Throughout an artist’s career, there are turning points that serve as historic markers in their story.For The Temptations, one of those moments came in 1970 with the release of their twelfth studio album, Psychedelic Shack.Coming at a time when Soul music was becoming more experimental, you had less confirmed song structures, mixtures of different elements such as Funk and Rock, and outside-the-box approaches to production.In a style popularly known as Psychedelic Soul, major players included Sly and the Family Stone, Parliament-Funadelic, and, of course, The Temptations.Looking deeper inside, The Temptations’ descent into exploration began a year early back in 1969 with the release of Cloud Nine and Puzzle People.Two exceptional records, songs like “Cloud Nine,” “Runaway Child, Running Wild,” “Don’t Let The Joneses Get You Down,” and “Message From A Black Man,” indicated that changes were happening.With a new image and sound in tow, The Temptations truly pushed it to new limits with Psychedelic Shack.Boldly taking steps forward with an open mind, you might think that Psychedelic Shack ran the risk of losing audiences by coloring too far outside the lines, but instead, it connected in a big way, reaching number nine on the Billboard 200 and number one on R&B Charts.Led by the title track “Psychedelic Shack,” the sonic feel of the record was set in place by long-time collaborators Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, while Whitfield handled the production.A vital part of this album and the overall era of The Temptations, while Psychedelic Shack sounds sensational, does not mean there were no issues going on behind the scenes.Well documented, Vocalist Paul Williams was declining rapidly due to sickle-cell disease, plus First Tenor Eddie Kendricks was growing frustrated with their lack of creative control with the music.Sadly, it was a matter of time before Kendricks would leave in 1971 after the recording sessions for Sky’s The Limit.While Kendrick would go on to have a successful solo career, some would say that Psychedelic Shack marked the beginning of the end for the classic Temptations lineup featuring him, Dennis Edwards, Paul Williams (who tragically died in 1973), Melvin Franklin, and Otis Williams.These are all parts of what make Psychedelic Shack a significant part of The Temptations’ history.Originally released in March 1970, it included eight songs, and they really dived all over the sonic spectrum.These tracks included the groove namesake cut but also “You Make Your Own Heaven and Hell Right Here on Earth,” the fantastic “Hum Along and Dance,” and the lively “Friendship Train.”All matters considered, arguably the most striking song of the entire collection is the nearly nine-minute free-form “Take A Stroll Thru Your Mind,” with the only constant being an unforgettable bass line.Something you need to hear for yourself, the album also features a wonderful rendition of “War,” which became a huge hit for Edwin Starr later on in 1970.In truth, Psychedelic Shack is a compelling listen even five-plus decades later.That is why it is great to find out Elemental Music is celebrating the album’s 55th anniversary with a limited edition vinyl re-release that arrives on March 21, 2025.The final selection in the outstanding Motown Sound Collection series from Elemental Music, keep in mind they also put out 1968’s Wish It Would Rain in May 2024, 1969’s Cloud Nine in July 2004, 1964’s Meet The Temptations in September 2024, 1971’s Sky’s The Limit in October 2024, Eddie Kendricks’ 1972 solo album People… Hold On in November 2024, 1972’s Solid Rock in December 2024, before 1969’s Puzzle People this past February 14th.With the classic original artwork included, this new release of Psychedelic Shack is pressed to 140-gram extremely high-quality vinyl that sounds crisp, clean, and rich.Joining the other aforementioned reissues, there is a whole lot of Temptations-related material to take in, so cap off your history lesson with this one because Cryptic Rock gives the limited edition vinyl reissue of Psychedelic Shack 5 out of 5 stars.
