Customer Reviews

Ultimate Motown Rarities Collection 1

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This CD is an absolute MUST for anyone interested in Motown or in Deep Soul - yes, that's right, Deep Soul. The reason much of this stuff was never released when it was new was that it didn't fit the contemporary Motown chart groove, and Berry Gordy probrably figured it would scare the white teenagers who made him rich. But anyone who thinks Motown was just sugar-coated fluff should listen to Kim Weston's ASTONISHING version of the Supremes' "Stop in the Name of Love" - slow, senusal and heart-breaking, and it was recorded several years before Margie Joseph did a more histrionic treatment of the same song. Kim must have gotten sick hearing Margie's version, knowing her take on it was stuck in the Motown vaults. In fact, the "lesser" Motown artists distinguish themselves on this collection: the Originals' version of "Come See About Me" is superb, while the Fantastic 4 live up to their name on their reading of Marvin and Tammi's "If This World Were Mine." The much-neglected Blinky adds a manic edge to the Marvelettes' "Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" and David Ruffin turns "I Want You back" into something way beyond Michael Jackson's pre-pubescent cries. Of course, the top-line groups are also represented, with the Tempts sounding terrific on the Spinners' "Truly Yours." Overall, this CD is magnificent - so good that I bought two copies! But the best thing of all is that it says in fine print on the cover "volume one." Roll on volume two - and keep it Deep, Motown, please!

Please keep this music coming! Hearing a new early-Motown album, like this one, is a tremendous joy. Every track on this CD is fantastic. These versions of familiar tunes are fresh and exciting. Gladys Knight, Smokey, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Originals et al., are all in their prime. What a rare treat to hear Binky, the Velvelettes, the Fantastic Four, and The Underdogs. Love it, love it, love it! I only hope volumes 2, 3, 4 and 5 are already in the planning stages.

Too bad Berry Gordy was aiming for a strictly pop sound while letting the songs on this CD languish in the vault. I can only hope they decide to release more of these hits from the vault. Now that BG has sold the Jobete catalog maybe we'll hear more of these gems.

Every Motown artist has hundreds of unreleased recordings in the label's vaults and in some cases whole unreleased albums (in the case of the Supremes and Diana Ross about a dozen). Some of the unreleased music is better than the released music, even in the artists' opinions, but there was so much recorded and so little room for it on the market (the label couldn't have artists competing with their own records), much got put aside. It's the unknown songs that are really tantalizing, but meanwhile this collection of hits-by-artists-who-didn't-make-the-hits is fun enough. Motown needs to repackage its previous three collections of unreleased material, which appeared on L.P., into a C.D. as there's some real gems there. With luck one day someone at the label will have the vision to mine all the hidden gold.

There is so much Motown music that has never been heard...it's a real treat to get just a taste of it. Hearing other Motown artists cover Motown songs makes you wonder what circumstances caused one version to be released over another. Some tunes are a carbon copy of the hit, some take a totally different turn. Let's hope that since the actual name of this disc is "Ultimate Rarities Vol 1," more volumes are not far behind.

This is a Must Have Right away.Only Motown Artists could Cover each other and Make it Sound even More Incredible.It's Like a Dream having So-Many Great Talents on One Label.the music is timeless as The Artists themselves.there will never be another Motown.