Anthology
Artist: The Four Tops

A bountiful three-record collection later issued on two CDs, the Four Tops' Anthology presented, in chronological order, every notable song from the group's tenure at Motown, from their 1964 breakout hit "Baby I Need Your Loving" all the way to 1972's "A Simple Game." (The compact disc also tacked on two songs from the '80s: "I Just Can't Walk... Read More

At His Best
Artist: Eddie Kendricks

While Eddie Kendrick (or Kendricks) never made as much impact on his own as he did with The Temptations, he still made some fine singles as a solo artist on Motown. These are included on this anthology, and while three or four great tunes usually aren't enough to merit an anthology, Motown has issued them by artists who had even fewer. "Keep on... Read More

Anthology - 1973
Artist: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Community Score: 5.00
1957-1972
Artist: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles

1957-1972 (1972) is arguably a misleading title for this nearly hour-long live package featuring the final run of concert appearances from the Miracles with Smokey Robinson as frontman. While the music in the program does span the combo's entire career (1957-1972), the actual performances took place July 14-16, 1972 as part of the festivities... Read More

One Dozen Roses
Artist: Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
Community Score: 5.00

One of their better latter-period albums. Though the singles ("The Tears of a Clown," "I Don't Blame You At All," the lovely "Satisfaction") were the focal points of the set, the real gem is "No Wonder Love's a Wonder," a haunting, socially conscious ballad where Smokey Robinson speaks the lyrics as the Miracles harmonize in the background. It... Read More

Spirit in the Dark
Artist: Aretha Franklin
Community Score: 5.00

Spirit in the Dark was one of Aretha Franklin's more overlooked albums from her Atlantic prime, despite the inclusion of a couple hit singles (the title track and "Don't Play That Song"). The disc includes five of her own compositions (the most she ever recorded for a single album) and her usual eclectic choice of cover material. On this record,... Read More

Pure Smokey
Artist: Smokey Robinson

During his solo career, many of Smokey Robinson's best solo efforts are when he writes his own material, which is more personally involved and reflective than his earlier work with the Miracles and others. An exceptionally good, ballad-driven album, its highlight is the modest pop hit "Virgin Man," one of pop and soul music's first attempts to... Read More

Young, Gifted and Black
Artist: Aretha Franklin

It's nearly impossible to single out any of Aretha Franklin's early '70s albums for Atlantic as being her best, particularly given the breadth of her output during this era. In terms of albums rather than singles, it's probably her strongest era, and if you count live albums like Amazing Grace, choosing a standout or a favorite record isn't any... Read More

Smokey
Artist: Smokey Robinson

Smokey Robinson's first album after splitting with the Miracles remains one of his best, yet it has never received the acclaim it deserves. "Holly" shows the genius of the man; the heart-rending ballad is about a teenage girl who gets strung out on drugs and fast living. Smokey's thoughts are with the Miracles on "Sweet Harmony," a sweet... Read More

Early Years with the Impressions
Artist: Curtis Mayfield

Until ABC/Paramount issued a good two-record anthology in the late '70s, and then MCA issued the definitive Mayfield/Impressions package in 1992, this was one of the better retrospective sets featuring some early Mayfield material with The Impressions. It still has value, but has been deleted. The Mayfield/Impressions two-disc set on MCA is... Read More

Back to the World
Artist: Curtis Mayfield
Community Score: 8.62

Back to the World, the first album Curtis Mayfield recorded and released after hitting number one with the intense inner-city vignette Superfly, returned him to a steady balance of optimism for the future and direct social commentary regarding the problems of his people. The lead single, "Future Shock," was inspired by Alvin Toffler's 1970 book... Read More

Eddie Kendricks
Artist: Eddie Kendricks
Community Score: 10.00

Though not worthy of lost-classic status like My People...Hold On, this self-titled effort is one of Kendricks' best of the early '70s. "Each Day I Cry a Little" is a painful ballad made even more gut-wrenching by the singer's strained vocals, and "Keep on Truckin" is a great uptempo soul romp that can be heard on any classic-soul station of... Read More

ABC
Artist: The Jackson 5
Community Score: 6.00

Not even six months after the Jackson 5 -- Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael, and Tito -- issued their debut long-player, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5 (1969), the vocal quintet returned with ABC (1970), arguably the brothers' most solid effort of the early '70s. The Jacksons' collective (and respective) talents, coupled with exemplary... Read More

Greatest Hits
Artist: Diana Ross & the Supremes

Although all of these 20 songs were credited to The Supremes when they were released between 1963 and 1967, this album marked the first LP on which the group was billed as "Diana Ross and the Supremes." However you credit it, this out-of-print double-LP contains the bulk of the best of The Supremes, no less than 10 #1 hits from "Where Did Our... Read More