WCBS FM: Motown, Soul and Rock N Roll - Rock N Roll

Performer: Various Artists
Distributor: Gotham Distributing Corp.

Notes: This third installment in the series specially crafted by Collectables for WSNI FM focuses on the greatest hits of one of the most revered labels in pop music: Motown. With every single one of the 25 songs contained herein being either a chart-topper or a major hit, it's hard to refute this as nothing more than an extremely well-sequenced compilation covering Motown's glory years, and at an economically sensible price, it serves as an ideal starting point to those unfamiliar with Motown's vast arsenal of soulful hits. Simply outstanding from start to finish.~ Rob Theakston Collectables' 2003 compilation WCBS FM: Motown, Soul and Rock n Roll - Motown delivers 25 tracks of pure Motown gold. It was put together by Joe McCoy from WCBS FM and plays like what one might hope the radio would sound like in heaven. Every song is a hit and the disc flows like a river of sweet champagne. The songs are a fine mix of up-tempo dancefloor fillers like the Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman" and the Contours' "Do You Love Me" and heartbroken ballads like the Temptations' "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)" and Jimmy Ruffin's "What Becomes of the Brokenhearted." The only flaw in the presentation is the duplication of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." Both Gladys Knight's and Marvin Gaye's version are included at the expense of some other Motown classic. Still this is a set that is destined to get listeners up on their feet and dancing or at very least singing along at the top of their lungs. There are tons of Motown collections out there but this is one of the best. ~ Tim Sendra KFRC Oldies - Motown, Soul & Great Rock n' Roll: Rock n' Roll is a varied and quite solid 25-song collection of chart-toppers from the '60s compiled by Joe McCoy of WCBS. Now why a DJ from WCBS compiled a disc that is billed as a presentation of KFRC oldies is a question that will only nag at the most retentive of music fans. The rest will just be happy to enjoy the music, as it is first-rate from beginning to end. McCoy draws tracks from many different styles: folk-rock (the Mamas & the Papas' "Monday, Monday," Scott Mackenzie's "San Francisco"), girl group (the Angels' "My Boyfriend's Back," Lesley Gore's "It's My Party"), British Invasion (Manfred Mann's "Do Wah Diddy Diddy," the Troggs' "Wild Thing"), and good old American pop (the Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda," the Turtles' "Happy Together," the Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic?"). Any disc with those last three songs on it is worth owning, but wait, there's more! Len Barry's jubilant "1-2-3," the Guess Who's moody "These Eyes," Spiral Starecase's "More Today Than Yesterday," and Tom Jones' "She's a Lady" are some additional highlights. There is nothing here that would provoke a second look from a collector, but anyone looking for an action-packed hour of great "good-time oldies" from the '60s could do a lot worse than picking this collection up. ~ Tim Sendra KFRC Oldies - Motown, Soul & Great Rock n' Roll: Motown is a fine 25-song collection of some of Motown's greatest hits compiled by Joe McCoy of WCBS. Now why a DJ from WCBS compiled a disc that is billed as a presentation of KFRC oldies is a question that will only nag at the most retentive of music fans. The rest will just groove along to a very well selected batch of some of the best pop and soul music ever recorded. All the big names -- like Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, the Jackson 5, and the Temptations -- are represented, and you can't go more than one song without hearing a huge smash hit. This disc is a very nice introduction to Motown for neophytes, and is also a disc that is perfect for road trips, pool parties, or any place you want a refreshing blast of good-time oldies. ~ Tim Sendra KFRC Oldies - Motown, Soul & Great Rock n' Roll: Soul is a fine 25-song collection of some of soul music's best-known songs compiled by Joe McCoy of WCBS. Now why a DJ from WCBS compiled a disc that is billed as a presentation of KFRC oldies is a question that will only nag at the most retentive of music fans. Everyone else will just get down to the sweet soul sounds. There are many strains of soul represented here: gritty Southern soul (Sam & Dave's "Soul Man," Eddie Floyd's "Knock On Wood"), bubblegum soul (Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love," the Five Stairsteps' "Ooh Child"), smooth soul (the O'Jays' "Love Train," Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose's "Too Late to Turn Back Now"), disco (Tavares' "It Only Takes a Minute," Earth, Wind & Fire's "September") and pop-soul (Fontella Bass' "Rescue Me," the Chairmen of the Board's "Give Me Just a Little More Time"). This