgot I was listening to it. Smoky bar background music. Er, three stars, probably.

Background music

Eh it's what I expected

Not my style. Too flaky and almost musak musical arrangements. I pass…

I really enjoyed reading about this album and the lyrics were hilarious, but not likely one I'll be putting on repeat.

The life of Marvin Gaye always fascinated me, he had a lot of success but also a lot of hardship and tragedy in his life, including his untimely death. Like the man, this album is sprawling and complex, definitely not possible to digest this in one or even five listens. So much is tied up in these lyrics, it’s like listening to him read autobiography chapters on his marriage. Crazy to think reviewers summarized this as “weird” when it came out - they just couldn’t reconcile this album with some of his simpler pop tracks. This is an album that demands to be listened to in the evening hours through big audiophile headphones on a record player while enjoying a few adult beverages.

Love it. Such a smooth, silky album. Sounds like background music for when you’re laying on a fur rug in front of the fireplace drinking a glass of red wine with your lover. 5 stars

Really funky. A bit long, with the three versions of the same song, but I liked it. Good for having on in the background. + When Did You Stop Loving Me + Sparrow + Anna's Song

Get the story. Lyrically strong, but not his best work. Agree with general critical statements. Doesn't touch his best stuff by a long way.

Wow. Better suited for Sunday morning, but excellent.

Great, love Marvin's voice. Quite a bitter album

Quality. Almost like an audio letter to love itself.

Interesting subject matter and sound, just nothing that would warrant a second listen to the whole thing in its entirety.

An odd choice.. I’d have gone with What’s Going On.

Marvin er mjög próblematískur, og þetta er ekki auðvelt umfjöllunarefni sem hann er að syngja um, en ég elska þetta sound. Sorrý með mig.

One of a kind

Really solid soul/funk album and super smooth.

I have always heard the name but didn't think I had ever heard him, but I definitely have. Such an amazing voice.

Beautifully and so effortlessly so. A touching album. It is so gentle in its presentation but it grasps so firmly. I absolutely love the pieces from every song, and the amount of time taken to build each track. It’s adds such a transformative quality to these tracks. Intentionality is the name of the game. I felt ashamed for not giving this album my undevoted attention during the first listen because there was just so much depth to it that I thought deserved to be recognized. One of the most heartfelt albums I’ve listened to. When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Is That Enough, Anna’s Song, Falling In Love Again, A Funky Space Reincarnation, Sparrow

Pretty unique soul/rb/pop. Enjoyable but doesn’t have me coming back for more

It's quite nice, made me realize I've been way too kind with my previous ones

I’ve never listened to much Marvin Gaye. I know the super famous stuff like Let’s Get It On, and I Heard It Through The Grapevine, but beyond that it think I’m somewhat clueless. I’m excited to give him a real chance today, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Anger, Sparrow This is a little difficult to review. I can certainly see why people love this, as he has an excellent voice, the music is good, and the narrative of a relationship breakdown is interesting. However, for some reason, the songs just didn’t really click for me personally. Despite being able to recognise the talent on this album, I still highly doubt I’d be coming back to listen to this again. If you love this album, I totally see why. But it’s just not for me.

I skipped through this. Didn't enjoy the synth horn sounds

Maybe controversial but this wasn’t as good as I was expecting. Not bad by any means but just didn’t have any proper knee slappers. 2.5

Kinda gay hahaha But seriously, enjoyed a few songs but it did go on for a bit Fave track - When did you stop loving me

8/10 idk if it’s better than what’s going on

His voice and groove is undeniable, but this is the purest form of divorce core I've ever heard. Not a happy listen

not Gaye's best, so it can't be 5 stars, but Marvin Gaye on an off day is better than most

Just me not liking music as sweet as candy

Funk driving album

This kind of music isn’t really for me. It seemed intentionally repetitive and oh so slow. Also read an article once about how horrible of a husband Marvin Gaye was so it’s hard for me to feel any sympathy for him that he had to pay alimony. High 2.

boooooringgggg

Ik heb gewoon eigenlijk geen zin om hier een mening over te vormen, dus dat zegt genoeg lijkt me.

Op de achtergrond bij het werken best aangenaam, maar ook niet heel enerverend

Ik kan dit zeker waarderen maar 5 kwartier van die aalgladde muziek is echt teveel.

Prima hoor, maar wel een beetje een medley.

