575. Jr. Walker & the All Stars: “Do The Boomerang”
This is a messy, dirty kind of a record, little-loved and completely at odds with everything else Motown was aiming for in the spring of 1965. It’s also brilliant. Go figure. (9)
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574. The Marvelettes: “No Time For Tears”
Whatever their style, the Marvelettes have very, very few duff records in their future, something underlined by this supposedly throwaway B-side, an unexpected little treat. (7)
573. The Marvelettes: “I’ll Keep Holding On”
It feels effortless, like so many of the very best Motown records do; the Marvelettes were growing up alongside Motown itself, and it’s reassuring to find they were still able to mix it right at the forefront, to match whatever their peers were doing. (8)
572. The Velvelettes: “I’m The Exception To The Rule”
A lovely tune and a splendid lyric, even if it hasn’t quite come into full bloom yet. (7)
571. The Velvelettes: “Lonely Lonely Girl Am I”
The Velvelettes themselves speak fondly of it as the closest they ever got to making the record they wanted to make. As well they should: He Was Really Sayin’ Somethin’ is a wonderful, wonderful record, well deserving of a place in anyone’s desert island collection – but with all due respect, this is their masterpiece. (10)
570. Howard Crockett: “The Great Titanic”
Appalling on pretty much every level, this is one of the worst Motown records of all time – a fitting way, perhaps, to close out the history of one of Motown’s least-loved labels. (1)
569. Howard Crockett: “All The Good Times Are Gone”
Well played, Howard Crockett: I went in expecting nothing, and somehow you still gave me even less. (1)
568. The Four Tops: “Sad Souvenirs”
A bitter, lonely stalk of a song, all the better for Levi Stubbs to climb right to the top. (7)
567. The Four Tops: “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)”
I don’t know if a record can ever be “magnificently adequate”, which sounds like a veiled criticism even though that’s both exactly how I feel, and not at all what I mean. So instead, I’ll put it more positively: everything about this is just right. (8)
566. Kim Weston: “I’ll Never See My Love Again”
Not only a bewildering record, it’s momentarily bewitching too, and I’ve always got plenty of time for forays off the beaten track which bring unexpected results. (6)
565. Kim Weston: “A Thrill A Moment”
The production is a surprise (are we sure this isn’t from 1975?), and Kim’s voice is capable of breaking bottles at fifty paces – but those are just some of the ingredients for a great record, and nobody’s brought the recipe. (5)
Motown Junkies 