Nearly a decade into their career, The Temptations made a bold move of altering their artistic direction in 1968 with the release of the single “Cloud Nine.” Teaming with long-time producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield, the Temptations bravely ventured into a more progressive and psychedelic sound with the song, taking them a step away from their traditional R&B and Soul radio-friendly sound.
A successful experience, “Cloud Nine” the single turned into Cloud Nine the album in 1969, and let us just say it was a turning point in a new era for the group. Looking at this closer, Cloud Nine was an album that featured such striking tracks as “Run Away Child, Running Wild” and “Hey Girl.” Seeing that the experiment was a success, Whitfield and The Temptations went back into the studio relatively quickly. They turned out the next step in their evolution with the album Puzzle People.
Their eleventh overall studio and one of three from 1969, Puzzle People became a massive hit for The Temptations, reaching Number 5 on the Billboard Pop Album Charts while also dominating the Soul LPs charts. In fact, Puzzle People held the number one spot on the Soul LPs Charts for nearly four months! It was rather cool to see how the group, which had such broad success with songs such as 1964’s “My Girl” and 1966’s “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” could turn out something as different as Cloud Nine and Puzzle People. With that in mind, there is much to dig into with the material.
Looking at Puzzle People, the album arrived on September 29, 1969, ironically released simultaneously with their Diana Ross & the Supremes duet album Together. Something that could have hampered its success, fortunately for The Temptations’ Puzzle People, had such depth it found an audience and still does all these years later. Led by the hit single “I Can’t Get Next To You,” you also cannot overlook the uniqueness of their take on The Beatles “Hey Jude,” The Isley Brothers’ “It’s Your Thing,” or Bobby Russell’s “Little Green Apples.”
However, some would argue that this album’s gems include the wise “Don’t Let the Joneses Get You Down,” which warns against giving into jealousy and materialism, and “Message from a Black Man,” a stunningly haunting track that you simply cannot turn away from. This is matched with the soulful “Since I’ve Lost You” and the lengthy, passionate “Slave.”
In truth, anywhere you turn on this album, you cannot go wrong regarding the sound, style, and energy. That is why it is delightful to hear that Elemental Music is releasing a reissued vinyl of Puzzle People in 2025. One of several Temptations albums reissued by Elemental Music in the last year (the others being 1968’s Wish It Would Rain in May 2024, Cloud Nine in July 2024, Sky’s The Limit in October 2024, 1964’s Meet The Temptations in September 2024, and Solid Rock in December 2024), the Puzzle People release arrived on February 14, 2025, as a perfect Valentine’s Day present.
Dressed in the original front and back artwork, the album is presented in the original format as the Motown release and is pressed to 140-gram high-quality vinyl. Done with the utmost care, the sound is as magical and crisp as ever, while the packaging is simple yet full of class. Coupled with two other Valentine’s Day 2025 releases (Four Tops’ Changing Times and Diana Ross & The Supremes’ Let The Sunshine In), The Temptations’ Puzzle People is truly a must-have companion to the Cloud Nine. For these reasons and more, Cryptic Rock gives Elemental Music’s edition of Puzzle People 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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