- Audio CD (2 April 2007)
- Number of Discs: 2
- Format: Box set
- Label: Spectrum Audio
- ASIN: B000NIIUI8
- Other Editions: MP3 Download
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 135,659 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
So Motown was all bubblegum pop soul with no substance was it - well this set says different. Songs from a wide variety of artists feature here, including several surprises for those who viewed Motown as lightweight.
Some scorching tracks from the Motown vaults, from the obvious (like "What's Going On") by major artists, to tracks by lesser known performers like Reuben Wilson and Wille Hutch.
I'd pick "Just My Soul Responding" by Smokey Robinson and "My People, Hold On" by Eddie Kendricks as highlights, but there'slots to recommend here. Listening to the lyrics paints a picture of the world Black artists inhabited in the 60's and 70's - buy this set and educate yourself while you listen to some superb music
Some scorching tracks from the Motown vaults, from the obvious (like "What's Going On") by major artists, to tracks by lesser known performers like Reuben Wilson and Wille Hutch.
I'd pick "Just My Soul Responding" by Smokey Robinson and "My People, Hold On" by Eddie Kendricks as highlights, but there'slots to recommend here. Listening to the lyrics paints a picture of the world Black artists inhabited in the 60's and 70's - buy this set and educate yourself while you listen to some superb music
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Most people consider the best of Motown to be the good time pop hit factory which brightend up the pop charts across the world during the 60's and early 70's with a string of classic songs. Few would cite Motown as being all that political or interested in the civil rights, anti-war, or social and sexual revolutions of the time. Yet tracks such as "Cloud Nine", "Ball Of Confusion", "War", "Living For The City", and even "Love Child" would attest to something quite different. Yet for all that Motown never seems to be all that comfortable celebrating that side of their history. Perhaps it just doesn't sit all that well with the good time feel good Motown image.
As a consequence it's nice to be able to listen to a thoughtfully complied collection of music from the tumultious period of 1968-1975 focusing on the songs which Motown released which really did address both the politcal and social issues of the time. Taking some of the aforementioned classic songs, such as "War" and "Ball Of Confusion" this set gives not the hits but versions by other artists. The Undisputed Truth's ten and three quarter minutes of "Ball Of Confusion" gives the song an epic feel and is one of disc one's highlights. The set gives some of the lesser names some space and Bobby Taylor & The Vancouver's "Does Your Mama Know About Me" is something of an undiscovered gem as is Ruben Howell's "Help The People". Willie Hutch gets two outings on disc two which highlight his lovely soulful voice and quality songwriting.
As for the better known artists The Temptations appear to be the most conscious, angry, or just plain aware band here with no less than 5 contributions as a band and two solo efforts from Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. Not all of them are great, their version of "War" just doesn't hit the mark, but there are a couple of gems in the shape of the brilliantly angry 8 minute "Slave", and "Masterpiece" which prove why they were such a sucess during this period. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album gets 3 listings although two of these are different mixes from those found on the album itself and Diana Ross & The Supremes have 3 lesser known songs included.
This is an album filled with some unfamiliar material which througouly deserves its place here. The Undisputed Truth's material is uniformly strong and listening to these tracks may prompt further investigation of this underrated band. Syreeta's "Black Maybe" is beautfully dreamy and betrays the fact that, then husband, Stevie Wonder had great music flooding out of him during this period. Edwin Starr's follow up to "War", "Stop The War Now" is a pretty decent companion piece, and Gladys Knight's "Friendship Train" still sounds pretty good even now. Surprise piece of what is a pretty consistently surprising package goes to The Miracles for their gay friendly song "There Ain't Nobody Straight In LA" which, whilst not sounding absolutely comfortable with itself, still sounds pretty radical a quarter of a century on.
Sleevenotes by Peter Dogget are both interesting and informative and give a good context to the music on the set. Motown was a lot more crititcal, angry and concerned than perhaps many of us realise. The fact that this produced some excellent funky, soulful music is all the more reason to be thankful they've dusted off some gems for this excellent compilation.
As a consequence it's nice to be able to listen to a thoughtfully complied collection of music from the tumultious period of 1968-1975 focusing on the songs which Motown released which really did address both the politcal and social issues of the time. Taking some of the aforementioned classic songs, such as "War" and "Ball Of Confusion" this set gives not the hits but versions by other artists. The Undisputed Truth's ten and three quarter minutes of "Ball Of Confusion" gives the song an epic feel and is one of disc one's highlights. The set gives some of the lesser names some space and Bobby Taylor & The Vancouver's "Does Your Mama Know About Me" is something of an undiscovered gem as is Ruben Howell's "Help The People". Willie Hutch gets two outings on disc two which highlight his lovely soulful voice and quality songwriting.
As for the better known artists The Temptations appear to be the most conscious, angry, or just plain aware band here with no less than 5 contributions as a band and two solo efforts from Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin. Not all of them are great, their version of "War" just doesn't hit the mark, but there are a couple of gems in the shape of the brilliantly angry 8 minute "Slave", and "Masterpiece" which prove why they were such a sucess during this period. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" album gets 3 listings although two of these are different mixes from those found on the album itself and Diana Ross & The Supremes have 3 lesser known songs included.
This is an album filled with some unfamiliar material which througouly deserves its place here. The Undisputed Truth's material is uniformly strong and listening to these tracks may prompt further investigation of this underrated band. Syreeta's "Black Maybe" is beautfully dreamy and betrays the fact that, then husband, Stevie Wonder had great music flooding out of him during this period. Edwin Starr's follow up to "War", "Stop The War Now" is a pretty decent companion piece, and Gladys Knight's "Friendship Train" still sounds pretty good even now. Surprise piece of what is a pretty consistently surprising package goes to The Miracles for their gay friendly song "There Ain't Nobody Straight In LA" which, whilst not sounding absolutely comfortable with itself, still sounds pretty radical a quarter of a century on.
Sleevenotes by Peter Dogget are both interesting and informative and give a good context to the music on the set. Motown was a lot more crititcal, angry and concerned than perhaps many of us realise. The fact that this produced some excellent funky, soulful music is all the more reason to be thankful they've dusted off some gems for this excellent compilation.
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Its a long time coming from Motown to bring out a CD like this. Gave a copy to my parents [who are Motown fans] and they love it!!
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