Post by jay on Apr 10, 2004 23:31:29 GMT -5
In 1976, The Temptations were in the midst of a low point in their career as far as popularity was concerned. Things got so bad that around this time, the group switched to Atlantic. But before they did, they recorded this little forgotten gem. "The Temptations Do The Temptations" is one of those rare albums that you can listen to from start to finish, and not skip any tracks, with the exception of maybe one or two(Ain't No Stoppin', Let Me Count The Ways). At the time, the group personal was uneven, but as this album shows, they were still a surprisingly strong vocal group when they tried to be. At the time, The Temptations consisted of Dennis Edwards, Glenn Leonard, Richard Street, Otis Williams, and Melvin Franklin. It should be considered illegal that Mowtown hasn't issued this album on CD. Here are a few songs of note:
"Why Can't We Get Together": The temptations decide to mix early disco/dance music, with still trying to keep the "classic" sound, and oddly enough it works well. The highlight is Glenn Leonard's tenor/falsetto.
"I'm On Fire": This is Glenn's greatest moment as a temptation...no question about it. The high note he hits at the end is mind boggling. Before you listen to this, I feel obligated to offer a warning to the male population of temptations fans. If you are an 18 or 19 year old virgin, LISTENING TO THIS SONG WILL BE PHYSICALLY PAINFUL.
"Let Me Count The Ways": This song is very good, but not quite great. Vocally, it's a highlight of the album. The reason it's listed here is because Otis makes a rare appearance on record. Musically, the orchestra makes the song sound a bit "lush" and a little overblown.
"I'll Take You In": This song show how Dennis Edwards had grown vocally over the years. With songs like "I Can't Get Next To You", and "Ball Of Confusion(That's What The World Is Today)", he showed himself to be a no nonsense screamer. By 1976 however, his voice had matured and deepened to the point that he virtually became a gospe singer. This song gives new meaning to "curch music". The best part is at the end, when the vocals and instruments drop out. For about a full minute, the bass and drums pound out a beat that almost simulates your heart while you're in love. If that's not enough, during that minute, Dennis is right on top, pleading his case to a women who doesn't seem to want to go back to love ever again.
"Why Can't We Get Together": The temptations decide to mix early disco/dance music, with still trying to keep the "classic" sound, and oddly enough it works well. The highlight is Glenn Leonard's tenor/falsetto.
"I'm On Fire": This is Glenn's greatest moment as a temptation...no question about it. The high note he hits at the end is mind boggling. Before you listen to this, I feel obligated to offer a warning to the male population of temptations fans. If you are an 18 or 19 year old virgin, LISTENING TO THIS SONG WILL BE PHYSICALLY PAINFUL.
"Let Me Count The Ways": This song is very good, but not quite great. Vocally, it's a highlight of the album. The reason it's listed here is because Otis makes a rare appearance on record. Musically, the orchestra makes the song sound a bit "lush" and a little overblown.
"I'll Take You In": This song show how Dennis Edwards had grown vocally over the years. With songs like "I Can't Get Next To You", and "Ball Of Confusion(That's What The World Is Today)", he showed himself to be a no nonsense screamer. By 1976 however, his voice had matured and deepened to the point that he virtually became a gospe singer. This song gives new meaning to "curch music". The best part is at the end, when the vocals and instruments drop out. For about a full minute, the bass and drums pound out a beat that almost simulates your heart while you're in love. If that's not enough, during that minute, Dennis is right on top, pleading his case to a women who doesn't seem to want to go back to love ever again.
