Marvin Gaye - I Want You CDs • Vinyl Records • LPs • Music Albums

love to hear you make those sounds,

Gaye sings on "Feel All My Love Inside" drains away, undermined by the laid-back passivity of the vocals and a production (by Leon Ware) too pleasant, low-keyed and subtle for its own good. As pillow talk this is entirely too limp, and in spite of the presence on several tracks of a woman's delighted sighs and moans (such a common effect these days that one is surprised not to find a background orgasm credit), the action here isn't much more than attractive but unenthusiastic foreplay. Gaye pleads and cajoles—"Baby please let me do it to you"—but too often he ends up sounding like a little boy whining for candy.

All of this might have been more acceptable—or less disappointing—from a lesser performer than Gaye, but after a landmark album like What's Goin' On one expects something with a little more substance and spirit. But there's no fire here, only a well-concealed pilot light. (RS 214)

VINCE ALETTI

A collaboration with songwriter/producer Leon Ware, this stands up as one of Marvin Gaye's finest LPs, with a love vibe that out-mellows Barry White's cinematic soul and turns the Philly disco sound into waterbed music. Sure, this smooth, intricately produced make out platter is more style than substance, but every record collection needs a little music this stylish in it.

An intricately produced LP that turns the phrase "style over substance" into a compliment, Marvin Gaye and Leon Ware's sensual epic gets augmented by an extra disc that features even more layered conga drums, keyboards and female moans. The extras are nice to have, if ultimately unessential, though the original album -- a love poem to the second Mrs. Gaye -- is a keeper.