Here, My Dear

by

Marvin Gaye

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Marvin Gaye completely lets his guard down and stands naked on HERE, MY DEAR, the record on which he speaks directly from his wounded heart. Much more than just the chronicle of his divorce from Anna Gordy Gaye, the album is also the portrait of a conflicted soul at the height of his torment and a heartbreaking metaphor for the healing power of music.

All of the songs are terrific and they are immaculately woven together. The doo-wop of the title track sits perfectly among the intense "Anger" and the lovely, lifting "Sparrow." The transitional songs "I Met A Girl" and "Everybody Needs Love" are gorgeous and pained, while "A Funky Space Reincarnation" brings in some sly humor at just the right moment.

Though every track is individually terrific (including "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You," the probing centerpiece to the set), the entire album should be thought of and listened to as a collective work. The compositions are loose and extremely complex, which is exactly why it went misunderstood by critics and audiences at the time of it's release. Possibly the most harrowing, emotional, and brutally honest releases to ever come from a mainstream artist.