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It's the same old song – More Songs of the Motor City – Detroit
Soul Classics
Released
on 16 June 2003
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VARIOUS ARTISTS |
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Motown is the unspoken theme of this compilation, which divides
between covers of some of the label’s most famous hits, and evidence of what
Motown writing team Holland/Dozier/Holland got up to next. From Invictus/Hot
Wax classics by the Chairmen Of The Board and Freda Payne, to adventurous
Motown retreads by the likes of Shalamar and Jim Gilstrap, this is a fabulous
tribute to the enduring power of the Detroit sound. |
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This too struck me as a bit of an oddball compilation,
and it took me a while to realise the sentiments behind it. It is labelled
Detroit and Motorcity, contains some well known Detroit artist but it covers a
plethora of diverse artists over (mainly)70's recorded material. The common
ground of course is that all the songs were written by the great Detroit
writers and writing partnerships.
Heavily stacked in Invictus/Hotwax Holland Dozier
material but also included material by Whitfield/Strong, Ed Cobb, Berry Gordy
and Popcorn Wylie. Includes coers of old 60's Motown through to late 70's,
early 80's disco material. There is sufficient good material to make it an
interesting compilation, and for me the weaknesses tend to be in the disco
material. Whilst H- D cut some great stuff at Invictus Hot Wax I personally
thought that a lot of the material was weak by the likes of Honey Cone, 100
Proof, Flaming Ember, Eigth Day, even some Freda Payne and there is a good
representation from these artists.
A summary of the better cuts for me are (and thus
you can establish the weaker ones!):-
A fine version by Lamont Dozier of It's the same
old song, and an excellent rendition of You beat me to the punch by Retta Young
of the Mary Wells classic. Laura Lee is covered extensively elsewhere on this
site and two tracks are included the searing deep and emotional Every Little
Bit Hurts and the uptempo Rip Off.
The Whispers usually do it for me but their
rendition of My Girl though good doesn't quite hit the spot. The Escorts are a
great group but Oo Baby Baby unfortunately isn't one of my favourite Smokey
songs, and so their version is as good as it gets. The Continental 4 are also a
great group and Heaven must have sent you runs the Elgins (whose version could
never be surpassed) pretty close. Escorts, Continental 4 – i see an album of
lesser known male vocal groups coming!!!!!!!!!!
I don't normally go for live material but Lonnie
Youngblood's plaintive vocal, somewhat reminiscent of Toussaint McCall, on For
once in my love, and the funked up I can't get next to you, is very good.
Moving into later Whitfield Strong we have the
wonderful Message from a Black Man by the Whatnauts. After dissing Invictus
let's appreciate a great unknown track I shall not be moved by the Barrino
Brothers (which I have been known to play out when Djing), and a wonderful
chart hit Why can't we be lovers by Lamont Dozier.
Two artists that can do little wrong for me are
The Jones Girls (Come back) – not particularly strong but good to here and
Brenda Holloway – distinctive and soulful voice.
Of the later material Coffee's If this World Was
Mine does Marvin's song justice. And Grandmaster Flash starts the world of
sampling with It's a shame
Closing with two great cuts, in demand, from the
Northern Soul scene Eloise Laws Love Factory and in demand because it's just
plain good Zingara's Love Calling.
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