Wish It Would Rain

by The Temptations

Overview

This is another entry in the 21st century British two-on-one reissues of the Temptations' classic albums. These are two of the most unalike of all of the group's albums, and also a completely natural pairing -- In a Mellow Mood was the Temptations' effort, urged by Berry Gordy, to push their sound toward an adult audience, while its immediate follow-up, Wish It Would Rain, was a return to their soul repertoire just a few months later, the prior album having done its job by getting them a much-sought gig at New York's Copacabana. Perhaps in deference to the tastes of most fans, the more soulful Wish It Would Rain tracks come first on this CD, and these are ear-opening in this new edition -- one even gets a sense of the action on the bells in the introduction of "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got," and the voices of David Ruffin and Eddie Kendricks (and even Melvin Franklin in his basso showcase "I Truly, Truly Believe") are so close that the singers seem like they're in the same room with you. In a Mellow Mood fits together chronologically with its successor, but the musical textures between the two sets of recordings are so different that they're jarring to hear at first. This material -- for which the group had a genuine affinity -- has a bigger, more booming sound and, with a couple of exceptions, is nowhere near as exciting as the companion volume. The vocals are impressive for their virtuosity, however, and Paul Williams' rendition of "The Impossible Dream," in particular, benefits from the clean, sharp mastering of this edition, which only brings out greater radiance in the singing. ~ Bruce Eder

Product Details

Release Date:	05/10/2024
Label:	Motown
UPC:	8435395503867
Rank:	36100

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Temptations   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Debbie Dean   Composer
Dee Clark   Composer
Johnson   Composer
John Lennon   Composer
Rodger Penzabene   Composer
Valerie Simpson   Composer
Horgay Gordy   Composer
Al Cleveland   Composer
George Forrest   Composer
Margaret Johnson   Composer,Composer
William Robinson   Composer
William Weatherspoon   Composer
Billy Smiley   Composer
Deke Richards   Composer
Smokey Robinson   Composer
Nickolas Ashford   Composer
George Gordy   Composer
Norman Whitfield   Composer
Earl Smiley   Composer
T. Johnson   Composer
Emilio "Father" Smiley   Composer
Marget Gordy   Composer
James Dean   Composer
Robert Craig Bob Wright   Composer
Allen Story   Composer
Terry Johnson   Composer
Paul McCartney   Composer
Barrett Strong   Composer
Barbara Neely   Composer
Eddie Kendricks   Composer
Eddie Holland   Composer