"The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8: 1968" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – featuring Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Isley Brothers, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Shorty Long, The Marvelettes, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, The Temptations, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Stevie Wonder, Barbara McNair, The Spinners, Abdullah, Marv Johnson, The Fantastic Four, The Detroit Wheels, Jimmy Ruffin, Edwin Starr, Blinky and more (October 2007 US Hip-O Select/Motown 6CD Compilation - Book Set With Front-Cover Attached 45 Single – A Non-Numbered Limited Edition of 6000 Copies – CD Volumes Nos. 38 to 43 in the Series - Ellen Fitton Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...The Real Thing..."

I've made mistakes in life. Selling state secrets to the Russians, trusting my horoscope to conspiracy theorist David Icke, not sleeping with Scarlet Johansson when I had the chance but instead canoodling with ugly farmyard animals that looked pretty good after a few kegs of Scrumpy - and then, just recently - trusting a haircut to my wife and her DIY scissors techniques in a Coronavirus lockdown. You know, the usual growing pains of a record shop employee.

But the biggest mistake I ever made was not buying Volume 6 of "The Complete Motown Singles" which covered the year 1966. Man that was a doozy. I diligently collected all of the other 13 Volumes from 1 to 12B (see list below), but for some reason put 1966 on the long finger, and now of course it regularly clocks in at £250 to £350 depending on the source. So when I win the Lottery (or hear back from Moscow about that Cayman Island account and their really good face surgeon, called, oddly enough, Shorter Long) – I'll snap it up.

Which brings me to this gorgeous reissue – the kind of thing that actually is worth standing up Scarlett for (well maybe). Let's hear it from the grapevine...

US released October 2007 - "The Complete Motown Singles Vol. 8: 1968" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Hip-O Select/Motown B0009708-02 (Barcode 602517431775) is a 6CD Book Set with Front-Cover Attached 45 (a repro of the US single "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye) – A Non-Numbered Limited Edition of 6000 Copies (CDs are Volumes 38 to 43) that plays out as follows:

CD1, Disc 38, 67:48 minutes (25 Tracks)

The A&B-sides (see NOTE) of 13 US singles by Rita Wright, Shorty Long, Four Tops, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Chuck Jackson, Debbie Dean, Billy Eckstine, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Chris Clark, Jimmy Ruffin, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Isley Brothers

(NOTE: Chris Clark and Diana Ross & The Supremes, A-sides only).

CD2, Disc 39, 65:43 minutes (24 Tracks)

The A&B-sides (see NOTE) of 13 singles by Stevie Wonder, Edwin Starr, Barbara McNair, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, The Monitors, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, R. Dean Taylor, Four Tops, The Temptations, The Detroit Wheels, The Marvelettes, Shorty Long, The Volumes,

(NOTE: Barbara McNair, The Monitors, A-sides only)

CD3, Disc 40, 65:02 minutes (24 Tracks)

The A&B-sides (see NOTE) of 13 singles by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Gladys Night & The Pips, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Jimmy Ruffin, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, Jr. Walker & The All-Stars, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas 

(NOTE: Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, A-sides only)

CD4, Disc 41, 65:38 minutes (22 Tracks)

The A&B-sides (see NOTE) of 12 singles by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Paul Petersen, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Billy Eckstein, Barbara Randolph, Marvin Gaye, The Ones, The Monitors, Elvets Rednow (Stevie Wonder spelt backwards), The Marvelettes, The Detroit Wheels, Marvin Gaye [A] with Gladys Knight & The Pips [B],

(NOTE: Barbara Randolph, Marvin Gaye, A-sides only)

CD5, Disc 42, 69:12 minutes (24 Tracks)

The A&B-sides of 11 singles by Four Tops, The Fantastic Four, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Barbara McNair, Marv Johnson, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Stevie Wonder, Abdullah, The Spinners

CD6, Disc 43, 73:53 minutes (25 Tracks)

The A&B-sides of 12 singles by The Temptations, Edwin Starr, The Isley Brothers, Blinky, Jimmy Ruffin, Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, The Marvelettes

As you can see from the lists above, the first four CDs in this 6-disc set contain tracks by Barbara McNair, Diana Ross & The Supremes and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles that have only the A-side – this will be because the flip will have been on Volume 7 for 1967 or Volume 6 for 1966 and so on. The liner notes tell where to find the B. Also, if you take CD6, you notice that it has 25 tracks for 12 singles (24 sides) – that’s because the Diana Ross & The Supremes & The Temptations ensemble song "The Impossible Dream" on Motown M 1137 had two different B-sides – both are included.