The background is kind of interesting, with Marvin knowing half the royalties would go to his recently divorced wife. As a result, the subject matter is raw and personal, and the lyrics are particularly blunt and specific. It’s definitely the most most absorbing thing about this album. Unfortunately the music doesn't do much for me, even in small doses, so a whole double album was, inevitably, a bit of a slog. I did enjoy that the ‘instrumental’ version of When Did I Stop Loving You had vocals throughout the duration... 2 / 2.5

Masterpiece. I'm only halfway through right now, and picking a favorite track is going to be extremely difficult. Favorite tracks: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You; Is That Enough

There are parts of this double album where one track nicely flows into the next ("When Did You Stop Loving Me" - "Anger" - "Is That Enough" on the first side. Or, on the last one, "A Funky Space Reincarnation", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You" and "Falling In Love Again"). "Time To Get It Together" is an enticing, quite groovy cut as well. Unfortunately, everything else sounds like aimless filler to me. I get that huge fans of Marvin Gaye can feel moved by his somewhat vulnerable vocal performance, here inspired by the painful subject matter driving this whole project along. But frankly, those other songs definitely sound subpar compared to Gaye's more striking songs in his repertoire. To put it in a nutshell, here is a blatant case of a double LP that would have been far more convincing if its performer/musician had stuck to a single disc instead. And I don't think such missed opportunities can be considered as "essential". Number of albums left to review or just listen to: less than 700, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter (including this one)

Had never heard this. Absolutely fantastic, despite the divorce concept album vibe. back half of the song list flowed like a treat

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: I met a little girl, When did you stop loving me, Anger, Is that enough, Everybody needs love, Sparrow, Anna’s song, Falling in love again

Beautiful

Extraordinary chill for such harsh subject matter. Great all the way around, maybe Marv's best, which is saying a lot.

Great album easy listening. A clasic

perfect.

Alright, Marvin Gaye is legend. Dude has some amazing songs. But this doesn't really scratch that soul itch for me. It's late enough in the 70s that good soul has been replaced with smooth jazz. Compare this to \"Let's Get it On\" and you can hear the soul slipping away. Still... better than a kick in the balls.

Obviously love and lack thereof are popular topics for artists to touch on in their music, but divorce is much less common. Not to say Marvin is the only musician to discuss divorce in their music, but it was never done so well or with such grace. My only complaint is that this album failed to excite me as much as his previous works. I enjoyed it for sure, but he could have put a little more into it. Everything else (writing, singing, instrumentation, structure, production, etc.) were all fantastic. 4/5

Notes - Marvin gaye’s 15th album - A divorce album - Midtempo soul/funk - Marvin Gaye is another artist that I’ve heard the big hits of but never gone deeper - A lot of the writing of this album was done by improvising multiple takes until something stuck - Very personal and direct lyrics - There’s not a lot of room for subtlety here but that’s kind of a cool aspect - Performed really poorly critically and commercially compared to his other albums Fav - Anger - Fun groove and interesting melody choices OR - Is that enough - Love the vocal delivery and guitar parts, such a deep groove Least fav - When did you stop loving me (instrumental) - Less good version of the earlier instance of this song 3/5

So this was a slow burner for critical reception. And do you know what it is? Great background music. It doesn't stand out, but at the same time, tis lovely.

Good

Loved it

Damn, these lyrics are so brutally honest. Good music and vibes

The ultimate divorce album - Marvin Gaye's advance and part of the royalties were a central part of his divorce settlement. His views on relationships and women in general are troubling. The music, however, is 70s Marin Gaye - a style that can be called symphonic groove. Like most of the 70s work, the songs seem to flow into one another. It is deeply effective, very personal and while not his best, is pretty damn good.

The story behind this album is pretty interesting. The bitterness comes through in a bunch of the songs. There is some really good soul/R&B with great instrumentation. There is some filler here too. Not unusal on a double album.

This may be the pettiest album I've ever heard. The whole concept is hillarious and the music is good! Maybe a little long.

hatar album covern annars bra

Maldin gaye

Not his best work, although Marvin is Marvin so there are plenty great songs throughout

Alla låtar låter jättebra, men de e ibland lite obekvämt att lyssna på då Marvin e så ofiltrerat bitter och småsint. Skulle kanske gå hem om jag nyss gått igenom en skilsmässa?

Pretty. Boring. Pretty boring.

This was a slow burner, but I really grew on me. Reading about how personal is was - about his divorce - made me appreciate it even more. Feels like spending time with Marvin's inner thoughts.

