MARVIN GAYE-WHAT'S GOING ON (1971)
A landmark album not just musically, but personally and professionally for Marvin. Disillusioned with many aspects of his life both professionally and personally, Marvin fought tooth and nail with Motown head Berry Gordy to release an album wrote by himself, played with a full credit to the in-house Motown band The Funk Brothers AND make it lyrically relevant to Americas feeling to the ongoing Vietnam war (Marvins brother had recently returned home after a 3 year stint in Vietnam). After a hard battle Gordy relented in the sure fire knowledge that it would be a failure. How wrong he was! The album changed soul music for ever and gave great freedom to other motown staples such as Stevie Wonder.
Musically it was also adventurous for a soul album. Each song connecting with the other through particular motifs and evidence of Jazz style ideas running through the album.
The albums highlights (punctuated with one of the most naturally gifted voices in soul) are the lazy superlative title track. Right On has an instantly likeable groove elevated with some great string work and Inner City Blues is soul encapsulated in five minutes of beauty. It also happens to be my absolute favourite soul track with Marvin never ever sounding better in my view.
If you have any passing interest in Soul but think that the genre is only about ballads and is musically unadventurous then listen to this superlative masterpiece. I think every self-respecting music fan should have this in their collection. There is not one duff note on the whole album and it works not only as a stunning music album but a representation of an artists determination to be true to their ideals and beliefs.