... CD

A sharp UK version – with tracks that include "Wild One", "Nowhere To Run", "Heatwave", "Dancing In The Streets", "My Baby Loves Me", "Come & Get These Memories", "You've Been In Love Too Long", "A Love Like Yours", and "In My Lonely Room". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of our favorite albums ever from Martha Reeves & The Vandellas – a set that's way past their early overheard hits for Motown, and which shows the group really stretching out with a new sort of power! There's definitely a bit of Black Magic in the mix – as there's a fresh feel here that really shows the changes Motown was making at the start of the 70s – with some echoes of the style used with the Jackson 5 – no surprise, given that the album's genius track "Bless You", was written by The Corporation! That track is worth the price of the album alone – and has this incredible wall of sound arrangement, with Martha singing verse after verse about the religiosity of love. But other tracks are great too – and include "No One There", "I Want You Back", "Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broke", and "Tear It On Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing stuff – like discovering a whole new career of a famous artist – one that ran parallel to their hit work, but which has been unknown for years! The set brings together 47 tracks that Martha Reeves recorded for Motown during her legendary stay at the label – all-great work that for some odd reason was never released at the time, but which clearly matches (and often beats) the quality of her bigger hits of the time. The span of the recordings runs for a full decade, and captures Martha at many different stages in her career – from early straight girl group work, through more deeply soulful late 60s tunes, to some of the wonderfully open work she was singing in the last Motown years. As usual with these Hip-O sets, the notes are great and the package is all top-shelf – making a worthy set to match the high value of the rare music included! Titles include "Time Changes Things", "Missing Lover", "Coney Island", "Spellbound", "Looking In The Mirror", "Full Speed Ahead", "Operation Teamwork", "Talking About Love", "Ain't My Stuff Good Enough", "Love Where Are You Hiding", "For Once In My Life", "I Can't Help It", "I'll Take A Rain Check", and even a rare Back To School promo! CD

A really classic collection – expanded here with lots of bonus tracks too – all to focus on the best sounds of the early years of Motown! The set's not R&B at all – but it is an important 1964 UK release of vintage Motown material – put on the overseas market after the Beatles, Stones, and other English groups were dipping into the world of motor city soul for their own recordings – which meant that it was more than time enough for some of the original tracks to their a new level of exposure! Motown maybe shaped the sound of rock in the UK even more than it did over here – and this collection is also a great portrait of the key core of artists who made the label so great at the start, before the company started branching out to bring other artists into the roster. Titles include "Money" by Barrett Strong, "Shop Around" and "I Don't Want To Take A Chance" by Mary Wells, "Way Over There" and "The One Who Really Loves You" by The Marvelettes, "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" and "I'll Try Something New" by The Miracles, "Mocking Bird" by Martha & The Vandellas, and "Let Me Go The Right Way" by The Supremes". The original 14 track album has been expanded to 28 cuts here – with bonus material that includes "Hitch Hike" and "Pride & Joy" by Marvin Gaye, "Please Mr Postman" and "I Want A Guy" by The Marvelettes, "Shake Sherry" by The Contours, "Oh I Apologize" by Barrett Strong, "You've Really Got A Hold On Me" and "I've Been Good To You" by The Miracles, "I Found Myself A Brand New Baby" by Mike & The Modifiers, "You Beat Me To The Punch" by Mary Wells, and "I Found A Girl" by The Valadiers. CD

An early entry into the CD box set format – and a classic collection that features 104 tracks by 36 key artists from Motown Records! Music from Barrett Strong, the Miracles, Eddie Holland, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Martha & the Vandellas, Kim Weston, the Elgins, Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Gladys Knight & the Pips, David Ruffin, Edwin Starr, Rare Earth, the Spinners, Jackson 5, the Supremes & much more. CD

