One of the hardest, rawest Four Tops album on 60s Motown – a unique live session, recorded at the Roostertail Nightclub in Detroit – with a sound that shows that the Tops could maybe shine even more away from the studio! Levi Stubbs' leads are especially incredible – not just a powerful force at the head of the songs, but a key factor in driving the energy of the performance – as he reaches out to the crowd with his calls, and whips the rest of the group into a soulful frenzy – no matter what the material. The set includes live takes on Four Tops classics like "It's The Same Old Song", "Reach Out I'll Be There", and "Baby I Need Your Loving" – plus some nice material that's less-iconic, including "The Girl From Ipanema", "I'll Turn To Stone", "I Like Everything About You", and "It's Not Unusual". LP, Vinyl record album

Why did Motown ever let the Four Tops get away? This album was their last for the label – and it's an excellent one, filled with soul, sweetness, and some of the best arrangements the group had in their later years! The soul component is super-high – with tight group instrumentation that reminds us of the best Philly backing combos of the same time, but leaner too – as Dennis Coffey and Wah Wah Ragin are on guitars, Jack Ashford handles percussion, and Leonard Caston adds some nice funky keyboards. The real talent, though, is the group – and Levi Stubbs is in fine fine form on cuts like "She's An Understanding Woman", "I Am Your Man", "If You Let Me", "Nature Planned It", "Walk With Me, Talk With Me Darling", and "Happy (Is A Bumpy Road)". Even includes a great version of Todd Rundgren's wonderful track "We Gotta Get You A Woman"! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

Given how much you hear this sort of stuff on the radio, you could easily forget that the Four Tops are actually a heck of a great vocal group, with harmonies that blew away many of their contemporaries, and which keep their work shining long past the hits. This second volume of hits has 12 tracks, including "In These Changing times", "Still Water (Love)", "Still Water (Peace)", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "What Is A Man", "You Keep Running Away" and "Yesterday's Dreams". LP, Vinyl record album

The Four Tops' second album – and quite possibly the most hitbound of all their early Motown work! The album's overflowing with classic numbers – and features the perennial favorites "I Can't Help Myself" and "It's The Same Old Song" – as well as a totally winning batch of other tunes, all produced to perfection by the Holland/Dozier team! The sound is classic Motown all the way through – still some nice rough edges on the group's vocals – and killer lead work from Levi Stubbs. Other tracks include "Helpless", "Love Feels Like Fire", "Something About You", "I'm Grateful", and "Stay In My Lonely Arms". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly great set from The Four Tops – hardly the throwaway effort you might expect from some of the other Casablanca projects of the time – and instead a really solid effort that follows strongly from the sound of the group's best moments during their ABC Records years! The vocals are sublime – just what you'd expect from the maturing group – and Levi Stubbs gets some really great moments to shine, especially on a few of the mellower tracks. But the harmonies are the key here, and they cascade with a smooth-stepping sophistication that's not unlike the groove The O'Jays were hitting around the same time too – a classy update of their older mode that really opens the Tops up to a new audience, but hardly in a way that's commercial at all. Titles include "When She Was My Girl", "Tonight I'm Gonna Love You All Over", "Who's Right Who's Wrong", "Let Me Set You Free", "From A Distance", "Something To Remember", and "I'll Never Leave Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty darn big collection of work from the 4 Tops – collecting the best of their early years at Motown on up through the 70s. There's a total of 39 tracks on the set, and titles include "Baby I Need Your Loving", "Ask The Lonely", "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)", "It's The Same Old Song", "Something About You", "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "Standing In The Shadows Of Love", "I Got A Feeling", "Bernadette", "I'll Turn To Stone", "You Keep Running Away", "Walk Away Renee","If I Were A Carpenter", "Yesterday's Dreams", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain", "Everybody's Talking", "Reflections", "For Once In My Life", "A Place In The Sun", "Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "It's All In The Game", "Still Water (Love)", "In These Changing Times", "You Gotta Have Love In Your Heart" and "(It's) The Way Nature Planned It". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive 70s 2LP set! Titles include "Something About You', "It's All In The Game", "Still Water", "7 Rooms Of Gloom", "Shake Me Wake Me", "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I'll Turn To Stone", "If I Were A Carpenter", "Walk Away Rene", "Something About You", and "It's The Same Old Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A lot greater than you'd expect – like most of The Four Tops' excellent work on ABC. The classic Motown sound is no longer, but in its place is the same sort of positive 70s soul grooving that Lamont Dozier picked up on the label – a style that makes a perfect platform for the vocals of Levi Stubbs. Backing is by Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers – and titles include "Catfish", "Feel Free", "Strung Out For Your Love", "Love Don't Come Easy", and "You Can't Hold Back On Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Despite the fame of their big hits – like "Reach Out I'll Be There", "I Can't Help Myself", "Baby I Need Your Loving", and "It's The Same Old Song", all of which are on this set, and which have been heard ad infinitum – the Four Tops are actually a heck of a great vocal group, with harmonies that blew away many of their contemporaries, and which keep their work shining long past the hits. This set's got some nice cuts that fall into that category – like "Bernadette", and "Ask The Lonely" – and the package is about as solid as you'd expect. LP, Vinyl record album