heady mix of nonstop hits is a very strong introduction to soul music for those new to the sound, and for the already converted it plays like an hour of amazingly good and familiar "good-time oldies" soul radio. ~ Tim Sendra K-Earth Oldies Radio: Motown, Soul and Great Rock 'N Roll collects 25 tracks recorded in the '60s and early '70s at Hitsville USA. Unlike similar compilations, this Collectables' disc features the original versions of such number one Motown hits as "Baby Love" (the Supremes), "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" (Marvin Gaye), "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (the Four Tops), "The Tears of a Clown" (Smokey Robinson & the Miracles), "Please Mr. Postman" (the Marvelettes) and "My Guy" (Mary Wells). ~ Al Campbell Collectables' 2003 compilation WCBS FM: Motown, Soul and Rock n Roll - Soul is a potent mixture of various strands of soul music woven into a 25-track knockout blow of awesome music and timeless classics. There is fine Memphis soul from Sam & Dave ("Soul Man"), Eddie Floyd ("Knock on Wood"), and Isaac Hayes ("Theme From 'Shaft'"), nasty funk from James Brown ("I Got You [I Feel Good]") and Jean Knight ("Mr. Big Stuff"), pop-soul from the Five Stairsteps ("Ooh Child"), Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose ("Too Late to Turn Back Now"), and the 5th Dimension ("Wedding Bell Blues"), Philly soul from the O'Jays ("Love Train"), early disco from the Hues Corporation ("Rock the Boat"), bubblegum soul from the Chairmen of the Board ("Give Me Just a Little More Time") and Robert Knight ("Everlasting Love"), and even some quiet storm from Smokey Robinson ("Cruisin'"). The only false note is the inclusion of Kool & the Gang's "Ladies Night," which isn't very soulful and sounds pretty ridiculous wedged in between Robert Knight and Eddie Floyd. Despite this, the disc is like a short primer on soul, and rather than lament any choices that could have been made, it is much easier to just let the music play. Anyone looking for a quick dose of sweet soul music from various compatible eras could do a lot worse than picking this record up. ~ Tim Sendra WODS - FM - Motown, Soul and Rock n Roll: Soul collects from those genres 25 of the most influential tracks recorded in the mid-'60s through the late '70s. Unlike similar compilations, this Collectables disc features the hit versions of classic oldies including "I Got You (I Feel Good)" (James Brown), "I'll Take You There" (Staple Singers), "Sweet Soul Music" (Arthur Conley), "Everybody Plays the Fool" (Main Ingredient), "Wedding Bell Blues" (the 5th Dimension), "It Only Takes a Minute" (Tavares), and "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" (Gladys Knight & the Pips). ~ Al Campbell This third installment in the series specially crafted by Collectables for WODS FM focuses on the greatest hits of one of the most revered labels in pop music: Motown. With every single one of the 25 songs contained herein being either a chart-topper or a major hit, it's hard to refute this as nothing more than an extremely well-sequenced compilation covering Motown's glory years, and at an economically sensible price, it serves as an ideal starting point to those unfamiliar with Motown's vast arsenal of soulful hits. Simply outstanding from start to finish. ~ Rob Theakston This Collectables disc was specially issued for WODS FM and focuses on 25 of the most popular tracks in rock & roll from the mid-'60s to the mid-'70s. As a credit to the label and the station, they opted to license off original recordings of songs rather than new recordings by the group, a trend horrifically too common in oldies compilations. It's a nonstop cavalcade of stars and hits such as the Beach Boys' "Help Me Rhonda," the Guess Who's "These Eyes," and a pre-"Blinded by the Light" Manfred Mann with his other chart-topping anthem, "Do Wah Diddy." ~ Rob Theakston The Rock n' Roll volume in Collectables' 2003 Motown, Soul & Great Rock n' Roll series contains 25 original hits of the '60s by the original artists. Big names like the Beach Boys ("Help Me Rhonda"), the Mamas & the Papas ("Monday, Monday"), Sonny & Cher ("The Beat Goes On"), and Dusty Springfield ("You Don't Have to Say You Love Me") rub shoulders with mid-levels acts like the Turtles ("Happy Together"), the Guess Who ("These Eyes"), and Tom Jones ("She's a Lady") as well as one-hit wonders like the Spiral Starecase ("More Today Than Yesterday") and Len Barry ("1-2-3"). The collection is brimming with wall-to-wall hits and amazing songs like the Left Banke's "Walk Away Renee" and the Lovin' Spoonful's "Do You Believe in Magic." With oldies stations around the country beginning to rely more on songs from the '70s, it may be nice for fans of '60s music to have such a solid collection for car trips or pool parties. ~ Tim Sendra

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