You have to talk about the presentation of these things - that in every case will have a Soul/Motown fan weak at the knees. I have bought and reviewed a lot of tasty Hip-O Select reissues – Muddy Waters, Jimmy Cliff, Emitt Rhodes, Tammi Terrell, Howlin’ Wolf, The 15-Disc Chess Story, Stephen Bishop, Buddy Miles and so on. But these Motown Volumes are the best they ever did – a profoundly fab project that eventually stretched out from 1959 to 1972 with 75 CDs and 1847 Tracks. All transfers were taken from original tapes and included the Single Mono Mixes, Stereo Versions if on Promo 45s, Previously Unreleased Variants and full annotation for every single song. You get catalogue numbers, musician personnel, Producers, overdub details, Billboard R&B and Pop chart placements (if any) and long paragraphs on the recording and its history.

As the packaging has to fit a 45 single on the front cover – the 132 pages of text are large inside the hardback book – allowing full-page colour plates that are genuinely some of the most beautifully rendered photos of Soul Artists that I’ve ever seen. The six discs are housed in individual card leaves at the back with three indexes preceding them – By Artist, By Title and By Label. This allows collectors a way of tracking what they need – very thorough. The only minor miscall for UK fans would be that every catalogue number is American – if you want their British equivalents – I cannot recommend enough a book I reviewed a good few years ago now called “TAMLA MOTOWN: The Stories Behind The UK Singles” by TERRY WILSON - a tall paperback with over 710 pages published by Cherry Red Books. It provides both the US and UK details and is the very best reference source on TM you can get.

The Audio comes via an Engineer I’ve sung the praises of before – ELLEN FITTON – one of Universal’s top Remaster types. Across a total of 144 tracks, you get 71 singles and there are just so many great discoveries in here – the sexy sway of Blinky, the kick-ass motion of The Detroit Wheels and the unsung heroines of Motown Barbara Randolph and Chris Clark tackling tunes like "Can I Get A Witness" (made famous by Marvin) and the lesser heard Holland-Dozier-Holland sweetie "Whisper You Love Me Boy". And of course you get to return to absolute classics, as you would have heard them on the radio of the day - "Cloud Nine" by The Temptations, "For Once In My LIfe" by Stevie Wonder and what many rate as the greatest Soul single (ever) – the mighty "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye – an album afterthought that quickly became his signature tune.

If you can't afford the physical product in 2020 (which ranges from £80 to over £100) - the MP3 version of 1968 is available from Amazon as a Download for £39.99 (individual tracks are usually 99p). Spend the money, man!  I did, and am a well happy bunny because of it. Stunning...

"The Complete Motown Singles" Series by Hip-O Select 

(14 Releases as of May 2020)

75 x CD Volumes, 1847 CD Tracks Plus 28 Tracks On 14 x 7" Vinyl Singles:

1.    Volume 1: 1959-1961, Released January 2005, Catalogue No. Hip-O Select B-0003631-02 (Barcode 602517643310), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 5000 (Non-Numbered), 155 Tracks, CDs are Volumes 1 to 6

2.    Volume 2: 1962, May 2005, 4CDs, B-00004402-02 (Barcode 602517807552), Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non Numbered), 112 Tracks, Volumes 7 to 10

3.    Volume 3: 1963, October 2005, B-0005352-02 (Barcode 602517845691), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non-Numbered), 119 Tracks, Volumes 11 to 15

4.    Volume 4: 1964, February 2006, B-0005945-02 (Barcode 602517882443), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 163 Tracks, Volumes 16 to 21

5.    Volume 5: 1965, August 2006, B-0006775-02 (Barcode 602517789414), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 166 Tracks, Volumes 22 to 27

6.    Volume 6: 1966, November 2006, B-0007872-02 (Barcode 602517092761), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 125 Tracks, Volumes 28 to 32

7.    Volume 7: 1967, May 2007, B-0008993-02 (Barcode 602517341906), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 120 Tracks, Volumes 33 to 37

