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603. The Miracles: “A Fork In The Road”
Sumptuous in its beauty, quietly devastating in its lyrics... I don't know how he's doing this. (8)Continue reading »
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614. Brenda Holloway: “You’ve Changed Me”
It's the sort of thing where you could imagine Mary Wells having an absolute field day, but Brenda treats it as nothing more than a vocal showcase and, I have to say, I don't really like it all that...
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615. Brenda Holloway: “Who’s Lovin’ You”
It's hard to argue that it doesn't sound nice, but given the pedigree of everyone involved - given this is Motown we're talking about here, and in the summer of 1965 to boot - well, I'm just looking...
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634. Marvin Gaye: “Ain’t That Peculiar”
Not for the first time, Marvin Gaye sounds every inch the pop superstar, and once again here he's made an excellent pop record. The difference, now, is that he's making excellent records that sound...
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635. Marvin Gaye: “She’s Got To Be Real”
It's not great - it's weird and it's been poorly thought out, and what's more it's badly dated, as well as musically derivative of a much better song Marvin had already recorded. Still, even if it says...
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636. The Miracles: “My Girl Has Gone”
It's not bad, and I'll never turn down the chance to hear the golden-era Miracles doing what they do best. It's just that after all the riches they've given us recently, and with all the riches they're...
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637. The Miracles: “Since You Won My Heart”
It's hard to see this as anything other than filler, both on the album and on this single - once again, I doubt many fans have this at the top of their lists of Miracles favourites - but at least it's...
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638. The Temptations: “My Baby”
Is it a worthy follow-up to either My Girl or My Guy? You'd have to say no. Is it a worthy continuation of the recent glorious string of Temptations singles? Again, surely the answer would be no. But...
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639. The Temptations: “Don’t Look Back”
This should have been the A-side; this should have been the way the Miracles approached My Girl Has Gone. Should, should, should. What it is, though, is another excellent Temptations single. We won't...
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644. Jimmy Ruffin: “As Long As There Is L-O-V-E Love”
Smokey Robinson, who writes and produces here, had by now developed a knack of bringing the best out of underpowered singers, and this is a fine effort; if it's not exactly top-drawer Smokey (or indeed...
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666. The Marvelettes: “Don’t Mess With Bill”
We've never had cause to doubt the Marvelettes' quality before, but now they're paired with the right producer, they've got a part to play in the Motown story too, a part that finally makes sense;...
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673. The Miracles: “Going To A Go-Go”
Genuinely excellent, the sort of thing that helps give Motown its good name. And it's better than anything the Miracles have ever done in this mode until now, there's no doubt about it. Excellent. Just...
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674. The Miracles: “Choosey Beggar”
A success all round, then, leaving aside the nagging curiosity as to what might have happened with just a couple more days' work: a fitting way to cap the best year so far in the Motown careers of both...
View Article690. Marvin Gaye: “One More Heartache”
Marvin's life story was a fascinating patchwork of weird, unbelievable things; here, his musical story treads the same odd pathways, and the results are a strange, groovy trip, but a trip which still...
View Article691. Marvin Gaye: “When I Had Your Love”
Marvin Gaye's time with Smokey Robinson is drawing to a close here on Motown Junkies, but this absolutely has to go down as one of their best team-ups. It's weird and it's thought-provoking and it's...
View Article694. The Temptations: “Get Ready”
If white radio wasn't ready for this in 1966, it's their loss, because now it's 2020 and I am so very ready for this today. It sounds fantastic. (10)Continue reading →
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