The genius of Ziggy Stardust didn't just spring out of the blue – as David Bowie spent years listening to other music by a range of different artists – engaging them, supporting them, and absorbing them in the process – all to weave into the rich tapestry that became his own musical legacy! Bowie famously covered 60s tunes on his Pin Ups album, and did others' tracks on some other studio sides as well – and his live performances were famous over the years for surprising remakes that offered unabashed homage to those who influenced him – a few of whom would become musical partners as well. This loving package features 24 tracks that were all later performed by Bowie, but delivered here in their original versions – all with detailed notes that trace the lines between the initial takes and the remakes – with the kind of flourish we've come to love from Ace Records. Titles include "Fill Your Heart" by Biff Rose, "It Ain't Easy" by Ron Davies, "Sorry" by The Merseys, "Rosalyn" by The Pretty Things, "Dancing In The Street" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Nite Flights" by The Walker Brothers, "Alabama Song" by Lotte Lenya & The Three Admirals, "Kingdom Come" by Tom Verlaine, "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" by The Kinks, "White Light White Heat" by The Velvet Underground, "Louie Go Home" by Paul Revere & The Raiders, "If There Is Something" by Roxy Music, "Criminal World" by Metro, "Amsterdam" by Jacques Brel, "Wild Is The Wind" by Johnny Mathis, "I Took A Trip On A Gemini Space Ship" by The Legendary Stardust Cowboy, and "Pablo Picasso" by The Modern Lovers. CD

Female Motown, way past the hits – a wonderful selection of rare cuts from the 60s, including a dozen previously unissued tracks! The collection is a real discovery, even for Motown fans – and the set is filled with gems that go way past the obvious – some real Detroit soul treasures that make the whole thing a delight! Lots of the work is from that key early Motown stretch, when the label was really coming into its own, but still trying out a lot of new ideas too – and as such, were really willing to move past some obvious hit modes of the time. And make no mistake – these cuts aren't leftovers, or half-baked – as all of them have top-shelf production and arrangements – further proof that the Motown approach never dimmed at all. Titles include "Do You Know What I'm Talkin About" by LaBrenda Ben, "Don't Turn Your Back On Me" by Brenda Holloway, "Build Him Up" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Like A Nightmare" by The Andantes, "Dance Yeah Dance" by Thelma Brown, "When Somebody Loves You" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "My Black Belt" by Hattie Littles, "It's Too Soon To Know" by Kim Weston, "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" by Liz Lands, "If Wishes Came True" by Anita Knorl, and "So Let Them Laugh At Me" by Linda Griner. CD

Music from the Marvelettes, Martha & the Vandellas, Mary Wells, the Temptations, the Supremes, Jr Walker & the All Stars, the Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, the Jackson 5 and more – 26 tracks in all! CD

A treasure trove of rare Motown from some of legendary label's most classic acts – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Four Tops, Brenda Holloway, Martha & The Vandellas, The Supremes, The Originals, Bobby Taylor, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye & The Jackson 5 – prime vintage late 60s to early 70s recordings that have barely if ever seen light of day! Motown recording artists put a lot of work into the recording side of their artistry back in the day, so there was a lot classic level material that didn't come out right away, some finding release on later compilations or on box sets, some STILL just now seeing release. Half of this dozen song collection have never come out in any form until now – including "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" by The Originals and stereo mixes of "For Once In My Life" by Diana Ross & The Supremes, "Pretty Little Brown Skin Girl" by The Temptations and "Touched By Love" by Bobby Taylor and more – plus the rarities "You're Walking Out With My Heart" by Brenda Holloway, "Which Way Is The Sky" by the Four Tops, "Let's Have A Party" by the J5, "The Boy From Crosstown" (Version 1) by The Marvelettes and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A really nice UK collection, with 16-well-chosen cuts from the Motown catalog – titles that include "Standing In The Shadows Of Love" by The Four Tops, "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" by Jimmy Ruffin, "When You're Young & In Love" by The Marvelettes, "It Takes Two" by Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston, "I Was Made To Love Her" by Stevie Wonder, "Jimmy Mack" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Seven Rooms Of Gloom"b y The Four Tops, and "I Know I'm Losing You" by The Temptations. LP, Vinyl record album