8.    Volume 8: 1968, October 2007, B-0009708-02 (Barcode 602517431775), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 144 Tracks, Volumes 38 to 43

9.    Volume 9: 1969, December 2007, B-0010270-02 (Barcode 602517507722), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 6000 (Non-Numbered), 148 Tracks, Volumes 44 to 49

10. Volume 10: 1970, June 2008, B-0011056-02 (Barcode 602517659209), 6CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 144 Tracks, Volumes 50 to 55

11. Volume 11A: 1971, February 2009, B-0011579-02 (Barcode 602517776555), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non-Numbered), 119 Tracks, Volumes 56 to 60

12. Volume 11B: 1971, January 2010, B-0012227-02 (Barcode 602517876903), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 8000 (Non Numbered), 120 Tracks, Volumes 61 to 65

13. Volume 12A: 1972, May 2013, B-0012935-02 (Barcode 602527044453)), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non Numbered), 117 Tracks, Volumes 66 to 70

14. Volume 12B: 1972, December 2013, B-0019213-02 (Barcode 602537532193), 5CDs, Ltd Edition of 7500 (Non Numbered), 100 Tracks, Volumes 71 to 75

"Gold" by TRAFFIC [feat Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi and Dave Mason] (2005 Universal 2CD Definitive Collection Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…If You See Something That Looks Like A Star…"

At last count - I numbered way over 50 artists across Universal’s vast catalogue given the 2CD “Gold” treatment (sometimes also known as a “Definitive Edition”). But with the artwork for these digitally remastered two-disc retrospective sets being so uninspiring and uninformative (a track list on the rear with bugger all else by way of detail) – many simply go unnoticed – languishing around in digital warehouses unwashed and unloved. But that isn’t to say there isn’t a deal for a buyer to be had…

Amidst their hidden gems - STEPPENWOLF and THE CRUSADERS are two "Gold" editions that jump to mind (I’ve reviewed and raved about both - amazing content as well as quality remastered sound). Well here comes another – the TRAFFIC instalment.

As you can see from the detailed lists below – you get great choices (and lots of them) and best of all (only credited on the inside booklet) - superb ELLEN FITTON mastering. Fitton is a name I’ve sung the praises of before – she mastered all of the extraordinary “Complete Tamla Motown Singles” book collections (75 discs across 14 volumes, 1847 tracks) and has also had a hand in large swaths of Hip-O Select reissues. Her work here is the same. So here are the smiling phases, paper suns and high-heeled boys with low sparks…

Released September 2005 – "Gold" by TRAFFIC on Universal/Island 0602498312070 (Barcode 602498312070) is a 2CD retrospective that breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (79:49 minutes):

1. Paper Sun

2. Dealer

3. Coloured Rain

4. Hole In My Shoe

5. No Face, No Name, No Number

6. Heaven Is In Your Mind

7. Smiling Phases

8. Dear Mr. Fantasy

Tracks 1 to 8 are from their debut album “Mr. Fantasy” – released December 1967 in the UK on Island ILPS 9061 [Tracks 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on the British LP] and April 1968 in the USA as “Heaven Is In Your Mind” on United Artists UAS 6651 (Stereo) [Tracks 1 to 8 on the US LP – retitled “Mr. Fantasy on 2nd pressings].

9. You Can All Join In

10. Pearly Queen

11. Feelin’ Alright

12. Who Knows What Tomorrow May Bring

13. Forty Thousand Headmen

Tracks 9 to 13 are from their 2nd album “Traffic” – released October 1968 in the UK on Island ILPS 9081 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 6676 (Stereo)

14. Shanghai Noodle Factory

15. Medicated Goo

Tracks 14 and 15 are form their 3rd album “Last Exit” – released May 1969 in the UK on Island ILPS 9097 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 6702 (Stereo)

16. Glad

17. Freedom Rider

18. Empty Pages

19. John Barleycorn

Tracks 16 to 19 are from their 4th album “John Barleycorn Must Die” – released July 1970 in the UK on Island ILPS 9116 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 5504 (Stereo)

Disc (78:44 minutes):

1. Gimme Some Lovin’ (Live) – from the live album “Welcome To The Canteen” - released September 1971 in the UK on Island ILPS 9166 and in the USA on United Artists UAS 5550

