Marvin Gaye: In The Groove - 1968

 

Marvin Gaye had been spending his time duetting with Tammi Terrell in the 1967-68, but, on the back of his huge hit in I Heard It Through The Grapevine, Motown managed to get an album's worth of material from him. Good stuff it was too, presented here in glorious stereo. In The Groove is an apt title. There is an effortless, soulful - and at times funky - grooviness to the album. 

You is a slightly unusual Marvin Gaye song in that it sounds really robust and Four Tops-ish, as if Levi Stubbs had come in on vocals. It has a great sound quality on it. Killer stereo. Love that bassline. A fine start to the album indeed. The standard was continued on the solidly catchy groove of Tear It On Down.

Chained had been recorded by Paul Peterson the previous year, but here the peerless Marvin Gaye makes it his own. It is full of rhythm and that very '68-style funky soul. It is one of Gaye's best slightly lesser-known hits. It has a really enticing brassy and bassy groove to it. 

What more can be said about I Heard It Through The Grapevine? It is sort of unique, isn't it? Many say it has a mysterious melody and backbeat to it and, listening to it again, I guess that is true, although I've never quite picked up on that. It's just a damn good tune to me, but I know what they mean. That keyboard and tambourine intro. Motown "quality control" executives initially rejected the song as a potential single, by the way. The song was originally recorded by good old Gladys Knight, of course. She struck unlucky - again!

At Last (I Found A Love) is a really vibrant number featuring some great vocals and Change What You Can is almost as energetic. The covers of the Drifter's Goffin-King song Some Kind Of Wonderful and The Four Tops' Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever are both delivered appealingly, the latter's funky bassline particularly catching the ear. Marvin could sing anything he was asked to, let's be honest. 

It's Love I Need is a funky-ish, robust number that sees Marvin sort of ad-libbing his vocal in true funky fashion. It cooks on a pretty high heat. Every Now And Then is attractively poppy and adds to the growing impression I have that this is one of Gaye's most underrated albums.  

You're What's Happening (In The World Today) was a strong flip side to Grapevine too, containing a bit of its partner's oomph. Obviously it doesn't quite get there but it isn't a bad 'b' side at all.

There Goes My Baby, also a Drifters song, is another impressive cover to end this mightily enjoyable album. There is a lot of pleasure to be found in these sixties Motown albums, something that is not often acknowledged.