in which the fight for civil rights has been won . “ No more smilin ' faces lyin ' to the races ,” sings Mavis . Opening track “ This World ” was a third Top 40 single from the album , a swampy soul-rocker propelled by the buoyant groove of bassist David Hood and colored by Barry Beckett ’ s shimmering electric piano . Mavis testifies to the power of positivity . “ I can make myself a sunny tomorrow ,” she sings . The effervescent “ We the People ” received a boost in recognition when used by Joe Biden during his 2020 presidential campaign . The song calls for racial integration and working for the betterment of the community . Pops delivers the evangelical funk of “ Who Do You Think You Are ? ( Jesus Christ the Super Star ).” The Memphis Horns punctuate the stirring and metaphorical “ I ’ m Just Another Soldier ,” which sends tribute to fallen fellow activists Martin Luther King , Jr ., John F . Kennedy , and Bobby Kennedy . The reissue has been spectacularly mastered from the original stereo tapes for this lively 180-gram vinyl release by respected engineer Jeff Powell . ( craftrecordings . com )
– Jeff Elbel
8
MARVIN GAYE What ’ s Going On 50th Anniversary 2xLP ( Tamla / UMe )
Marvin Gaye ’ s catalog overflows with gems , but What ’ s Going On is the crown jewel . The soulful album saw Gaye emerge from a troubled period to assume control of his musical destiny as producer , setting pop fluff aside for weighty issues dominating headlines in 1970-1971 . Aided by the Funk Brothers , Gaye observed the displacement of returning Vietnam War veterans in “ What ’ s Happening Brother ,” criticized misplaced government priorities in the face of poverty with the supremely funky “ Inner City Blues ( Make Me Wanna Holler ),” addressed the self-destructive escapism of drugs in “ Flyin ’ High ( In the Friendly Sky ),” and lamented man-made ecological woes in “ Mercy Mercy Me .” “ Wholy Holy ” called for unity and reverence . The album ’ s immortal title cut practically needs no introduction . Its soulful pop perfection is combined with the sublimely sung but potent social protest of issues , including police brutality toward theAfrican-American community . “ With the world exploding around me , how am I supposed to keep singing love songs ?” Gaye asked . This 50th-anniversary vinyl pressing includes a second LP . One side of the bonus platter includes original mono single mixes for five of the album ’ s nine songs . B-side “ Sad Tomorrows ” offers a more upbeat treatment of “ Flyin ’ High ( In the Friendly Sky ),” taking its own soaring flight with richly-arranged doo-wop backing vocals . The other bonus LP side includes mixes revealing the progress toward the final classic version of the title cut “ What ’ s Going On .” The captivating demo for the follow-up song “ Symphony ” features Gaye ’ s early , improvised lyrics that overlap those of the album ’ s title cut . Several of the bonus cuts make their vinyl debut here , and the sleeve notes include Hanif Abdurraqib ’ s insightful new essay . ( classic . motown . com )
– Jeff Elbel
10
SIMPLE MINDS Direction of the Heart
( BMG )
Simple Minds ’ saturation on MTV and US radio was not the long-lived and recurrent phenomenon it deserved to be . True , the Scottish alt-rockers received a massive jolt when they accepted the assignment to record the indelible 1985 alt-rock track “ Don ’ t You ( Forget About Me )” for the emblematic ‘ 80s movie The Breakfast Club . The band ’ s seventh album , Once Upon a Time was a major hit as a result , with singles including the stirring “ Sanctify Yourself ,” “ All the Things She Said ,” and Billboard Hot 100 # 3 single “ Alive and Kicking .” Ensuing efforts like Street Fighting Years showed equal passion and commitment , but the band received diminishing returns on
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