Quad LP/Tape Poll Gaye, Marvin: Let's Get It On [CD-4]

[EMB]

Ultrarare 1975 Quad Lp from Japan, Tamla-Motown CD4W-7089.

Side 1:

1. Let's Get It On
2. Please Don't Stay(Once You Go Away)
3. If I Should Die Tonight
4. Keep Gettin' It On

Side 2:

1. Come Get To This
2. Distant Lover
3. You Sure Love To B all
4. Just To Keep You Satisfied



ED

 

[Clement]

Whaaa?!? No Votes!?!

When it comes to multichannel, I'm a digital dude--in this case, a Blu-ray boy! I do know (and yes, in the Biblical sense of the word as well) this album intimately from my analog days. When I first heard it in 5.1 on Blu-ray, it--you should pardon the expression--really opened up an old favorite.

So imagine my surprise and joy when I came (yup) across a flac of the CD-4. The separation of individual elements is even more pronounced and locked into the four corners, but what is really revelatory in the quad mix are the vocals--Gaye's multi-tracked magic is really honored and enhanced in the Quad mix, taking on a place of prominence. Gaye's vocals--the highlight of any and every Marvin Gaye release--seem buried in the swell of strings in the DTS-HD 5.1 when compared to the original Quad. This is especially noticeable on showcase tracks like "If I Should Die Tonight," in which a solo saxophone seems to be favored at the expense of Gaye's vocal prowess. On the Quad mix, individual elements still "pop" (in addition to those analog artifacts!), but not to the detriment of the the overall effect, especially the vocals. The 5.1 mix seems to make Gaye's vocals the "Distant Lover," burying them and giving them a far-away feel; for this listener, the Quad mix really restores them to their rightful place, making them the showcase in a distinct dance of sonic lusciousness.

This is, as noted above, one of the classics of belly rub bliss, even bordering on the cliché; and yet, it's hard (yup) to imagine this album ever growing old or stale . . . but if you ever think you've heard it all, find a flac of the CD-4 and let it ride for 30:55! This one is a 10 for me!

 

[steelydave]

Voted 9 on this (only because I think What's Going On is superior musically) but you're absolutely right, it puts both the 5.1 (5.0?) SACD and the tracks from this album on the Forever Yours DTS CD to shame by comparison. I also feel that, like any good quad mix, it makes the stereo version of this album entirely obsolete - why would I go back to the stereo mix after a listen this engaging?

It's also interesting to note that this album (and all the Motown quads) seem to be mixed according to matrix quad rules - there elements in the rears seem to be mixed to either hard rear-left or hard-rear right, and there's never anything simultaneously in all 4 speakers at once. I'm sure I've said this elsewhere, but the Motown quads are a bit of a mystery - with the exception of The Temptations' 1990 album, they all date from 1973 or earlier, but they weren't released in Japan until between the very end of 1974 and mid-1975. It suggests that maybe Motown were stockpiling quad releases in the early '70s with the intention of releasing them Stateside on either SQ or QS-encoded vinyl, but for whatever reason they never did (maybe the two Q8s they did release in the US, live albums by Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross didn't meet their sales expectations) and then eventually dumped them out in Japan to at least recoup some of their investment in the mixes - or perhaps JVC put some money in their pocket to let them issue the mixes as CD-4s.

I'd also love to know who did these mixes, given how accomplished they are - so much of the magic in what makes Motown albums sound like Motown albums is production trickery, and while (as @Clement noted) these aren't identical to the stereo mixes, there's certainly been a lot of care taken so that they maintain the vibe of their stereo counterparts. In an interview a few years back Baker Bigsby mentioned that he'd done a bunch of unreleased Stevie Wonder quad mixes - maybe he (or someone else at the Village Recorder) did this mix as well?

Also, given how great this is, it's absolutely criminal that UMG has never reissued this mix (or any of the Motown quad mixes) on any modern multichannel format. They've done stereo fold-downs (Diana Ross Last Time I Saw Him on the 2008 deluxe CD reissue, and the J5 Greatest Hits on vinyl last year), and released no less than three different unique vintage stereo mixes of What's Going On, but never anything more than that. You'd think that one of these barrel-scraping exercises would eventually encompass a multichannel reissue, just by virtue of the "a stopped clock is still right twice a day" principle. Maybe one day.

 

[Clement]

Voted 9 on this (only because I think What's Going On is superior musically) but you're absolutely right, it puts both the 5.1 (5.0?) SACD and the tracks from this album on the Forever Yours DTS CD to shame by comparison. I also feel that, like any good quad mix, it makes the stereo version of this album entirely obsolete - why would I go back to the stereo mix after a listen this engaging?

It's also interesting to note that this album (and all the Motown quads) seem to be mixed according to matrix quad rules - there elements in the rears seem to be mixed to either hard rear-left or hard-rear right, and there's never anything simultaneously in all 4 speakers at once. I'm sure I've said this elsewhere, but the Motown quads are a bit of a mystery - with the exception of The Temptations' 1990 album, they all date from 1973 or earlier, but they weren't released in Japan until between the very end of 1974 and mid-1975. It suggests that maybe Motown were stockpiling quad releases in the early '70s with the intention of releasing them Stateside on either SQ or QS-encoded vinyl, but for whatever reason they never did (maybe the two Q8s they did release in the US, live albums by Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross didn't meet their sales expectations) and then eventually dumped them out in Japan to at least recoup some of their investment in the mixes - or perhaps JVC put some money in their pocket to let them issue the mixes as CD-4s.

I'd also love to know who did these mixes, given how accomplished they are - so much of the magic in what makes Motown albums sound like Motown albums is production trickery, and while (as @Clement noted) these aren't identical to the stereo mixes, there's certainly been a lot of care taken so that they maintain the vibe of their stereo counterparts. In an interview a few years back Baker Bigsby mentioned that he'd done a bunch of unreleased Stevie Wonder quad mixes - maybe he (or someone else at the Village Recorder) did this mix as well?

