Customer Reviews

20th Century Masters: Millennium Collection 2

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The people who put this together placed a live version of "Give it Up, Turnit Loose" on here that I can't stand, and instead of running the full lenght "Payback" here, they have a version that fades out as if you've flipped the 45 to play part II. Irritating. And another madness is that they put canned applause on "Papa Don't Take No Mess". Insanity. To its credit, "Superbad" is presented in its entirety and "Make It Funky" (What You gonna do Now?) never sounded as good here. This makes the case for spending the extra bucks and purchasing a box set or 2 CD greatest hits package.

It's been a while since Polygram has issued previously unreleased JB and it looks like we'll have to wait a little longer for a package similiar to many in the incredible Chronicles series.
Volume One of the Millenium series for James Brown at least had the prev. non-album "America Is My Home, Part One". Volume Two has nothing as interesting for historians (the poignant theme from the film "Black Caesar", "Down And Out In New York City", does made a rare appearance, however).
The hit single tracks are remastered and the instruments have more presence, but earlier pressings are also impressive. The spoken intro. to "Sex Machine" is more audible here.
The only non-45 rpm cut is the heavily reissued (apparently) live-in-the-studio rerecording of "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", the historic groove highlighting Bootsy Collins' bass, Clyde Stubblefield's drums, Bobby Byrd's organ, and JB's high energy hollerin'. The overdubbed audience is not removed as on earlier issues and that's fine with me.
What should have also been included are a few "lost" sides like "Love Me Tender", the super funky "Dooley's Junkyard Dogs", and George Harrison's (reported) favorite rendition of "Something". Space could have been made by using only "Part One" of the familiar tracks.

The 70's heralded a harder, funkier Brown than had been heard in the 60's when Brown was more of a soul crooner who occasionally dabbled in raw R & B.

As has been stated earlier, most of the songs on this compilation can be found elsewhere; the purchase was worth it for this reviewer to have Brown's best dance anthem in its entirety: Super Bad.

And that is what Brown was and is!

this cool for the New Fan of JB.if you have heard&seen the Songs used in various Clips&Older Footage then this will Hit the Spot.but once you are a Fan&Have Heard His Stuff then you will look at this like a Start Up Kit as to the Main Essence of James Brown.no matter what Compilation though the Material here is still Classic&Sounds as Fresh now as it did when it first was released.James Brown one of the Few true Original Musical Artists.