2. Low Spark Of The High-Heeled Boys

3. Light Up And Leave Me Alone

4. Rock & Roll Stew

5. Rainmaker

Tracks 2 to 5 are from their 5th studio album “The Low Spark Of The High-Heeled Boys” – released November 1971 in the UK on Island ILPS 9180 and in the USA on Island SW 9306

6. Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory

7. (Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired

Tracks 6 and 7 are from their 6th studio album “Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory” – released January 1973 in the UK on Island ILPS 9224 and in the USA on Island SW 9323

8. Something New

9. Dream Gerrard

10. Walking In The Wind

11. When The Eagle Flies

Tracks 8 to 11 are from their 7th and last studio album “When The Eagle Flies” – released November 1973 in the UK on Island ILPS 9273 and in the USA on Asylum 7E-1020

The 20-page booklet is unexpectedly substantial – cool photos, an essay on the band by SCOTT SCHNIDER and detailed reissue credits at the rear. And that superb remastered sound too…

To this day tracks like “Dear Mr. Fantasy” and Dave Mason’s wonderful “Feelin’ Alright” (covered by Joe Cocker, Grand Funk Railroad, Lulu and Three Dog Night within a few years of its release) still send me. There’s fantastic audio punch on “Medicated Goo” ("freaky Freddie!”) and Island Records literally named their budget label sampler LP after the “You Can All Join In” track on the 2nd LP. The opening instrumental “Glad” on “John Barleycorn Must Die” always sounded to me like Soul Rock or even Fusion before such a phrase was even coined – brilliant stuff.

The stunning eleven and half minutes of “Low Spark Of High-Heeled Boys” where Winwood cruises through this almost hypnotic groove still sounds unbelievably modern – I love it (lyrics above). For sure things began to taper off towards the bands last few albums - but I still feel there’s soulfulness in the Winwood/Capaldi slowy “(Sometimes I Feel So) Uninspired”. The eleven-minute “Dream Gerrard” (a co-write with Vivian Stanshall) has a good groove too - as does “Walking In The Wind” (another Capaldi co-write with Steve Winwood). All this and “Paper Sun”, “Smiling Phases” and the hippy sitar of “Hole In My Shoe”! Will we ever see their like again? I doubt it…

With generous playing times on both discs (a half-decent booklet too), top quality sound and an online price tag that is often below three pounds (three quid for God's sake!) - you’re getting a whole lot of bang for your buck here. Way to go…

"This Year's Model: Deluxe Edition" by ELVIS COSTELLO and THE ATTRACTIONS (2008 Universal 2CD 'DELUXE EDITION' Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"…Pump It Up…"

Coming off the back of an exceptional debut LP only a year earlier  "My Aim Is True" - Elvis Costello's 1978 follow-up album "This Year's Model" made good on that promise and excitement. Hardly surprising that both records have been afforded the praise of a Universal DELUXE EDITION each - bolstered up with new remasters, bonus cuts and previously unreleased goodies. Here are the little triggers...

UK released April 2008 - "This Year's Model: DELUXE EDITION" by ELVIS COSTELLO and THE ATTRACTIONS on Universal 00602517606333 (Barcode 602517606319) is a 2CD set and breaks down as follows:

Disc 1 (69:50 minutes):

1. No Action

2. This Year's Girl

3. The Beat

4. Pump It Up

5. Little Triggers

6. You Belong To Me

7. Hand In Hand [Side 2]

8. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea

9. Lip Service

10. Living In Paradise

11. Lipstick Value

12. Night Rally

13. Radio, Radio [see NOTE]

Tracks 1 to 12 are the 12-track UK version of the LP "This Year's Model" released March 1978 on Radar RAD 3. The first 50,000 British copies (5000 stickered as Radar XX LP 11) came with a free 2-track 7"single - "Stranger In The House" b/w "Neat, Neat, Neat (Live)" (on Radar SAM 83) - only the B-side is included on this set - see 20 below.

Note: "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea" and "Night Rally" were dropped from the American LP on Columbia JC 35331 (released April 1978) - replaced with "Radio, Radio" as the last track on Side 2. In other words - to sequence the 11-track US version of the original LP use tracks 1 to 6 for Side 1 and tracks 7, 9, 10, 11 and 13 for Side 2.

