Customer Reviews

Trouble Man

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marvin long considered his score to the forgotten film TROUBLE MAN to be his best work. While I would not call it his best (could anything really top WHAT'S GOING ON, LET'S GET IT ON, or HERE, MY DEAR?), it is a fantastic album in it's own right. Textured and atmospheric, this lovely, complex score deserved to be featured in a much better movie. It's often compared with the ground-breaking soundtracks SHAFT and SUPERFLY, however TROUBLE MAN is much more poised and intricate than those funk classics. It sounds more like a bittersweet separation, rather than a head-on collision. Though largely instrumental, TROUBLE MAN does contain the hit title song (#7 Pop, #2 R&B), which is justifiably considered one of Gaye's classic singles.

Marvin Gaye's body of work never ceases to amaze me. While it is true that "Trouble Man", the soundtrack, has been actually produced by the 5 or 6 arrangers listed in the jacket credits, Marvin lent his name to the final product, and if you listen to his output from the "What's Going On"- "Let's Get It On"-"I Want You"-"Here My Dear" era there are some awe inspiring, but lesser commercial ventures. "Marvin and Diana" and this are prime examples of what I'm saying. Listen to the butterscotch and blues multi-vocal tracking on "Cleo's Apartment" and listen to how it segues into the "Trouble Man" single--sublime! The bluesy Marvin Gaye vocals and the Trevor Lawrence (he sounds as if he were playing on a late night street corner, doesn't he?) saxophone work makes this an excellent CD. It was remastered using 20-bit technology in 1998 and it will hold it's own against any pure jazz album. Get it from Amazon.com, now.

I don't care for What's Goin On, or most of Marvin gaye's material for that mattter- heresy! I know, I know... Just never cared for him so much. But I love this strange, pained, noirish jewel of a soundtrack. Probably because it's mostly instrumental. Gaye's voice an lyrics always struck me as s bit overwrought, bordering on affectatious- make of that what you will... I go more for funk and jazz than R&B; the urban yodeling school of vocal delivery.

I've never seen Trouble Man, but I listen to this all the time! In terms of the mood- it veers from sounding like a 40's Bogart detective film to (how apropos) 70's blaxploitation (with the tinsel horns)to damn near something that could have been released a week ago... Some of the tracks (T plays is cool, for example, with those thick, bone-breaking drum beats and the slick synth mixing tight with the sax- sounds like a band boxing it out- I LOVE how you expect a cymbal at the end of the stuttered tom-tom beat fill but the drummer must have left them in the van, no cymbals! It's unexpected and sweet as hell!!!!) sound so modern- they sound like they could have been put down by a R&B genius yesterday.

The jazzy interludes are deft and restrained with lush strings and evoactive sax. The bluesier momenst work well too- My only minor beef with this is that it clocks in at a little under 40 minutes... wish there were more.

Cleo's Apt with the cooing 'wooo-wooh-wooos' is seductively gorgeous, a fave. This is one of those albums you can write to or read to or kick back to, wash dishes, go running, lift, clean your car- it's infectious and immediate and dark as pitch.

Recommended for all who love marvin, funky jazz, laid-back R&B, or bleak, anguish-laden groovy music!

I'm with the previous reviewer, did the amazon reviewer actually listen to this?
This a fantastic record. It stands strongly with the other two mentioned.
I tracked it down for myself on cassette in the early 90's, the finally got it on vinyl - now CD. I gets better and better, upon repeated listenings, it is satisfying on so many levels - there is a real unfolding emotional intensity in this album.

Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye were on totally different orbits, just listen to any of their other works for comparison. In my opinion Mayfield, whilst catchy, went the route of James Brown for soundtracks i.e. did their usual stuff, but for soundtrack.

Soundtracks are all about incidental music too, you know! Gaye created atmosphere.

Marvin Gaye is one of the most gifted and visionary talents of the popular black music ever launched by Motown. Through out his disturbed music career, Marvin released plenty of great albums:
'what's going on', 'Let's get it on' and more releases, yet 'Trouble man' stands apart.

Marvin released this soundtrack in the early 70, and came out with one that ranked right alongside with Isaac Hayes in 'Shaft'.
More, this album is soul consistant from beginning to end.
Any new artist playing soul music today, Marvin Gaye's 'Trouble man' is the roots to all.

If you are into soul music and don't own 'trouble man', your music collection is missing biiiig time.

This has a much smoother, more mellow sound than most blaxploitation soundtracks. Hey it's Marvin Gaye what would you expect? Limited amount of vocals probably hurt this cd in some fans eyes but I loved it!! In it's own way, Trouble Man is the equal of the more noted soundtracks of the period. Again if you like super smooth intrumentals this is the cd for you! Beautiful music. If I was to list the essential blaxploitation soundtracks I would go with SHAFT, SUPERFLY, TROUBLE MAN, and THE MACK! The Trouble Man theme is as good as any of the other themes. Check this out!

Overall, this soundtrack is an underrated classic, but if you want music to have sex by, this should definitely be in your top 10. It's sexy, smoldering and sensuous. Turn the lights down, take Barry White out of the player and pop in Trouble Man. You've got it made...

Yeah, the Amazon reviewer is a moron. I suggest you listen to this album. And Amazon, who the f*** is this dope? He never listened to the record. Hope he didn't get paid, since he's a fraud. This is just as good as the other albums he recommends.

this one surprised me. i did not expect this cd to be this excellent. no one ever talks about it. but if anyone out there is a fan of marvin gaye, this one is a must have. the first trouble man theme got me going then the next song and the next. i hope someday this album gets the respect it dserves.

Along with Curtis Mayfield, Edwin Starr and James Brown among others, Marvin Gaye also produced and compilated this release, which was mostly a jazz instrumental album and it's truly brilliant and in a sense funky. Marvin truly shines in every album he had done since he found artistic control following his brilliant "What's Going On" album. It's just simply one brilliant collection! Props to the man even though the Grammys took more than 20 years until his "comeback" to get him his rightful due props! Grade-A masterpiece!