Crazy... I had just put this album on the turntable earlier this evening! Marvin's working through some real shit here and I respect him for being so candid. Yes, this is a sprawling mess of an album, but in the best and weirdest way. Something like "A Funky Space Reincarnation" doesn't even seem to fit the concept of the album, but it's so batshit bonkers that I'm tickled he sandwiched it in there. Just shows you how off the rails he must have been at that point in his life. I think recording in your own studio tends to lend itself to this type of wild self indulgence. I'm glad Marvin had the opportunity to make such an artful and thorough public catharsis.

I enjoyed it but there wasn't any amazing tracks like on "What's Going On" for me that really really grabbed me. 3.5 down to 3 I suppose. Great stuff overall though.

At several points it stops being sexy and veers into naff. Its an era where Marvin fancied himself just a bit too much.

looked at the genius page before listening to the album, seems like a heartfelt album groovy first song funk is always great to hear the bass be hittin angaaa i think this girl might have been too possessive, might be wrong tho martin, that's more than a minute, but it's fine i'm happy waiting

Good grief, what a boring album.

Soulful, smooth, and classic but different Marvin Gaye. I can really feel the breakup through the music... Anna's song was my top track.

"My father, he needs love" is a tough line to hear from him

Good vibes, singing and music

Didn’t enjoy this one

What a voice and what a set of songs. The ultimate quiet storm for a divorce record. Brutal and beautiful in equal measure. One's fully down with belated reckoning of this one as MG's masterpiece.

It’s was fine, but nothing I’d usually listen to. Easy listening.

Marvin Gaye can elevate any subject through sheer talent which is exactly what he does here. Incredibly boring subject matter, but because it's Marvin singing you don't mind listening.

Tune city

There's a lot to take in here - a very raw album with some great grooves but not as refined or memorable as some more iconic Gaye records. Also, A Funky Space Reincarnation is a great song but feels woefully out of place with the rest of the album

I really enjoyed this album, so heartbreaking and raw. I need to listen to more of MG's music.

so nice, love it love absolutly

Not as good as "Whats going on". I guess an album about your divorce is helpful to yourself. But I found it quite boring. The only exception was "Funky Space Reincarnation" it was the funkiest track on the album

Pretty long and boring, but good for family breakfast. 3

It's not my kind of music I hear.

Good but super long 4/5

Great album. About his divorce.

It was an okay album for me

its giving boy band and idk why???!!

Well done, some of the dated synth sounds pulled me out of it.

Great

Didn’t listen to this, not a fan of these love songs

Hmmm, Not the best from Marvin Gaye.

It’s pretty good - it is Marvin Gaye after all - and obviously deeply personal. But it falls well short of Marvin Gaye at his best.

😯😏

Bit of a struggle, this one.

An overlooked classic. Emotional songs, beautifully arranged.

Hyvä muttei paras! 3/5

Hieno levy, vaikkei artistin parhaita. Vahva 3.

Marvin pistää menee! Ei lemppari artistilta, mut 3/5

rytmi ja blues tehty oikein... ei myöhäis 80 90 luvun kaupallistetut kaavamaiset synteettiset r kelly kusee alaikäisen suuhun tyyppistä rytmyä ja bluessia... vaikka albumissa on selvä ylikaartuva sileä saundi, vähän tylsähyhttävä löytyy myös funkkia... jatsinpoikaa... uskaltaa eksperimentoida, pikkuvarvas koskettaa sitä pelottavaa tuntematonta...lyriikat sensijaan aikamoista kuraa herra voisi käydä vaikkapa runkulla ja puolet biiseistä on pois... is that enough pars

Did people think Marvin Gaye was cheesy in 1978? I guess only the first track is kinda cheesy. It’s difficult to listen to. The rest of the songs are good just because of Marvin’s talent, but the topics are a bit depressing. A whole album about the breakdown of a marriage is a bit much after just getting engaged myself. The one good thing about this is it’s very easy listening and has none of his hits which are the only ones I’m familiar with. That’s also the downside. No songs that are really anything special or recognizable.

Mixed feelings on this one. Made for pretty good background music though.

Good sounding, calm and cool. Not necessarily my thing

Is this proto-Yacht rock? This was mellow, very adult FM easy listening. Meandering at points. I think this is what yacht-rock was going for this whole time. Regardless, not for me. But I recognize the game.

Long way off his best, but there's some fun stuff here. Also, the song that appears to be the inspiration for Jamiroquoi's second album. Don't think I'll be heading back soon.

