Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Vinyl? Check! 12: Needs Not Wants


Enter The Elgins Temptation's last album to be written and produced by Norman Whitfield(R.I.P.), 1990 (recorded in 1973). This album caused more of a stir behind the scenes than it did in sales (there was only one Top 40 Hit, Let Your Hair Down). The Temptations were unhappy with Whitfield's socio-political songwriting, personality and production (which at times focused more on instrumentation and less on their vocals). 1990's Zoom clocks in at 13:18 with a little less than half being instrumental and vocalizing. Motown was also involved in a disc jockey boycott (can you imagine that nowadays?), which caused DJs to refuse to play Heavenly, which is a shame because it sounds just like its namesake.

Norman Whitfield was eventually replaced as The Temptation's producer and subsequently left Motown with Rose Royce (who backed The Temptations on this album) in tow, but not before creating an album filled with gems, I Need You being one of which contains that classic Temptaions' sound. I Need You benefits from the Temps golden voices, primarily Damon Harris' tenor/falsetto (Damon grew up admiring Eddie Hendricks, who he replaced in the Temptations), Henry Garner Jr's (of Rose Royce) drum breaks and Norman Whitfield's stellar production which sounds like Superfly era Curtis Mayfield.


The Temptations - I Need You

3 Comments:

Blogger ChocLitLuvJoi said...

Awwww; It's Christmas! I LooOooOOOoooVe the Temptations! That easy breezy sound, yielding slight hip girations, salsa-esque foot movements, snapping fingers, and endless smiles as you seduce the opposite sex across the room. A song that brings both sexes to the dance floor to DaNce 2gthr; ohh the good ol' days. The boom bap ping of the cymbals, the crescendo! Muy muy excelente!

The song sounds like a duel for love, he challenges her with the keys, horns and drum machine. How dare her leave him! A man willing to fight for his love musically. Bravo DJ, great pick!

~Merry Christmas world!!!!

December 25, 2008 at 9:26 PM  
Blogger Ms.BeatJunkie!!! said...

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! This is the way to chillon a Sunday mornng...WOW.

This is DOPE in every form of the word. I haven't heard this one before...so I must own it.

December 28, 2008 at 10:36 AM  
Blogger Ms.BeatJunkie!!! said...

Okay so I was caught slipping...I looked through some of my stuff and guess what I found...this album. I sampled a track from here "Heavenly:...Wow shame on me...you can check it out here:
http://www.myspace.com/offbeatmusiq

December 28, 2008 at 6:44 PM  

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