BONUS MATERIAL: B-sides, Demos, Live Tracks, Alternates, Etc.

14. Big Tears (non-album track, B-side of "Pump It Up" - a UK 7" single released April 1978 on Radar ADA 10 - features MICK JONES of THE CLASH on Guitar. Also the B-side of "This Year's Girl" in the USA released 1978 on Columbia 3-10762)

15. Crawling To The USA (unique compilation track, first released on the US Soundtrack album "Americathon" released 1979 on Columbia JS 36174 - also featured on the US album "Taking Liberties" released 1980 on Columbia JC 36839)

16. Tiny Steps (non-album track, B-side to "Radio, Radio" - a UK 7" single released October 1978 on Radar ADA 24)

17. Running Out Of Angels (Demo Version)

18. Greenshirt (Demo Version)

19. Big Boys (Demo Version) (17, 18 and 19 first issued as bonus tracks on the 2001 2CD reissue of "This Year's Model")

20. Neat, Neat, Neat (Live) - the first 50,000 British copies of the LP (5000 stickered as Radar XX LP 11) came with a free 2-track 7" single - "Stranger In The House" b/w "Neat, Neat, Neat (Live)" (on Radar SAM 83). This is that B-side.

21. Roadette Song (Live)

22. This Year's Girl (Alternate Eden Studios Version)

23. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea (Alternate Basin Street Studios Version) - tracks 21, 22 and 23 first issued as bonus tracks on the 2001 2CD reissue of "This Year's Model")

Disc 2 - "Live At The Warner Theater, Washington D.C. 28 February 1978" - 62:33 minutes:

1. Pump It Up

2. Waiting For The End Of The World

3. No Action

4. Less Than Zero

5. The Beat

6. (The Angels Want To Wear My) Red Shoes

7. (I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea

8. Hand In Hand

9. Little Triggers

10. Radio, Radio

11. You Belong To Me

12. Lipstick Vogue

13. Watching The Detectives

14. Mystery Dance

15. Miracle Man

16. Blame It On Cain

17. Chemistry Class

All tracks on Disc are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED except for "Chemistry Class" - which was first issued on the "Armed Forces" 2CD edition in 2001.

The DE has been produced by Elvis Costello with the help of Universal's Bill Levenson (the original album was produced by NICK LOWE) and features a 4-way foldout card digipak with one of those peel-off DE bandanas across the bottom. The 24-page oversized booklet has lyrics, in-studio photos, publicity shots and discography credits. There's a couple of things that irk though - there's no liner notes (what would it have taken to chuck a couple of paragraphs together especially as the man himself was available for interview) - and where the hell is "Stranger In The House" that came with original British LPs as the A-side to the free single? There was room on the first disc so its absence smacks of sloppiness (it's on the DE on "My Aim is True" if you want it). If this is a definitive DE version - then include what came with the original album. But for me that all goes largely by-the-by because of the remaster and the live set...

The audio has been handled by no less than three experts in their field - all of whom I've praised before - BILL INGLOT (huge swaths of Rhino reissues) and SUHA GUR with ELLEN FITTON (large amounts of Motown and Universal's catalogue). I love the new power they've brought out of tracks like "This Year's Girl" and "You Belong To Me" - where Pete Thomas's drums whack your speakers with force and clarity and Steve Nieve's fairground keyboards squeak in the background with just that little bit more punch.

The album opens with his acidic "No Action" while the "two to tango" jabs of "The Beat" sound amazing. I always thought "Pump It Up" was one of his best ever singles - I used to DJ it back in the Dublin day - and I can still see those `two tone' kids tearing up the dancefloor to its irresistible kick-ass backbeat. Things take a decidedly more mature tone with the brilliant and slyly sexy "Little Triggers" - a great song about a professional tease. That treated guitar has added menace at the beginning of "Hand In Hand" and with an edit - it could have been another killer single. Speaking of pep in its step - the "so attractive" "Lip Service" now sounds fantastic with that backing so much clearer. I always thought American fans were wrongly denied "Night Rally" - a tightly epic album-finisher replaced on their album with the hit "Radio, Radio".