Haven't ever gone down the Marvin Gaye rabbithole but this was funkier than I was expecting. the man has vocal chops but I didn't really expect to be shoulder-shimmying so much to an album about an acrimonious divorce. definitely going to be giving this a 2nd listen.

didn't like as much as the other album we listened to from him

Good, but not my favorite album of his.

Painful is the word I would use, not his divorce, but the tracks on this album. This album is so boring and long, it goes on forever. He's singing about paying child support on one of them...I just couldn't care less.

There were moments in this album that were reminiscent of everything you hear about Marvin Gaye. The silky smooth, the sexy calm. But the majority of this was just not good. Would I feel differently if I was divorced? Or more strongly so? I really hope this album was cathartic for Marvin because that seems like the true point of the album instead of anything to sit down and enjoy the music.

Clearly in pain, this album was hard to listen to.

Eh. good for cheesy sex

Lovin Gaye's R&B romance. Drags at times, but good in doses. Still worth a 4!

Marvin Gaye, Marvin Guy, move on up baby let it be.

I have no objection to personal songs or emotional connections, but this is self-indulgent, overblown and interminable. ‘When did I stop loving you?’ Round about song three. Two many low points, and not much to praise except the Motown production. And Marvin Gaye does have a good voice. Really not one of his best.

I recently listened to 'Let's get it on' so can't help but compare it to this album. I don't like Here,my dear as much. I miss the sexiness from the get it on album. This one feels more sleek, more soulful but ultimately not my thing. (Best listened to in hot weather.) Having said that, it is very good musically. There are still good songs on this. 'Anna's song' was my favourite track. Pretty solid. The rest seemed to blend into each other and didn't stand out.

I can hear the quality in his music and understand why people enjoy his music. I really like his voice and the way he build up this album, but it’s not something I would put on myself. I enjoyed it and it deserves a place in this list.

Zoals verwacht, zwoele neukseks muziek, maar eigenlijk best kut

Æ ekkert spes plata. When did you stop loving me er ágætt. Annað er bara voða mikið eins.

cool

- liking the instrumentals but can't stand the like weird speaking voice that seems to be on all the tracks - i do not think i will be finishing this (at track 10). its just not really my style. like i don't think its bad but none of it has grabbed me in any way.

I can appreciate the talent but this is not my thing. I hate all the smooth talking bits and the music just feels sleazy to me. Probably my prejudice of the 70s!

It's Marvin Gaye, pretty limited in terms of WOW-factor.

My problem with soul is present here but it’s Marvin

What’s going on? I do like Gaye’s early music, but this is just weenie soul. I see that it was a flop when it was first released, but got critical acclaim after he died. But this album is so boring I simply don’t have it in me to put in the effort to listen to it again.

This is a lot of Marvin Gaye

I feel the exact way about this that I did the last Marvin Gaye album: A fun, sexy time.

This is essentially a breakup album. The music is competent, but the subject matter is really limited to this one theme. 3/5

Soul

It's not really my vibe, and it was a bit much in one listen, but I can appreciate it. It's got a gentle funky vibe, and damn has he got some smoooth vocals! I think I'd appreciate it more in smaller doses. 3

definitely a chill album, i can imagine just people having diners with this in the background

True babymaker

모든 세포가 살아나는 1분55초경 애나를 향한 절규

Wasn't particularly my style, but a few good songs in here. Proved to be another good album for background music while cooking! Favourite: Is That Enough

Romandische jazzige RnB Oldies

So smooth and soulful. I would never expect someone's 15th album to hold up this much. Really enjoyable compositions. On the other hand it goes for a bit too long, the lyrics get a bit repetitive and I just don't feel like they match the vibes I get from the music. These things keep the record from being perfect 5 start but not from me digging it.

This album is a sad insight into the personal issues that Gaye was going through at the time. The heart ache is clear in all the lyrics of every song. My favorite songs from the album are 'I Met A Little Girl', 'When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You' and 'Sparrow'. The vocals on this album are outstanding and backed with a very solid band. 3.5/5

So much smooth flowing Marvin goodness. Then I read the background and had to listen again.

Impossible not to love Marvin Gaye. Back story on this album is quite interesting and helps with understanding the album. This isn't the first time I listened to this album and I'll admit it's a hard album to like on the first listen, somewhat redundant and down-right depressing. However it does reveal itself after a few listens. I do wish there were more tracks like "Is That Enough" or the album was edited a bit because it does drag on. While not my fav Gaye album it does have it's moments, once again we need 1/2 stars, 3.5. I'll round up given my love for Marvin.