Also, given how great this is, it's absolutely criminal that UMG has never reissued this mix (or any of the Motown quad mixes) on any modern multichannel format. They've done stereo fold-downs (Diana Ross Last Time I Saw Him on the 2008 deluxe CD reissue, and the J5 Greatest Hits on vinyl last year), and released no less than three different unique vintage stereo mixes of What's Going On, but never anything more than that. You'd think that one of these barrel-scraping exercises would eventually encompass a multichannel reissue, just by virtue of the "a stopped clock is still right twice a day" principle. Maybe one day.

okay, it's hard not to concede that What's Going On is superior musically, and . . .

First, where is the POLL thread for What's Going On?

Second, let me make a quick case that Let's Get It On is just as apt as What's Going On. When communicating, it occurs to me that the elements that must be addressed are audience, purpose, topic, and tone (yes, there are certainly more elements, but I can't work them into a groovy and succinct word like apt [i guess that's technically aptt--see what i mean about forcing things?]). Now, i would say that WGO has a broader audience, a higher moral purpose, and deals with a more profound topic than LGIO. As far as the tone of each release goes, i would say that they are on the same plane. And, both releases have stood the test of time, matured like fine wine, reached toward and achieved the sublime . . . but, would you not agree that, ultimately, LGIO is the more successful at communicating? People still asking What's Going On? Too many mothers still crying, too many brothers mos' def' still dying. Have we found a way to bring any Love here today? War still seems to be a viable answer to the power structure. One of the things I recollect in the wake of Vietnam was the mainstream media noting that at least the US was not as ignorant as the USSR, which was engaged in a war with Afghanistan . . . hmm, how did that one work out for US? Did we listen to what Gaye had to say? War is hell, when will it end? Can't find no work, can't find no job. What's happening, brother? How we treating vets? What's the suicide rate among vets? Why did we not listen to what Gaye had to say? And are people still flying high in the friendly sky? People still going to the place where danger awaits . . . so stupid minded. Opioid crisis anyone? Why we ignore what Gaye had to say? i'm knocking on 60's door--have i been a good steward of the land, have i really cared to save a world in despair? How hard have i tried to save a world that is destined to die? And i have a daughter--she really gonna suffer tomorrow. i am to blame for not listening to Gaye. Look, i'm dragging my aspect down, way down. Mercy, mercy me, the state of the world make me wanna holler! So ima segue and say LGIO been working its magic for nearly fifty years--people listening to Gaye! People rubbing bellies to Gaye! People reproducing to Gaye! So, for what it is (keeping audience, purpose, and topic in mind), i think (in my decidedly less than humble opinion) LGIO is equal to WGO . . . which brings me to

Third, when we gon' get a POLL thread for the Quad of What's Going On, and will I be able to vote 11 for it?

Stay Surrounded, Comrades!

 

[humprof]

okay, it's hard not to concede that What's Going On is superior musically, and . . .

First, where is the POLL thread for What's Going On?

Second, let me make a quick case that Let's Get It On is just as apt as What's Going On. When communicating, it occurs to me that the elements that must be addressed are audience, purpose, topic, and tone (yes, there are certainly more elements, but I can't work them into a groovy and succinct word like apt [i guess that's technically aptt--see what i mean about forcing things?]). Now, i would say that WGO has a broader audience, a higher moral purpose, and deals with a more profound topic than LGIO. As far as the tone of each release goes, i would say that they are on the same plane. And, both releases have stood the test of time, matured like fine wine, reached toward and achieved the sublime . . . but, would you not agree that, ultimately, LGIO is the more successful at communicating? People still asking What's Going On? Too many mothers still crying, too many brothers mos' def' still dying. Have we found a way to bring any Love here today? War still seems to be a viable answer to the power structure. One of the things I recollect in the wake of Vietnam was the mainstream media noting that at least the US was not as ignorant as the USSR, which was engaged in a war with Afghanistan . . . hmm, how did that one work out for US? Did we listen to what Gaye had to say? War is hell, when will it end? Can't find no work, can't find no job. What's happening, brother? How we treating vets? What's the suicide rate among vets? Why did we not listen to what Gaye had to say? And are people still flying high in the friendly sky? People still going to the place where danger awaits . . . so stupid minded. Opioid crisis anyone? Why we ignore what Gaye had to say? i'm knocking on 60's door--have i been a good steward of the land, have i really cared to save a world in despair? How hard have i tried to save a world that is destined to die? And i have a daughter--she really gonna suffer tomorrow. i am to blame for not listening to Gaye. Look, i'm dragging my aspect down, way down. Mercy, mercy me, the state of the world make me wanna holler! So ima segue and say LGIO been working its magic for nearly fifty years--people listening to Gaye! People reproducing to Gaye! So, for what it is (keeping audience, purpose, and topic in mind), i think (in my decidedly less than humble opinion) LGIO is equal to WGO . . . which brings me to

Third, when we gon' get a POLL thread for the Quad of What's Going On, and will I be able to vote 11 for it?

Stay Surrounded, Comrades!

Testify!

 

[humprof]

I'm gonna be brief, since @steelydave and @Clement have already said everything that needs saying about this one. In the brilliant CD-4 conversion I heard, this is practically a reference disc. The sound is crisp, the mix is way discrete, the tunes are peerless. (Well, not counting other Marvin Gaye tunes.)

I was a self-conscious tween when this came out, and because I was vaguely embarrassed whenever the eponymous single came on the radio, I think I never got into this album as deeply as What's Going On. Making up for that lifelong mistake now. (And by the way: this quad mix kicks the 5.1's ass.) 10!