Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Marvin Gaye - What's going on.

I lucked out over the weekend when I was at the used record store and found this record in the extra cheap bin. The sleeve was in bad shape but the record itself plays perfect, not a single skip on it.  It was funny when I listened to it on the computer all digitally remastered and clean as can be... I was not feeling it. Sure the songs were good and I knew most of them but for some reason I couldn't get into it. 
Then I put the record on and it was a different story. The songs go perfectly into one another and the sound was amazing.  Now don't get the wrong idea I am not some purist that believes the only true sound is vinyl, but there was something in the way that record sounded on the old HiFI compared to the crystal clear home stereo surround. 
This record was different than other Motown record in the fact that it was recorded in the format that each song preludes into the next and it tells a story of a guy returning home after the war where nothing good is happening in the country he was away fighting for.  This album is heavy on the political and social themes and funny enough they still ring through today 40 years after the record was recorded.
Being that the album was a concept album and had heavy themes to the music it was still one of Marvin Gaye's best albums if not the best.  The title track "What's Going On" is a groovin track that has a funk feel along with the Jazz undertones, which make it a classic soul song.  It was the most popular on the album but personally I think the rest of the songs are just as valid.  I dig the deep soulful touches on the whole album yo can get lost in the songs and the ideas the picture that he is painting.  Marvin had allot on his mind and it shows in the songs he wrote.
So being that I enjoyed this more on the vinyl format I am recommending to get it that way... But if you have no way to play a record then I say get it any other way you can, and enjoy it.
What's Going On

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