CD-Charts Position 211
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The Very Best of the Foundations

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Foundations

Release Date November 07, 2005
So many singers and groups are remembered for just one song. The Foundations, whose music was at the R+B end of the pop spectrum, fared slightly better as they had two major international hits.

Baby now that I've found you, their debut single, topped the British chart in November 1967 and just failed to make the American top ten. It has a really bouncy tune that hides the sadness of the lyrics. In the mid-nineties, Alison Krauss gave the song a completely different interpretation, slowing the song right down. Both versions are highly enjoyable in their different ways.

Build me up buttercup, another upbeat tune but this time with upbeat lyrics, peaked at number two in Britain but topped the American charts. This song was ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 212
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Here My Dear

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Marvin Gaye

Release Date March 01, 1996
Marvin's spoken intro to the title track sums up the purpose of this set. Made to fund his divorce from Anna Gordy, Gaye had originally planned a quickly recorded album, low on quality, to spite his one time muse, since the judge had written the order into the divorce settlement. The original critical response to "Here My Dear" seemed to reinforce that view, as Gaye's popularity waned spectacularly in the late 70's. Indeed, it had been an incredible fall from the heights of the "What's Going On" era.

Marvin Gaye's problems with his public persona have been well documented by David Ritz, his friend and biographer. It was Ritz who identified the 2 sides of Marvins' personality and it was Ritz who persuaded him to return to performing ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 213
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Love Child & Supremes A Go-Go

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Diana Ross The Supremes

Release Date October 23, 2000
My copy of this CD was returned to Amazon. One track had an audio drop-out in the middle of the song; another track had a loud hum on the back end of the fade out.

Another CD from the same series (Martha and the Vandellas) had similar faults.

Annoyed? YES!

CD-Charts Position 214
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At The Close Of A Century

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Stevie Wonder

Release Date November 05, 2007
I disagree with the previous reviewer, these book sets are marvelous. I have several and keep them with my Vinyl (Yes I still keep Vinyl). If you want a CD Box set, there is an alternative version from Motown, with an identicle track listing. This book set is the same price but includes a lavish hard back book with a wealth of information & history.

The music is what counts and the music here is consistently excellent and is an comprehensive history of the artist that is Stevie Wonder - Highly Recommended

CD-Charts Position 215
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Breaking Through - Motown's Lost & Found

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Four Tops

Release Date July 03, 2000
Over the years one of soul music's great mysterys has been the existence of the Four Tops debut album for Motown Records, on their very rare Workshop Jazz label. For years collectors have speculated on sightings but it seems their has been more chance of finding bigfoot than this album. Recorded initially when the group was first signed from Chess Records, the proposed album was to be called "Breaking Through". There were also pictures of the cover on early Motown inner record sleeves. With poor sales, the Workshop Jazz label was soon dissolved in early 1964,it was at around this time that the group were collabrating with the famous Motown song writing team of Holland-Dozier-Holland. With their first single together becoming a big hit (Baby I Need You're Loving)their earlier ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 216
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The Ultimate Collection: Diana Ross & The Supremes

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Diana Ross & The Supremes

Release Date August 10, 1998
This is a (virtually) chronlogical compilation so there's not much to review. The Supremes certainly got the pick of the Holland-Dozier-Holland hit mix (except "Jimmy Mack") and some of these songs are breathtakingly well written. Ironically, Diana Ross' limited delivery helped - she sang the songs totally straight - just like a good pop singer should.

But where the hell is "Stoned Love". This was one of my all time favourites and any Supremes collection without it is not worth buying. On that basis it's a bad compilation and is why it gets one star.

Next time get all the songs in. Imagine a Rolling Stones compilation without "The Last Time" or "Jumpin' Jack Flash". No, I wouldn't buy it either.

CD-Charts Position 217
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Motown Chartbusters Vol.10

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Various Artists

Release Date July 06, 1998
By the late 70s Motown was far from the powerhouse it had been a decade earlier but, as this collection shows, was still turning out great records. Eleven of the tracks included here made the UK Top 20; some are still known to everybody, but this compilation also provides the opportunity to catch up with others, such as Yvonne Fair's remarkable 'It Should Have Been Me', which have largely slipped under the radar in the intervening decades.

Of the non-hits, the tracks from Teena Marie, Tata Vega and Rick James are well worth acquiring - very much of their time but very strong records nevertheless, and unlikely to feature on other general Motown compilations.

The only odd omission is David Ruffin's 1976 Top 10 hit 'Walk Away From Love'. Maybe there was a reason ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 218
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Motown Mod Fave Raves - Volume 1

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Various Artists

Release Date July 09, 2001
It is a great testament to the skill of the musicians, singers, writers, arrangers and producers of forty years ago that these Detroit production line models of disposable pop should now be awarded classic status and be so much in demand. This and its companion volume, lovingly compiled for the English market, is subtitled 20 Collectable Modernist Soul Classics and are the floor filling sounds that echoed and spinned inside the Mod clubs in the mid sixties, made by acts such as the Miracles, Martha and the Vandellas, the Contours, Eddie Holland, Marvin Gaye, the Marvelettes, the Temptations, Chris Clark and many more.

Northern Soul was something different, although there are overlaps. These are all highly contagious dance tracks, with clattery trebly beats, pumping bass rhythms ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 219
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Shotgun & Soul Session

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Jr. Walker & The All Stars

Release Date September 10, 2003
Together with the twofer Road Runner/Home Cookin' these two CDs collect all the studio material released by Junior Walker and the All-Stars in the sixties, including the three singles they recorded for the Harvey label from 1962, before it was swallowed up by the Motown empire. There was also a live album in 1967 briefly made available on a CD which now fetches over £100 a copy.

Shotgun was the first Junior Walker and the All Stars album, released to capitalize on the success in 1965 of Shotgun and Do The Boomerang. On the Motown sessions the line-up of Junior Walker (tenor sax, vocals), Willie Woods (guitar, vocal, composer of Hot Cha), Vic Thomas (organ) and James Graves (drums) was augmented by members of the Funk Brothers, notably James Jamerson on bass and additional drums ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 220
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Greatest Hits

CD-Charts > Music > Motown
by: Gladys Knight

Release Date January 24, 1998
While Gladys recorded some excellent music for various other record labels, particularly for Motown, she will be best remembered for her music of the mid-seventies with Buddha. This British budget compilation is drawn exclusively from the Buddha vaults.

The chart history of the group is confusing, not least because some records charted in America but not Britain when originally released, but charted in Britain when reissued. However, all the big hits in both countries are included here.

Midnight train to Georgia, I've got to use me imagination, Best thing that ever happened to me, Baby don't change your mind and the medley Try to remember / The way we were - each and every one of these are classics. Other great songs include So sad the song (mournful but lovely), Come back ... Read More: