Customer Reviews

Ultimate Collection

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love The Commodores and this is one awesome collection of songs. They left the full album versions of "Sweet Love" (my favorite Commodores song) and "Zoom." But where is "Sail On?" Where is "Jesus is Love?" The were both huge hits for The Commodores and I can't consider this "Ultimate" with the absence of these songs. I have them on vinyl but, unfortunately, I don't have (and can't afford) a turntable right now. Still this is a good disc and I would consider it a must own.

This hits collection is the reason why I'm able to forgive Lionel Richie for his sappy, airplay-friendly solo work. His musical roots with the Commodores cancel out later transgressions like "Truly," "Stuck on You," and, um, "Ballerina Girl." A few notes of this smokin' hits collection is all you need to remember that he used to belong to one of the best bands of the old school. There's the fierce funk of "Too Hot to Trot," the killer grove "Lady," and the genuine love song "Just to Be Close to You." Other sentimental favorites of mine are "Three Times a Lady" (which gives me fond memories of my childhood years) and the dynamite ballad "Still." These songs were accessible enough for the radio, but had enough edge to set themselves apart from the rest. The Motown label has spawned some of the most legendary and influential acts ever, and this hits collection shows that the Commodores was one of those groups.

There is just so much in this industry these days to where a lot of artists in R&B seem to be more pop oriented, rather than having the feeling of traditional soul. That has been the case with acts like Beyonce', Usher and Mariah Carey. Nevertheless, there are some acts from the past that have absolutely delivered towards what the essence of traditional soul has been like from Motown back in the 70's, and The Commodores were absolutely no acception. Their essential mixture of Funk, R&B and Soul have been a absolute mainstay on the classics of R&B radio, and that feeling Lionel Richie and company have mixed together is all in one convient collection.

The Commodores Ultimate Collection is a fine mixture of the groups most recognized tracks from the 70's. The songs here are just simply the best the soul legends from Alabama had made all of their own. The songs here were remastered very well, and stay as definitive to what made them classics. The album includes tracks ranging from the essence of funk like Machine Gun and the classic party anthem Brick House, to contemporary ballads from Lionel and company that have withstood the test of time like Still, Easy, which was recently used for Levis Jeans, Just To Be Close To You, and Three Times A Lady. While the album does maintain being definitive, many die hard fans were just hoping for a bit more from this collection, but The Ultimate Collection does stand out well enough for newcomers to this legendary R&B group.

It is just sad that Lionel Richie and company of The Commodores haven't done anything new together since they departed back in the eary 80's. Nevertheless, the legacy of these songs is still alive and well. I absolutely love The Ultimate Collection by The Commodores, and you will love this album too just as easy as Sunday morning.

Album Cover: B+

Songs: B 1/2+

Price: A-

Remastering: A-

Overall: B+

I totally agree with those reviewers who pegged this 1997 Motown release as a tad on the skimpy side for something passing itself off as an "ultimate" collection. I also have to wonder what Carol Friedman and David Irvin were thinking when they did the CD design.

The cover shot is fine, as are the photographs included with the insert [which contains 4 pages of liner notes by Steven Ivory, an LA-based music journalist, and a complete discography of the contents], but why would they include small, washed-blue print over black on the reverse to show the contents? Most of us who were fans of the group starting 33 years ago are not exactly blessed with 20-20 vision these days.

As for the contents, the sound reproduction is beautifully done, but it seems, well, "cheap" to limit an ultimate compilation to 15 tracks for a group that put 29 onto the R&B charts, with 25 Billboard Hot 100 crossovers (13 also made the Adult Contemporary, or AC charts) from 1974 to 1988. Certainly you should not include obscure album cuts such as those at tracks 6 and 8. Much better choices would have been - I agree totally with one reviewer - Sail On [# 4 Hot 100/# 8 R&B/# 9 AC in 1979] and Oh No [# 4 Hot 100 and # 5 each of R&B and AC in 1981].

Even better would have been a 20-track offering including those two as well as I Feel Sanctified [their second hit in 1974 and a # 12 R&B/# 75 pop]; Flying High [# 21 R&B/# 38 Hot 100 in 1978]; Wonderland [# 21 R&B/# 25 Hot 100/# 43 AC in 1980]; Heroes [# 27 R&B/# 54 Hot 100/# 44 AC in late 1980]; and Why You Wanna Try Me? [# 42 R&B/# 66 Hot 100 in 1982, which was also Lionel Richie's last hit with the group]. Now THAT would have made this an "ultimate" collection in every sense of the word and earned it 5 stars in my humble opinion.

This may not be perfect for everyone, but for the casual fan, it is "The Ultimate Collection". This is split evenly between groovy 70's funk, and smooth R&B soul. The funk being the huge hit "Brick House", "Slippery When it's Wet", "Lady (you bring me up)", and the awesome "Machine Gun", which was used in the movie "Boogie Nights". The slower "love" songs are "Just to be Close to You", "Three Times A Lady", and the classic "Easy". The rest is almost as good. Actually, my favorite hands down is "Nightshift". That's just an excellent song. Listening to this cd, you can really see where "Lionel Richie" was headed with his solo work. Overall, this is a fine collection of "The Commodores", and will go great with your "Kool and the Gang" and "Stevie Wonder" cd's.

Can any album be called Ultimate if it misses a great artist cut.

Nice to see "Night Shift" finally inlcuded on a Commodores collection, but Motown does it's all too common shabby and truncated job with this CD.

You'd think the Motown family, or whom ever owns the song rights were cash poor, or something, the way they hap-hazardly repackage their choice cuts and artists.

This CD is no brickhouse, nor is it mighty,mightn. but almost a winning hand.

Buy the Anthology it has everything the original Commodores sang.
It's 5 stars!

If you want a quick summary of the Commodres, this is a pretty good place to start. The slippery instrumental Machine Gun is one groovin' number. Sliperry When Wet, Too Hot To Trot, and Brick House are super funky jams. That Brick House is a classic tune in my book. Nighshift is a good tune that shows others in the band had talent besides Lionel Ritchie. Some good ballads, but the sequencing of putting Still and Three Times A Lady right after each other was not a wise one.

A few tracks don't excite me greatly. Surprisingly Zoom just lacks any......zoom. See how easy it is to find the write words fellow amazonians. Just To Be Close To You is too sluggish in spots in spite of some good harmonies. Somehow at nearly six and a half minutes it slightly overstays its welcome. A couple of other tunes sound a bit watered down.

Overall, this is a decent compilation that I'll round up to four stars.

This is one fantastic CD despite a few classics left out.That said, I will focus on one specific song. You could buy this CD for this song only. It is " Nightshift ". It is pure musical Genius. If you know any talented individual who has died before his time, you will understand this song. It is simply heartbreaking. Substitute " Heaven " for Nightshift, and you will understand. It will bring tears to your eyes. Play it 5 or 10 times, and listen for the background vocals . Search Lyrics on Google. It is not just a song, but a tribute to lost souls who needed just a little more time here with us....

Definitely worth the money. I'd buy every one of their albums if I could. Their music is unique, exciting, and awesome. It's a CD you'll never get tired of. You'll have your CD player playing this one on repeat.