This is for somebody other than me. There is other Marvin Gaye I’d rather listen to.

I didn't connect with it. It was slow. Compared to his other stuff it seemed sterile.

This wasn't for me. It's well made, but I just didn't care.

4 Sweet slow funk

Yes, I know that it is a "contractual obligations" album (of a sort—settlement for a failed marriage, rather than rounding up a stupid seven-album deal. But then, since the ex-spouse to-be in question was actually the big sister of Mr Gaye's record label boss, there is an overlap, no?) ...but still, and "A Funky Space Reincarnation Aside", it feels like it was phoned in from Bruges. Flip side to this is that Mr Gaye's offcuts score higher than the entire oeuvre of some of his counterparts. So...

i can't believe that I wasted 1 hour and 13 minutes of my life hearing a guy rant about his divorce...

I never got the appeal of 'break-up albums'. I get that it may be a therapeutic release for the artist, but it's really a toss-up as to whether it will translate to the listener, since every relationship and hence every break-up is a unique and personal thing. In this case, as in many others, I believe it doesn't work. So we're stuck listening to Marvin airing his grievances and pitying himself and whatnot. Do his smooth, sultry vocals and subtle, groovy instrumentation rescue the work? Somewhat. But there are already 2 excellent albums by him on this list, I think this one sorta taints the man's legacy.

Not as great as I was hoping for so 3*

It was OK. I think there are better Marvin Gaye albums.

'Is That Enough' is an absolute great song, but for the rest it meanders a bit too much for me

Very smooth and sexy.

I mean definitely very groovy, and a very pleasant sound to have on but i feel like none of the songs really went anywhere, and weren’t very memorable high 3

I can appreciate an album about love, divorce and recovery, but maybe now's not the right time for me to hear this album.

Love Marvin Gaye. 4/5

This album contains some of Gaye's most personal and heartfelt lyrics. It's a shame the music is so comparatively underwhelming. Still, it's worthwhile as a snapshot of a tumultuous moment in Gaye's life and career.

Wasnt bad. Very jazzy but felt very boring and didnt bring anything new to the table. Not as great or influential as other Marvin gaye albums but at least it was listenable.

This has got to be the most mid Marvin Gaye album. While it is smooth, every song is stylistically identical which made it pretty boring to me.

A guy complaining about his divorce over boring funk beats. Should be called “I got a divorce (sax outro)” Seriously you just got a divorce bro. She doesn’t need a song named after her. Maybe focus on paying that alimony broke boy

smooth and chill

bit long but overall fine

Kind of washed over me but I liked the sounds

Very long and samey. Didn't really enjoy it

It's a Marvin Gaye record. Good soul/R&B. Amazing voice. Social commentary. Good stuff

good but got a bit bored

Far from Martin Gaye's best. 3/5

Had it on in the background but it didn't grab me, not as standout as "Let's get it on" and not a patch on "What's going on"

Nah doesn't do it for me. have an image as Marvin Gaye as something older people put on just when they want to be freaky and can't see any reason why you'd listen otherwise. Slow songs about love just not for me. 1.6

Aside from a few jammin tracks, most of this album honestly felt like Marvin Gaye doing a parody of Marvin Gaye. I'm disappointed.

This comes across as one of the first double albums that I don't think is bad because it is a double album at all. That being said, since it was so symphonic and consistent, it did lead to it being a lot of the same in the song to song experience, which did detract from the enjoyment for me.

You can really sense the late 70s early 80s vibe of this album from production to instrumentation. This album was solidly okay.

Favorite songs: Time To Get It Together, I Met A Little Girl, Here My Dear

Great and everlasting voice. Unfortunately not always the best songwriting on this album. But still a great musician!

I don't really understand why this album was chosen, since it's not very representative of Marvin Gaye and doesn't contain any of his hits and according to the Wiki page wasn't successful either. But I did enjoy it. The subdued disco-funk touches compliment Gaye's more introspective style of soul on this album very well. It took me 2 tracks to get into, but then I enjoyed the album a lot.

Probably sounded quite novel when it was released. Struggled to tell songs apar.

Not my style but wow!!

Smooth emotional soul. Nothing too standout to me. Easy listening. This level of softness isn't right for me. Enjoyable listen but it's almost background music.

Everybody needs love and time to get it together are my favorites

I didn't know a single one of these songs even though I thought a knew a fair amount of Marvin Gaye. Fair play!

I don’t think I was in the mood

Marvin Gaye is smooth as hell and cool as the other side of the pillow on this one. Funk inspiration is rampant here. Such a good vibes album.