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A classic 60s album by the Four Tops – really one of their better efforts of the period – a record that finds the group working some soulful magic on a couple of their best known tunes, as well as adding a dose of deeper emotion to some hit songs of the time! Like other Motown success stories from that time, this set features some pop tunes and standard chart material, done by the group in their inimitable harmony style – with a few hits like "Reach Out, I'll Be There" and "7 Rooms Of Gloom" – plus wonderful interpretations of songs like "Walk Away Renee", "Last Train To Clarksville", and "I'm A Believer". Also includes "What Else Is There To Do", "Bernadette", and "Standing In The Shadows Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

With guest appearance by Aretha Franklin! LP, Vinyl record album

Really nice work from The Four Tops – proof that they were still going quite quite strong after Motown! The album's got a hip sound that shows the group moving through a wider range of emotions than we ever remember – crafting rich deep harmonies that still stand apart from the big wave of sweet soul quartets of the early 70s, and which sparkle with all the emotion that Levi Stubbs' voice had to offer. Includes their great theme to Shaft In Africa, the track "Are You Man Enough" – plus loads of other great ones like "I Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind", "It Won't Be The First Time", "Sweet Understanding Love", "Too Little, Too Late", "Peace Of Mind", and "Main Street People". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks ever – a massively beautiful record that goes beyond any cliches of the genre, and serves up a fantastically unique batch of tracks! Chisoul arranger Johnny Pate did the music for the film – and (dare we say it?) it's even greater that Issac Hayes' work for the first Shaft film – with a depth, sensitivity, and soul that's really amazing – and which has kept the record at the top of our crates for many years. The 4 Tops turn out a great later vocal on the album's theme tune "Are You Man Enough" – and Johnny himself does stellar work on the tracks "Shaft In Africa", "Headman", "You Can't Even Walk In The Park", "El Jardia", "Jazar's Theme", and "Truck Stop"! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic 60s album by the Four Tops – really one of their better efforts of the period – a record that finds the group working some soulful magic on a couple of their best known tunes, as well as adding a dose of deeper emotion to some hit songs of the time! Like other Motown success stories from that time, this set features some pop tunes and standard chart material, done by the group in their inimitable harmony style – with a few hits like "Reach Out, I'll Be There" and "7 Rooms Of Gloom" – plus wonderful interpretations of songs like "Walk Away Renee", "Last Train To Clarksville", and "I'm A Believer". Also includes "What Else Is There To Do", "Bernadette", and "Standing In The Shadows Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of rare group soul from Chess – one that not only features doo wop work by The Moonglows and Flamingos, but also lots of rare material by The Radiants, The Knight Brothers, The Marathons, The Pastels, The Gems, The Miracles, The Sensations, The Dozier Bouys, and The Four Tops! LP, Vinyl record album

Features 80s cuts by Phil Collins & Four Tops – plus 60s classics by Hollies, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Searchers, Spencer Davis Group, Dusty Springfield, and Sonny & Cher. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by The Temptations, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Four Tops, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Jr Walker & The All Stars, and The Jackson 5. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Mary Wells, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, The Marvelettes, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jr Walker & The All Stars, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Four Tops, and Stevie Wonder. LP, Vinyl record album

