In 1997, Motown Records released the posthumous Marvin Gaye album, "Vulnerable". The album, which was to be released sometime in 1979 as "Ballads", was shelved for years due to possible commercial reasons.
Finally released, the album brings way to one of the singer's most poignant concept projects he ever put out. Reviving some 1960s recording sessions, Marvin put all of his emotions from his tumultuous personal life and bared his heart in the way that was more cathartic than what created "Here, My Dear", recorded around the same time frame as this one was. All the tracks are exquisite and this album produces some of Marvin's greatest vocals yet. A tragic masterpiece in more ways than one indeed.
Among the best is "Why Did I Choose You" both in the final cut and the alternate version, "I Wish I Didn't Love You So" - which included the two different vocal styles of Marvin (baritone + tenor) singing in very contrasted terms, "This Will Make You Laugh" mainly for Marvin's humorous use of BASS (!) near the end, while the tragic but asserting "I Won't Cry No More" is Marvin at his confessional best. He puts his own spin on the song in the alternate cut and sings with more force that has a tear drop in the song even if he is determined "not to cry no more". "She Needs Me" is truly sexy as Marvin's falsetto comes at perfect times.
Overall it's an album that will continue to have everlasting value with fans of Marvin Gaye, jazz, R&B and/or Motown. A+
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