Reviewed by Stephen Luff

When Marvin Gaye recorded the original 'What's Going On' in 1971, he was one of two Motown artists to gain full artistic control over his output (the other was Stevie Wonder). The concept album addressed issues such as Vietnam, Civil Rights and the general state of the world. Despite Berry Gordy's (the head of the label) reluctance to release it, it proved a huge hit. Since then, tracks have been covered by artists as diverse as Robert Palmer and Cyndi Lauper. Here, New Yorker Michaux has chosen selected tracks and reworked them with a R&B/jazz feel. The result is an album that presents the message to new audience, with a laid back feel which does not take away from the message. The jamming on "What's Happening Brother" is an example. The classic "Mercy Mercy Me" is given the same treatment and the general feeling is all involved are having a great time! My one reservation about the recording overall is that the backing begins to sound repetitive as you listen to the album as a whole, which reflects the criticism of Michaux's first album. You could play the timeless "God Is Love" and "What's Going On" without the words, and would struggle to spot the difference! That said, this is a quality tribute to an album classic.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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