Various Artists - Motown 50 (Album)
I laugh in the face of anybody who can fault this compilation. First good thing about it; it didn't come from Ministry of Sound (rather Universal, who own MOS, but anyway...). Consequently, the songs contained within are timeless, as opposed to frequently obselete. Thirdly, they make you dance because they're GOOD, not because you feel like you have to. That was a kind of pointless lead-up, seeing as the title gives away that this is a best-of Motown mix. But god damn it, I did it anyway, and believe you me, it was worth it.
Motown was a genre home to some of the most talented black musicians ever. When I say 'ever' I include TV On The Radio and Tupac. We're talking Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, The Supremes, Diana Ross and The Jackson 5. When you go to a wedding, and there's a kick-ass band playing, chances are you've grooved your butt along to Superstition, Baby Love, Mountain High or ABC. And while most people think 'oh, lame, freaking wedding tracks', there's a reason these songs are repeatedly requested by your parents, grandparents, and eventually you. They do not get old. That's right, just like Stevie Wonder, who can even walk off a recent collabo with the Jonas Brothers completely baby-faced and fresh, the tunes of Motown never cease to inspire.
Credit to whoever took the time to get all these songs cleared and manage to fill three discs top to toe with quality. That just doesn't happen much anymore in generation iTunes. You also don't hear voices like Marvin Gaye's, funky-ness like Four Tops' or the inane stupidity of Superfreak anymore either. Music like this will not make people stop and stare at you as you drive down to get the milk in the morning, but it will most certainly get you laid in the very same vehicle. It's love-making music; full of soul and sensuality, and not of the I Kissed A Girl kind either.
Any self-respecting music connoisseur will have these songs already buried deep in their psyche. But if you've been raised on a diet of FM music and instant popstars, this is a fabulous entry point into the smoky sultriness of the sixties and seventies. It will also make your folks think that you've turned over a leaf and matured, leaving the added bonus of getting away with murder on a daily basis. Seriously, nobody messes with kids who like Lionel Richie.
