The Temptations
Cloud Nine (Motown/Universal Music)
140 Gram, Limited Edition, High Quality Virgin Vinyl
Motown legends the Temptations' 1969 ninth studio album was their first to feature Dennis Edwards after David Ruffin was fired in the June of '68. Under the direction of producer Norman Whitfield, Cloud Nine marked the beginning of the Tempts' journey into psychedelic soul.
That's clear from the cover, which sees the five guys looking chill. They're still wearing suits, but not the uniform, matching suits of the past. The trippy red swirl sitting over them hints further at the psychedelic direction.
Musically, they sound superb. The title track remains a part of their live set to this day, and the cover of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" is sublime. "Run Away Child, Running Wild" is where we really see a difference. This is an extended funk jam, instrumental for long periods and blessed with some hypnotic organ work.
Side B features gems like "Hey Girl," which allows the guys to show that their smooth harmonies didn't ever leave them. But then, anyone who ever doubted the Temptations was a but foolish anyway.
Van Halen
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (Warner Records/Rhino)
Limited Edition Double Vinyl/CD/Blu-ray Set
The cheekily-named For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was Van Halen's third album with Sammy Hagar, the first being 1986's 5150 and the second being 1988's OU812. The band was kind disparagingly tagged Van Hagar, which never sat right with this writer. Sure, Hagar didn't have the showmanship of Dave Lee Roth, and the band lost a bit of bluster.
That said, when we see Van Halen after the Roth reunion, the set was really missing the Hagar-era tunes. Many of the better ones are one this album, and this new set does a great job of highlighting the fact that it deserves fresh attention.
The original album is stretched over two LPs, or one CD. There's an additional CD of rarities and live material, and a 1991 Dallas concert on blu-ray.
There's a ton of fun to be had, as we rediscover the strength of songs such as "Poundcake" and the magnificent "Right Now." Dig in!
