TEMPTATIONS/MASTERPIECE G965L (-73) US

 The combo's twentyfourth LP, including the ones they did together with The Supremes. Though checking the credits it seems more like a Norman Whitfield album with Temptations on vocals, as Whitfield wrote all songs, produced and took part in the mixing. So is it the masterpiece the title promises? Listening to the presentation it is in a way - all floating out sweet and soft, perfectly mixed with audio very good to the ears and mind, also instrumentation and vocals are excellent. When it comes to the songwriting I'm not all that taken. I do appreciate the 13:54 title track - soul prog with an eastern flavour - and the partly adventurous "Ma". The rest pretty good, but not overly catchy, just ordinary Temptation stuff carried by odd arrangements. However that may be the atmosphere alone is enchanting enough, making it easy to curl up in the listening chair and slowly dream away. A keeper for sure. Issued and reissued on all possible formats all over the world through the years. First US had label as shown here in a fully laminated cover with embossed frame and band faces on front and embossed frame on rear.  (YZÄ*) (ÄIÖ*) (TÖMÖ*)