![]() It's pretty awesome as well, and kind of surprising coming from this group. ![]() I'm just realizing "Runaway Child" clocks in at 9+ minutes. The more funk-driven tracks of side 1 are the real deal. It's more that they took their signature sound and tweaked it slightly to go with the tone of what was on the charts at the time. I know this album gets pegged as the Temps' big funk and psychedelic turn, but much of it is not. I'll subtract half a point for some painful earnestness and out of subjective personal preference. There is little of the outright filler, pointless covers of hit material, and outright pandering to crossover audiences that was all too common on Motown releases. I prefer 70s soul to 60s soul, but Cloud Nine is one of the more solid efforts of the period. There's a lot to be said for soulful and varied vocals, competent if conventional arrangements, and the solid songcraft and musicianship from the Motown stable. After the initial blast of funk, the rest of the album reverts to the Temptations signature smooth soul. And sure enough, it's the Temps, so the vocals kick ass. ![]() But how about the music? The playing and arrangements of the first three tracks in the relatively new funk style are impeccable. Social consciousness is one thing, but these lyrics are pretty on the nose. Obviously, The Temptations Cloud Nine was groundbreaking at the time for its use of funk, but how does it hold up? To modern ears, the earnestness of the lyrics grates a little.
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