THE TEMPTATIONS-SOLID ROCK CD Reissue

[mjdestiny]

Good news!!! According to the link below , this rare Temptations album will be reissue in CD the next month :

http://www.elemental-music.com/uncategorized/the-temptations-masterpiece-lp/

;)

[marv2]

Now this is some good news. I have all the Temptations albums on vinyl and few on CD. I don't have this one.........yet!

[mysterysinger]

So Elemental are about to release a series of CDs on the Tempts with the 5 CDs in March being:
“Masterpiece” [[also on LP)
“Solid Rock”
“Psychedelic Shack”
“Sky’s the Limit”
“Puzzle People”

Whilst I have liked the Elemental releases so far - the mastering on David Ruffin's "My Whole World Ended" was really terrible [[at least it is on my copy) so I view the announcement with mixed feelings. I'm unsure whether to buy any more of them. Otherwise, yes it would be very good news.

[PeaceNHarmony]

Interesting info - nice selection of releases. I actually already have Undisputed Truth's "Face to Face: and the Tops' "Nature". The mastering seems good enough for me; no bonus material on either but they are packaged in lovely, glossy cardboard CD fold-out sleeves replicating the original LPs - and pricing here in the USA is fair -

[kenneth]

Interesting info - nice selection of releases. I actually already have Undisputed Truth's "Face to Face: and the Tops' "Nature". The mastering seems good enough for me; no bonus material on either but they are packaged in lovely, glossy cardboard CD fold-out sleeves replicating the original LPs - and pricing here in the USA is fair -

I agree those two releases are excellently done. The mastering is just fine to my ears especially on "Face to Face" which I remember when I was a kid listening to on those big old clunky headphones!

[alexstassi]

I ended up buying it on iTunes a few years ago as I thought it would never get a physical release. Least I can now fit that 'gap between Sky's the limit and All Directions in my CD case.

[arr&bee]

Hey marv,i don't have it either[but hope to soon]their version of[ain't no sunshine]is fantastic.

[mjdestiny]

PUZZLE PEOPLE:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Puzzle-People-Temptations/dp/B079PHF8QY/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1518968832&sr=1-1&keywords=temptations&refinements=p_n_date%3A182239031
SKY'S THE LIMIT:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skys-Limit-Temptations/dp/B079PF13RS/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1518968832&sr=1-2&keywords=temptations&refinements=p_n_date%3A182239031
MASTERPIECE:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Masterpiece-Temptations/dp/B079PTDWFF/ref=sr_1_4?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1518968832&sr=1-4&keywords=temptations&refinements=p_n_date%3A182239031

[booty]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Solid-Rock-Temptations/dp/B079P9BVHZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1518973249&sr=1-1&keywords=solid+rock+the+temptations

Pre-ordered my copy couple of days ago.

[simon.millar]

Arrived today and sounding good... Just a shame "Wings of Love" wasn't given an outing. :-[[

[arr&bee]

The first temps lp with new members[richard street-damon harris]by the early seventies the temps were starting to look almost unrecognizable-no david-paul-eddie,but still had that classic temptations sound,amazing!

[Cosmic Truth]

"The Complete un-edited album for the first Time on CD! This Elemental Music release presents the acclaimed 1973 album Masterpiece, by The Temptations, which appears here for the first time on CD format including the full length un-edited studio versions of all of the album cuts [[these long versions were previously only available on vinyl)"

I have Masterpiece on CD, and I'm pretty sure it has the full length tracks on it.

I also have Masterpiece on a CD along with another Temptations album, A Song For You iirc, and those tracks have been edited, but I think the tracks on my Masterpiece CD are the full length versions.

[masterblaster]

Its disappointing that the Solid Rock album doesn't contain any of the single mixes, particularly 'Take A Look Around" which contained additional horns and strings and was far superior to the album version. Incidentally, the single was a hit in the UK in April of '72 [[#13) along with 'Superstar' [[#32) and the album also charting at 34.

[Cosmic Truth]

Its disappointing that the Solid Rock album doesn't contain any of the single mixes, particularly 'Take A Look Around" which contained additional horns and strings and was far superior to the album version. Incidentally, the single was a hit in the UK in April of '72 [[#13) along with 'Superstar' [[#32) and the album also charting at 34.

I agree. Surely they can put some extra tracks on CD's that are released decades after the original albums?

[mysterysinger]

Elemental issue straight re-issues of the albums, so no extra tracks [[same with Culture Factory and usually digital album downloads of course).

Surely you already have the single mix of "Take A Look Around" on TCMS 12A?

[jbpintus]

First of all a quick note on Elemental releases : terrible CDs most of the times, sometimes just ok cds.
Jimmy Ruffin GROOVE GOVERNOR was the only one that’s worth because it’s thf only physical cd release so far - but the download version on iTunes sounds better than Elemental’s cd.
Smokey, Commodores, Tops.. have gaps between songs when songs segues into the next ones. Terrible...
David RUFFIN cd is so badly mastered that it is unlistenable.
Well... I was afraid of the new Elemental CDs on the Temptations.

