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All three albums by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, plus three unreleased duets - two alternative takes and one completely new track, and some Tammi solo tracks to flesh out Disc 2, some seeing their first release on this collection but now more comprehensively documented on "Come On And See Me", the complete Tammi solo recordings makes this an attractive prospect for Motown collectors. The first album "United" is as strong as any in the 1960's Motown catalogue, kicking off with the seminal "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" with the lesser known tracks standing head and shoulders with that superb single, and "Two Can Have A Party" actually exceeding this. This really was a partnership made in heaven, the counterpoint of their voices intertwining to very satisfying effect. It's clear they had a wonderful working relationship with the ease in each other's company oozing out of the speakers. Disc 1 is completed by follow up album "You're All I Need" with highlights including "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" and a great rendition of "You're All I Need To Get By". This disc is completed with the three previously unreleased tracks which commence with a very different take of "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing".
Controversy surrounds the final album "Easy" with differing perspectives based on who you believe. By this time Tammi was in the middle of a series of operations for the brain cancer that eventually took her all too short life. Marvin recalls that he was asked to sing the tracks with producer Valerie Simpson subbing for Tammi on the pretext that the money generated from sales would go towards paying for Tammi's treatment. Simpson remembers it differently, stating that whilst she sang guide vocals as placeholders Tammi later came in and sang her parts piecemeal from a wheelchair when she felt able to. Certainly two tracks are undoubtedly Tammi - "I Can't Believe You Love Me" and "More, More, More", both included in their solo versions to complete CD2, but it's clear the remaining vocal performances don't match the heights of the first two albums and indeed do sound different. That could simply be Simpson's guide vocal remaining on the track, or Tammi's seated singing position at a time where the treatment likely left her exhausted. This is a lesser work but why that is so and who actually sung what is still a huge matter of conjecture 50 years down the line. The album does contain the wonderful "The Onion Song" and "I'm Your Puppet", but it's CD1 which I play mostly, reflecting the quality step-down of "Easy", as ironic a title as could be imagined for an album that was anything but. The solo material is all interesting and at the time of release nine new Tammi solo tracks would have been reason enough for Motown collectors to purchase. A fine collection for completists.
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