The Temptations
All Directions

The Aliens are back and they think politically correct …

“Run, Charlie, run / Look! The niggers are coming! / The niggers are coming!” The “new” vinyl spins on the turntable (a novelty in my house, although it's a first Italian press from 1972 NM and, therefore, used) and I'm enjoying it on the usual sofa, when … BAM! The window bursts open violently and in a flash, the two notorious space fools reappear in my house, though uninvited, floating in the ether and with a serene air and affected voice they proclaim in unison: “on April 6, 2018, the criminal legislator introduced the autonomous offense under art. 604 bis c.p. which, concerning racial, ethnic, and religious discrimination, establishes that: unless the fact constitutes a more serious crime, it is punishable by: a) imprisonment of up to one year and six months or a fine of up to 6,000 euros for anyone who promotes ideas based on racial or ethnic superiority or hatred, or incites to commit or commits acts of discrimination for racial, ethnic, national, or religious reasons.”

So … do they really believe that in 2025 racial discrimination can be fought with laws, decrees, and Constitutional Court rulings?!?! Then again, okay, the aliens, but hasn't history taught us humanoids anything? Or perhaps the past, in this futuristic drift we are forced to live through, counts for nothing?

And so, once again, I try to explain to the two ETs that it was 1972 when “All Directions” was released and, despite the USA approving the “Civil Rights Act” in 1964, violent rebellions caused by living conditions in the ghettos were increasingly commonplace: black people wanted jobs, decent housing, and better schools. In those same years, America was increasingly heading towards two distinct, separate, and unequal societies: that of whites and blacks. The “Black Muslims” and “Black Power” didn't want peaceful integration but a clear distinction, blacks had not found a valid alternative to violence as a means to achieve rightful ideals.

A good part of my understanding of those tumultuous years comes from listening to the music produced back then. Sure, one can't say that the Temptations' repertoire up to the mid-60s taught me much about the contradictions of American society, but the change had already begun in 1968. Until then, The Temptations had collected one hit after another with their sensational vocals, lively choreographed performances, and ballads crafted by the authoritative Motown writers. But, if even the most conformist band of the Detroit stable underwent a metamorphosis, started with the release of “Cloud Nine” (1968), it means something big was happening. The final transformation would occur with their next two albums, “Psychedelic Shack” and “All Directions”, the reviewed album that contains the verses cited in the opening and extracted from the second track “Run Charlie Run”. And here Charlie isn't the Vietcong hiding underground but the white man who goes to church on Sunday only to forget everything promised to God by Monday.

Even the lineup isn't the same: the days of David Ruffin, Paul Williams, and Eddie Kendricks are over, devastated by the usual mix of addictions, health problems, diverging ideas on the band's direction, and financial disputes. Damon Harris's voice replaced Kendricks's, and many skeptics were convinced that the band was over. Instead, Whitfield's production pushed them towards new directions already explored by Marvin Gaye for the lyrics and Sly Stone for the music, and Edwards's voice had the grit and righteous indignation to fit the new course undertaken by the band. Add to this the presence of the Funk Brothers, who provide the work with a funk-laden Groove backdrop, and the explosive mix is served!

Going in order, the album opens with “Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On” (originally recorded by Edwin Starr) sprinkled with nods to Sly Stone, despite the fake crowd noises partially ruining the listening experience. But after “Run Charlie Run,” the true masterpiece of the entire album begins, a track worthy of its own review: “Papa Was A Rolling Stone,” here performed in the full 12-minute version. The sounds of the rhythm section, wah-wah guitars, keyboards, and winds swirling with psychedelic effect build into increasing tension: the longer the introduction, the more anticipation grows. After four and a half dramatic and overwhelming minutes, in which the ever-present bass is the true backbone of the track, the vocal part begins: Damon plays the role of a child's mother, responding to three questions about the deceased father, trying to balance the rumors about his wandering. At the end of this epic track, you realize this is one of the pivotal moments not only of the album but the entire career of The Temptations.

In truth, only the three commented on and the cover of “Do Your Thing” (by Isaac Hayes) can be defined as psych-soul, so if you expect something similar to Sly & The Family Stone, you might be disappointed. But if you keep in mind the title, you can appreciate all the directions of the Soul genre that the work explores, particularly “Philly sweet soul,” which contributed to the proliferation of African Americans in the '70s. You know, the kind that plays in the background during the mid-movie scene where the fire chief (strictly black) comes home, pours himself two fingers of whiskey, loosens his tie knot, and tells his wife: “it was a tough day today,” well knowing how he can make it better under the sheets!

Among these, the peak is reached in “Love Woke Me Up This Morning,” a ballad that could have appeared on any previous Temptations work: written by the legendary Ashford and Simpson and first performed by the inimitable Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Harris seizes the opportunity to sing it solo without the slightest struggle. Worth mentioning also is “Mother Nature,” among other things, better aged, where Danny Edwards takes the stage practically crying at every verse he pronounces.

With the concluding “Do Your Thing,” it becomes more Funk again with Edwards showcasing his talent by combining emotion, passion, and drama and a nice piano accompanying him. Completing the set are two other ballads in classic Temptations style: “I Ain't Got Nothin” and “The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face).”

With “All Directions,” mixing and matching experimental hints with melancholy attacks, the Temptations put on a first-class act proving, if needed, how to transform a melody into a great work of art.

P.S. but haven't the Aliens crashed into the Starlink?!?!?