But the recent Temptations releases are surprisingly well done, although they do NOT represent the original lps, as alternates originally found on 2003’s PSYCHEDELIC SOUL systematically replace the original versions [[extra noise at the very beginning of I Can’t get next to you, alternates for Slave, Psychedelic Shack, Take A Look Around). The rest seems to be a copy of the latest remastered versions of the albums, as made available as download only. So it’s great to have them on cd.

Album by album, we have - CORE means to me that any Motown completist should get it as it’s the best version of the album available to date :

PUZZLE PEOPLE : sounds far better than any previous cd release. Extra noise at the beginning of “I can’t get next to you” that first appeared on PSYCHEDELIC SOUL.
“Slave” has the alternate from the same source. “Hey Jude” and “Don’t let the Joneses...” are mastered too loud and there’s some distortion in places.
“You don’t love me no more” has the intro less clipped than before.
“Since I’ve lost you” sounds different and don’t have the annoying click during the first bar.
CORE

PSYCHEDELIC SHACK :
Title opening song is the extended alternate that first appeared on PSYCHEDELIC SOUL in 2003. Great surprise in fact.
The rest of the album sounds like the 2015 download, so this is the best physical cd version of the album. CORE

SKY’S THE LIMIT :
Sounds as good as ever. Maybe a bit less hiss than on other CDs throughout the first couple of songs. Probably taken from the 2015 remastered download. CORE

SOLID ROCK :
“Take a Look Around” has the extra intro not found on the first cd releases. Too bad the single stereo mix wasn’t included.
Rest of the album sounds great.
Annoying noises on “Ain’t No Subshine” are not present.
Definitely a great improvement on what we had till now.
Probably taken from 2015’s download [[except “Take A Look Around” taken from PSYCHEDELIC SOUL.)
CORE

MASTERPIECE :
Sounds great. Probably taken from the 2014 download.
I haven’t made an A/B comparison, but they sound alike, and better than any other previous release.
Sticker says this is the first time the unedited album is on cd. That’s not true as we know.
CORE anyway.

To sum things up : for once, Elemental has done a great job.
Hope they’ll release the likes of WINGS OF LOVE, HOUSE PARTY, DO THE TEMPTATIONS, THE TEMPTATIONS [[1981) and SURFACE THRILLS...

JB

[mysterysinger]

That's a great analysis jbpintus - thanks. I've been putting off buying any more Elemental CDs because of quality issues so now I know what's what. Also, I didn't realise that there were different versions on "Psychedelic Soul" so I think I need that CD. I'm not sure I welcome the fact that several tracks on these new CDs aren't the same as on the original albums as I think that is misleading. I can't argue about the quality of packaging though on the Elemental CDs - very nice indeed. As the Tempts CDs are down in price now, I will take a punt based on the above though in fairness I already have all the albums on either CD [[4) or download [[1). I wish they'd release "Four Tops Now".

[danman869]

Thank you, JB! I was eyeing these releases and then saw stuff on the web saying that Elemental’s releases had been terrible with regards to sound quality. I was hesitating, but now I think I’ll make the purchase.

Does anyone know what the best/most-recent release of the “Cloud Nine” album is? I’d like to get that along with these Elemental CDs, if possible.

[jbpintus]

As far as a physical cd for CLOUD NINE is concerned, I’m not sure it has ever been remastered properly since it’s first appearance on cd as a 2fer with PUZZLE PEOPLE in 1986.

One thing is sure, the best version as of 2001 was automatically used for the new European 2fers.
So I guess the 2001 2fer is a safe choice.

Nothing tells me the later Japanese CDs, shm or mini lps were remastered. I don’t have them all to compare at that.

Tracks “Cloud Nine” and “Runaway Child” [[complete) were remastered for PSYCHEDELIC SOUL in 2003. As for the other tracks, I don’t know really.

The CLOUD NINE lp was remastered for iTunes in 2015 so it seems this download is the best version available as of yet.
And I don’t think there was any new edition of that album released on cd that might use the iTunes remaster since then.

[gordy_hunk]

MASTERPIECE :
Sounds great. Probably taken from the 2014 download.
I haven’t made an A/B comparison, but they sound alike, and better than any other previous release.
Sticker says this is the first time the unedited album is on cd. That’s not true as we know.
CORE anyway.

To sum things up : for once, Elemental has done a great job.
Hope they’ll release the likes of WINGS OF LOVE, HOUSE PARTY, DO THE TEMPTATIONS, THE TEMPTATIONS [[1981) and SURFACE THRILLS...

JB

Thanks for the information.

My copy of Masterpiece - which is on the CD containing the LP of "A song for you" [[released 2000, 159510-2) has the edited version of 'Hurry Tomorrow' [[4:40) - and not the full version.

These releases are rather expensive, although I'm tempted to buy this one CD.

[jbpintus]

MASTERPIECE contains edited versions of “Hey Girl [[I like your Style)”, “Law Of The Land”, “Plastic Man” and “Hurry Tomorrow” on the 1986 and UK 2000 2fers.

If you want to have the unedited album, you need to get the stand alone CDs MOTD-5144, 3746351442 [[both US) or Tamla Motown WD 72076 [[Europe).

Beware that later versions of the album, including PolyGram’s European release on 530 100-2 use the edited versions.

I do not know what’s up with any post-2000 Japanese reissues.

JB