A little less consistent than his previous outings, but quite good nonetheless. The level of storytelling and the beauty of the soulful instrumentals is still on point. Love Marvin!

much of the same

Don't listen to Marvin Gaye that much. I am excited to dive into an artist I'm not familiar with. Excited for this one. I liked When did you stop loving me, When did I stop loving you. It was okay 4/10

This album is about ripping itself open and exposing all the ugly pieces of love falling apart, through a funk soul lens. This demands a second chance. Sparrow is a good track. This album does require some committment though.

Solid Marvin Gaye album. It’s classic R&B: you can’t go wrong.

Was good

Pretty underwhelming and not some of his best work. I'll stick with the classic albums and songs of his.

I'm a huge fan of minding your own business. So I don't really meddle in my neighbors' personal lives, nor do I take interest in celebrities' shenanigans, nor take pleasure in afternoon TV shows involving real life love affairs or late night TV shows involving fictional love affairs. So, the vouyeristic nature of Gaye's "Here My Dear" didn't hit me. In other words, I don't care about his divorce. I guess I appreciate the fragility and the sincerity of it. But that doesn't mean that I enjoyed thus one hour messy soul jams. There's a reason why it was panned when it's released, and it's simply because it sucks.

Nice and chilled, great for background music

I think it's fair to say that between Marvin Gaye and Barry White, they're probably responsible for a large portion of babies around the world - indirectly. Even if you're not in the mood, you will be by the end of this record. Filth!

Maybe shouldve kept to himself

Wow, this album was so long. I liked some songs

Fantastic vocals by Marvin and the instrumentals blend in so well. You can really feel the emotions each track.

Typische Marvin Gaye muziek, ook wel te klasseren als slaapkamermuziek. Leuk in z'n context, minder leuk erbuiten

Wonderful. Can't remember any of the songs/tunes, but it's just a beautiful noise, from start to finish. In that respect he's a bit like Van Morrison - it doesn't matter what he plays/sings, it's all just great.

24 Aug 2022

Relaxing to listen too. Had it playing for most the day

Good album, just not that into the sound of it rn

this instilled nothing but boredom.

Hey Marvin! Marvin! Why don't you just leave me alone? I'm just trying to make my life better by earning an honest day's wage, but here you are again, trying to talk me in to doing drugs and partake in sordid sex rituals. Just let me be. I hope you die, you creep. Leave my sister alone too. She's already had 4 abortions this year, she doesn't need another.

Q. What does SHARK eat for breakfast? A. Children

yum:) baby making music

Wow. Talk about catharsis. I was not particularly digging the first half of this two-album set. Marvin Gaye is unquestionably in a special, elite league as a vocalist. I marvel at how effortless his delivery is — though he also went for some moments of vocal strain in places on this album. But the opening five tracks were like him singing his sad diary in real time with a divorce (I later read a little about the album and that's pretty much what we're hearing). So, from an artistic, "I'm leaving everything out here on the field" perspective, this is pretty bold and probably groundbreaking when released. But I didn't find it made for a great listen, and I was thinking, "this is the kind of material you might regret having released five years after the fact." Things shifted after that with "Everybody Needs Love" and "Time To Get It Together," and I started feeling differently about the album. Still, it's a little hit and miss, "Sparrow" was a low point, but as the second half of the album wasn't so literally glued to his day-to-day airing of grievances, I thought the material was stronger. It's an uneven record, in my estimation, and the hyper-focus on his personal upheaval at the expense of songwriting on half the material makes this a three in my book.

I admit I went into this album with a bad attitude. There are so many great artists and albums not represented on this list of 1001 albums, why waste a slot on this, which was created out to essentially spite his ex-wife? And after the first two songs I was still pretty bitter about it. And don't get me wrong, I love Marvin Gaye. He might be my favorite singer. But I was not feeling it on those first two songs. Even his singing felt off. But I don't know, by the time the third song came on, the music got interesting and I opened my mind up. Some of these tracks are just plain weird and maybe even bad. But some of them are actually kind of cool. And the musicianship is excellent throughout, as you'd expect from Motown. I don't know how quickly I'll be putting this back on, but it was better than I initially gave it credit for. And maybe if I listen to it more I'll give it a better ranking, but this morning I'm feeling a 2

Hadn't heard this before, pretty classic sound and very listenable. Probably needs another round to pay more attention to the lyrics and concept. But enjoyed nonetheless.