"Big Tears" and "Tiny Steps" are wicked B-sides while the American LP exclusive "Crawling To The USA" is of the same frantic ilk. The clarity of the three demos is shockingly good as are the renditions - acoustic versions complete with the occasional false start - they would make `Unplugged' sessions blush. His live cover of Ian Dury's "Roadette's Song" sounds like an EC song in the first place while Disc 1 is bookended with two excellent (and professionally recorded) alternates of two album highlights - "This Year's Girl" and "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea".

I was wondering if the live set on Disc 2 was just DE filler but its not. Excepting some serious speaker distortion at the beginning - the band is tight and totally on form (like Joe Jackson on a "Get Sharp" bender). Recorded months before the second album even showed up - what makes the American gig rock is the mixture of tracks from `both' the debut and "This Year's Model" - the crowd taking the old and the new in their stride because of how he cleverly placed the songs in the set. The Attractions take the audience with them on "Less Than Zero" and "The Beat" - while they rock "Red Shoes". By the time you get to the fabulous rocking "Blame It On Cain" - you're bopping in the living room - kinda wishing you'd been there.

Fans will know (with a sense of sadness even) that Elvis Costello's catalogue has been done just one too many times to be comfortable - but I'd argue with that this DE of "This Year's Model" with its improved sound and better than average extras - is the one to pump it up in your own living room...

"Depend On Me: The Early Albums" by THE MIRACLES (2009 Hip-O Select 2CD Set - Ellen Fitten Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Everybody's Got To Pay Some Dues…" 

You can’t accuse Hip-O Select of scrimping on this one - 5 albums across 2CDs, loads of non-album single sides and even Previously Unreleased. The presentation is lovely and the remasters absolutely top notch. There’s a huge amount on here so let’s get to those three-minute Soul Serenades straight away…

Released January 2009 in the USA on Hip-O Select B0012855-02 (Barcode 602527073071) – "Depend On Me: The Early Albums" by THE MIRACLES fans out as follows:

Disc 1 (79:04 minutes):

1. Who’s Lovin’ You

2. (You Can) Depend On Me

3. A Heart Like Mine

4. Shop Around

5. Won’t You Take Me Back

6. Cause I Love You

7. Your Love

8. After All

9. Way Over There

10. Money (That’s What I Need)

11. Don’t Leave Me

Tracks 1 to 11 are their debut LP "Hi, We're The Miracles" – released June 1961 in the USA on Tamla 220 and July 1963 in the UK on Oriole PS 40044

12. That’s The Way I Feel

13. Everybody’s Got To Pay Some Dues

14. Mama

15. Ain’t It Baby

16. Determination

17. You Never Miss A Good Thing

18. Embraceable You

19. The Only One I Love

20. Broken Hearted

21. I Can’t Believe

Tracks 12 to 21 are their 2nd LP “Cookin’ With The Miracles” – released November 1961 in the USA on Tamla 223 (No UK release)

BONUS TRACKS – NON-LP SINGLES:

22. Mighty Good Lovin’ – B-side of “Broken Hearted”, a USA 7” single released June 1961 on Tamla 54044

23. The Feeling is So Fine – A-side of a USA 7” single released September 1959 on Tamla 54028 but withdrawn

24. Shop Around (Second Regional A.K.A. “Slow” Version) – Second Pressing of a USA 45 on Tamla 54034 released September 1960

25. I’ll Try Something New – A-side of a USA 7” single released April 1962 on Tamla 54059

26. What’s So Good About Good Bye – A-side of a USA 7” single released December 1961 on Tamla 54053

27. He Don’t Care About Me – Recorded Late 1961

28. A Love That Can Never Be – Recording Details Unknown

29. I’ve Been Good To You – B-side of “What’s So Good About Good Bye” – see 26 – tracks 25 to 29, see also 1 to 5 on Disc 2

Disc 2 (74:44 minutes):

1. Speak Low

2. On The Street Where You Live

3. If Your Mother Only Knew

4. I’ve Got You Under My Skin

5. This Swear, I Promise

Tracks 25 to 29 on Disc 1, Tracks 1 to 5 on Disc 2 are their 3rd album “I’ll Try Something New” – released July 1962 in the USA on Tamla 230 (No UK release)

6. You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me

7. I’ve Been Good To You

8. Such Is Love, Such Is Life

9. I Can’t Take A Hint

10. Won’t You Take Me Back

11. A Love She Can Count On

12. Whatever Makes You Happy

13. Heartbreak Road

14. Happy Landing

15. Your Love

Tracks 6 to 15 are their 4th album "The Fabulous Miracles" – released May 1963 in the USA on Tamla 238 and November 1964 in the UK on Stateside SL 10099

