Representing much of the group's output for the year 1969, the two albums show the group advancing in the face of adversity - Paul Williams, who had been very much the Temptations' sparkplug in its earlier years, was in declining health, and music was changing around the group, almost faster than a lot of soul artists of the era could keep up with. This remastered collection is a reminder, even better than the Emperors Of Soul box, of precisely how ambitious and urgent the Temptations' music became in response, and how the group and producer Norman Whitfield helped expand and change soul music's boundaries in the process.
Arguably the Temptations' best album since Truly For You dropped in 1984, For Lovers Only is not the Temptations' first album of standards. This set of classics is different than Temptations in a Mellow Mood, where they acquiesced to the material, giving relatively straight readings, and never deviated far from the songs' popular arrangements. The only things the standards on For Lovers Only have in common with the originals are the titles and the lyrics, the arrangements are completely different, and the tempos are changed. The Temptations' sing with this much enthusiasm in years.
The Very Best of Temptations Christmas features the popular Motown group performing a number of Christmas favorites. Most of the favorites are here: "Silver Bells," "The Christmas Song," "White Christmas," "Oh Holy Night," and "Silent Night." There are some playful moments here as well, such as the album-opening "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," making this a fun collection. Motown fans should adore this.
Arguably the Temptations' best album since Truly For You dropped in 1984, For Lovers Only is not the Temptations' first album of standards. This set of classics is different than Temptations in a Mellow Mood, where they acquiesced to the material, giving relatively straight readings, and never deviated far from the songs' popular arrangements. The only things the standards on For Lovers Only have in common with the originals are the titles and the lyrics, the arrangements are completely different, and the tempos are changed. The Temptations' sing with this much enthusiasm in years.
The cast album accompanies the record-breaking musical that tells the story of the Motown soul legends.