Better than i thought it would be.

This may be sacrilege, but I'm just not wild about most 60s/70s R&B. Probably the same way my kids cringe every time I play "my" music in the car.

It was just ok. Not really distinguishable from any other r&b/soul from that era. A little disappointing actually.

Not his best work, but you can feel the talent and energy

I did not enjoy this.

Bitterness never sounded so sweet! It’s not my favorite Marvin Gaye album, but it’s still a Marvin Gaye album, and you can never go wrong with that.

heilt ok-

Altfor langt, ganske kjedelig, for sexy til å hørra på på jobb :/

Easy listening, not groundbreaking

No one else has ever made anger sound so beautiful.

Hmmm… This was a frustrating one. The story behind the album is interesting. The lyrics can be striking. There’s a couple great songs in here. But 70 minutes of mid tempo late seventies funk, with somewhat uneven performance by Gaye, it ended up being too much for me and I skipped a lot. Maybe caught me on the wrong day.

Je comprend que l'album n'est pas été un succès instantanné mais une revelation après plusieurs années. Ce n'est pas classique de Marvin Gaye comme je le connais, mais certaine de ces chansons sont empreint d'une grande emotivité et la production est A1. Marvin Gaye est un artiste que j'aime beaucoup et je crois que cet album est un must a écouté pour bien connaitre l'artiste. 5

Good album, nice easy and mellow. +1

25th July 2022 Listened in the morning and afternoon while in the house in Berrias. Afternoon by the river. Gaye does jazz with lovely results. 3.5 if I could.

Nothing special

é um album bem good vibes, mas a seleção de sintetizador deixa as musicas chatas. tem um mini wah wah em todas musicas, wah wah fica legal se usado precisamente, jorrando pra tudo quanto é canto fica irritante. não é meu tipo de musica, mas entendo porque algumas pessoas gostariam.

Coup dur Prefs: Here, My Dear, When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Anger, Is That Enough, Everybody Needs Love, Time To Get It Together, When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Instrumental), A Funky Space Reincarnation, You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You Moins pref: I Met A Little Girl

banger

R&b genius

Not bad. Seems like standard gaye stuff

Liked it, but didn't love it. Some songs were very good though. I liked Anger a lot, and Is That Enough? 3/5

Is That Enough and Anger were cool but I wasn't blown away by this. Fairly enjoyable but a little too cheesy for my taste.

As one of the premiere artists of his generation, of course this album is full of strong performances from Marvin and his crew. But this is no What's Going On. It's unpleasant and woefully light on hooks. Intentionally? Most likely, but there should be no surprise why this didn't catch on. It's a good, important album, but not an easy one to listen to, or arguably as rewarding as some of his others. B

Some good songs, but this feels better as background music rather than active listening. A few tracks feel unnecessary. Sparrow is a tune that oozes cool.

Just ok, didn't really hold my interest

Liked this one, nice music to chill out to for sure. Three stars because I don't see myself listening to this album again, but respect for making an entire album complaining about your ex wife lol.

I probably wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this album. I recognize that it has quality for the genre but the genre is not my cup of tea

fun and groovy

this album isn't bad, it's just not for me. i'm not really into ballads, and that holds consistently across the decades. great voice, heavy lyrics, solid performances all around fave: "when did you stop loving me, when did i stop loving you". reminds me of "options" by pedro the lion. i'm sure this song is a direct influence stellar album art

Romantic, soulful

Nice

MARVIN GAYE. One of the best to ever do it and my personal favorite artist of all time. This album, just like all his other work, is amazing. 5/5 there’s not a Marvin Gaye album that’s not a 5 star.

Doesn't add to anything he did earlier. Marvin did some amazing music and this is like excessive noodlings and musing centred on his ex-wife. I don't understand how these albums get added to the list. It's just irrelevant and unnecessary.

It’s not the greatest Marvin Gaye but it still had some good tracks on it. Also kinda tiring since this had similar sexy vibes to the last album I got, just in different eras

Cet albumdate de 1978, mais sonne comme 1968. Il n’a rien de mémorable. J’adore Marvin Gaye. Je trouve qu’il a créé des pièces magnifiques, mais cet album n’en est pas un.

Je ne comprends pas. Il faut entendre cet album parce qu'il s'agit de la plus mauvaise décision de faire un album double sur son divorce et ça en fait ainsi le plus grand échec commercial? Ça a été une écoute très difficile et pénible. En terme de face d'album, le 2e disque et plus particulièrement la face B est la meilleure. J'aime bien ce que Marvin Gaye fait, mais cet album n'était pas nécessaire.