With classics by The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Brenda Holloway, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Four Tops, The Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, Jr Walker & The All Stars, The Originals, Commodores, Smokey Robinson, Rick James, Dazz Band, Jermaine Jackson, and Lionel Richie. LP, Vinyl record album

A great selection of older Motown numbers – with a few newer tracks from the 70s! The selection of tunes is a bit strange – given that the film was film set in Chicago in the mid 60's, whick makes you think the kids would have been listening to Chicago tunes on local labels like Okeh, Brunswick, and other labels – but overall, it's still a decent set. The original tunes are pretty great – like the instrumental "2 Pigs and a Hog", which was an old sample back in the 80's – and the tracks "Haulin", "Sweet First Love", "Cold Blooded", and "Three AM", which feature music by Freddie Perren. Other older tunes include "Stop In The Name of Love" by The Supremes, "Baby Love" by The Supremes, "Fingertips" by Stevie Wonder, "My Girl" by The Temptations, "Reach Out I'll Be There" by Four Tops, "It's So Hard To Say Goodbye To Yesterday" by GC Cameron, "Beechwood 45789" by The Marvelettes, and "Ooo Baby Baby" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, Brenda Holloway, Four Tops, Mary Wells, The Contours, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, and Barrett Strong. LP, Vinyl record album

All-star roster on Motown through the years , including The Marvelettes, The Supremes, The Temptations, Four Tops, Marvin Gaye, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder, Eddie Kendricks, Diana Ross, Thelma Houston, Commodores, and Rick James. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Beach Boys, Four Tops, Percy Sledge, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, The Rascals, Steve Miller Band, Spencer Davis Group, The Marvelettes, and The Band. LP, Vinyl record album

Lots of great cuts on this UK-only collection – 16 tracks, with work from Marvin Gaye, Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Supremes, Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Four Tops, and Jimmy Ruffin LP, Vinyl record album

Includes early selections from the Motown catalogue, with titles by Barrett Strong, The Miracles, Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Junior Walker & The All Stars, Four Tops, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Originals, and Jackson 5. LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Franklin at the end of the 80s – capping off a big run of records for Arista with another successful collaboration with Narada Michael Walden! There's a bit more of a groove here than before – a nice bounce on many cuts that almost brings in a slight new jack flavor – but handled with a bit more class, given Walden's legacy – and the album's got a lot of collaborative moments, including appearances from James Brown, Whitney Houston, Elton John, The Four Tops, and Kenny G. Titles include "Gimme Your Love", "Mercy", "It Isn't It Wasn't It Ain't Never Gonna Be", "Through The Storm", "If Ever A Love There Was", "Think 1989", and "Come To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, The Supremes, The Temptations, The Miracles, Blinky, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, Four Tops, The Marvelettes, Shorty Long, and Isley Brothers. LP, Vinyl record album

A special version of this excellent series – with an album by each artist in the package! Side one features a killer album by the justly described Great JJ Jackson – and one that's been a darn tough one to find over the years! The leadoff cut is JJ's amazing single "But It's Alright", a slammin' soul track that always stops us dead whenever we hear it – which isn't often enough! The rest of the material is excellent too, and there are lots of nice tracks like "I Dig Girls", "Courage Ain't Strength", "Too Late", "Try Me", "Down But Not Out", Sho Nuff (Got A Good Thing Going", and "Four Walls". He's equally adept at uptempo soul and more ballad inflected tunes – great stuff all the way! Side two features Hypnotized by Linda Jones – one of the greatest female singers on the east coast scene at the end of the 60s – heard here on a classic Warner Brothers set that includes some of her best-remembered tracks! At some level, the set's a prequel to Linda's later recordings for the Stang/All Platinum label – as it features production and arrangements by the great George Kerr – who really has a way with slow-moving soul tunes, and the kind of sad-tinged tracks that Jones always did so well! Plus, his raw production really brings out some of the deeper soul qualities in Linda's voice – a mode that's quite a surprise at times, and presented here in a way that's far beyond any of the Aretha Franklin-styled cliches of other singers. Jones is a tremendously unique talent in female soul, and this album's her lasting legacy – a true treasure with cuts that include the hit "Hypnotized", plus loads of other nice ones like "Last Minute Miracle", "Give My Love A Try", "You Can't Take It", "What've I Done", and "I Can't Stand It". LP, Vinyl record album