16. Mighty Good Lovin’ (Live)

17. A Love She Can Count On (Live)

18. Happy Landing (Live)

19. I’ve Been Good To You (Live)

20. What’s So Good About Good Bye (Live)

21. You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me (Live)

22. Way Over There (Live)

Tracks 16 to 22 is their 5th album “Recorded Live On Stage” – released May 1963 in the USA on Tamla 241 and October 1963 in the UK on Tamla Motown TML 10055 (Mono) and STML 10055 (Stereo). 16 to 18 were recorded live at the Regal Theater, Chicago and 19 to 22 at The Apollo in New York.

23. Shop Around (First Regional Version) – A-side, 1st pressing, issued as a 7” single in the USA on Tamla 54034 in September 1960

24. The Only One I Love (Single Version) – B-side of “Ain’t It Baby”, A USA 7” single released March 1961 on Tamla 54036

The card digipak folds out into four-leaves and is very tastefully done in a sort of sepia feel – a bit of a trademark in Hip-O Select presentation. The 24-page booklet is gorgeous with detailed liner notes from STU HACKEL (profiled The Miracles many times before), black and white and colour publicity photos and indepth track-by-track annotation. But the absolute bomb is a foldout concertina of the colour album sleeves – it’s kept in the first flap and on the rear of each ‘detachable’ card is the back sleeve artwork – American Album covers that most fans simply never see. You get "Hi We're The Miracles" (June 1961), "Cookin' With The Miracles" (Nov 1961), "I'll Try Something New" (July 1962), "The Fabulous Miracles" (May 1963) and "Recorded Live On Stage" (May 1963). It’s a really nice touch and the ‘colour’ is beautiful.

Better still is the ELLEN FITTON remasters from first generation tapes. She’s been involved in huge swathes of Motown reissues for both Universal and especially Hip-O Select (she did all 13 of the award-winning “Singles” book sets. These are mostly MONO recordings not exactly put down in audiophile conditions – so her work here with the tapes is superb.

Musically these are early days – most of it is more Vocal Group than Sixties Soul. That nonchalant slow-paced Vocal Group vibe permeates “Who’s Lovin’ You”, “A Heart Like Mine” and “What’s So Good About Good Bye”. There are shades of the Marvelettes in “Ain’t It Baby” and heaps of Echo on “I’ll Try Something New” giving it a feel of Summer Nights at the Drive-In. The stand alone single “Mighty Good Lovin’” is a great dancer and the pleader “You Never Miss A Good Thing” has huge sound (and strings). It doesn’t say who the female vocalist on the rather excellent “He Don’t Care About Me” is (probably Claudette – Smokey’s wife) or the male lead on “A Love That Can Never Be” – but both are nice additions as is the mid-tempo B-side “I’ve Been Good To Soul”.

Despite its lovely presentation – there’s stuff on here that’s awful like their cheesy cover of “On The Street Where You Live” or Frankie’s “I’ve Got You Under My Skin”. Things improve immeasurably with Smokey’s wicked “You’ve Really Got A Hold On Me” – and easy to hear why it was an R&B Number 1. A nice bopper is “I Can Take A Hint” and the bluesy “Won’t You Take Me Back” even has a Joe Turner piano R&B feel. I find most of the live album unlistenable – crude recordings – but at least “Happy Landing” has some life in it. “The Only One I Love” was transferred from a mint 45 and noise-reduction technology used to dampen the crackle – and it sounds great.

Musically – I find the earliest Motown hard work – and these are no different. But if you’re a fan – the great sound, presentation and rarity value is going to be a huge draw…

PS: this 'limited edition' set is now deleted and commands heavy price tags in some quarters. (No pun intended) shop around - it can be bought for a lot less...

This review is part of my SOUNDS GOOD Music Book Series. One of those titles is SOUL, FUNK and JAZZ FUSION - Exceptional CD Remasters - an E-Book with over 245 entries and 2100 e-Pages - purchase on Amazon and search any artist or song (click the link below). Huge amounts of info taken directly from the discs (no cut and paste crap).