- Soothing and calming. - Nothing to spectacular but it doesn't need to be also. - Brought a good message to a lot of the songs containing ideas like just loving each other in the world. - Some of the songs sounded like they were ramping up to more and just never reached it. - Good background music. - Songs were typically all good the just length of the songs made the songs worse typically. - Some songs could've been longer, and some could've been a lot shorter. - Songs became repetitive and boring as they went longer. - Overall mostly soothing and calming with a nice saxophone but also boring and not amazing. Even though most songs were to long or short and became boring it was still good music just not something I'd listen to on a daily basis. Good album though along with most songs containing a good message for the world.

Marvin sings the same about marriage breakup as he does about the state of the world and sexy time. Fine as background but got bored and put the News Quiz on.

I find it rather unjust for me to have to pass judgement on an album that’s so far away from my playing field. But given that’s what we’re here for today, I’ll just say the sound is exactly what, I’m led to believe, provided for many an old porn soundtrack.

Wonderful Sunday morning record

There's a fine line between romantic and soppy... I'm not sure where this album falls. It was ok

Would be 2* due to it being really quite depressing and boring to listen to, but minus one star for being so long too.

You can feel the love in his voice. Yes there were break up songs but they didn't come from anger or hate.

Classic Gaye

Big divorced energy.

I heard about Marvin Gaye way more than I ever listened to. He seems to mention in every joke about how to put Martin Gaye on to put your woman in the mood for some loving, but I doubt any of the people who write that actually do it. Anyway, the only mood it put me in was boredom.

There's nothing quite like when a skilled songwriter and sensitive artist is blessed with a voice so warm and smooth that can melt butter. I don't listen to Marvin Gaye a lot, but every time I do there is this incredible richness evident in his music. This album portrays the struggle of a love that has failed beautifully, traipsing through the sadness, anger, rejection, defiance, reminiscence, and acceptance with a style of music that is probably best described as sad disco. 4/5 I'd prefer that this were not a double album, because I have shit to do, but they didn't have the internet in the 70s, so I can understand why artists placed less emphasis on valuing people's time

Pretty good, not my favorite Marvin Gaye album but solid.

chill, typical gaye vibe, without hits tho, enjoyable

Not my style, but super chill and good.

"Here, My Dear" is quite the left turn from Marvin Gaye's earlier work. It's framed around his divorce from first wife Anna Gordy (originally intended to be knocked out so she could claim royalties) and sees him laying his cards on the table... for 73 minutes. Right from the off (an opening line of "I guess I'll have to say this album is dedicated to you"), "Here, My Dear" is a deeply personal album for Gaye. Every song is either addressed to Gordy or shows Gaye looking inward to assess where things went wrong in his marriage. The lyrics, though, are oddly non-specific. They're vague enough to speak to just about anybody in a failing relationship, without detail, sharpness or much poeticism (who can't relate to the memories of "love after dark and picnics in parks"?) Conceptually and musically, though, this album is nothing short of compelling. Largely dismissed on release, it apparently gained a new wave of respect and praise in the wake of Gaye's tragic death in 1984. It's easy to see how people might flock to "Here, My Dear" as a misunderstood masterpiece: it's certainly more ambitious in scope than Gaye's other releases. At times, the music calls back to Gaye's classic work: "Here, My Dear" is a tender doo-wop ballad, "Falling in Love Again" regains the optimism of "Let's Get It On". At others it draws from funk and disco breaking out at the time, with the strutting urgency of "Anger" and the bloated but fun "A Funky Space Reincarnation". At others it sounds like a touchstone for the nu-soul movement of the 90s (Maxwell and D'Angelo surely pulled a lot of tricks from this book). "Everybody Needs Love" is one of my highlights: a lovely spiritual take on love which emerges as the most positive song on the record despite the bitterness eating away at its core. If "Here, My Dear" doesn't hit straight away, it's down to the sheer volume of material: great as it is, three versions of "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is surely not necessary. Most tracks are over five minutes and many don't need to be so long. As self-critical as Gaye is here, it's also a shame that Gordy's version of events will never be enshrined like this. A quick internet search is enough to reveal Gaye's adulterous and abusive tendencies, somewhat undermining the peaceful messages espoused in this record. I might not have been particularly engaged by this album at first, but even with the above reservations taken into account, many of these songs have the grace and craft to transcend the ugly and bitter circumstances they arose from.

amazing