album. The urgency of the lyrics,

I'm gonna be stroking you

In and out

Up and down

All around

I 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