199. Mike & The Modifiers: “It’s Too Bad”
This would probably have worked quite nicely as a group harmony number circa 1959. (3)
Tag Archives: Motown
198. Mike & The Modifiers: “I Found Myself A Brand New Baby”
A catchy, R&B-influenced pop-rock song, exactly the sort of thing that was just catching on over in the UK in 1962 and which, two years later, would storm the USA under the catch-all heading of “the British Invasion”. (5)
197. Gino Parks: “For This I Thank You”
This excellently slinky R&B excursion turns out to be one of the best things Gino ever recorded with the label. (6)
196. Gino Parks: “Fire”
Just about the loudest and angriest record Motown had released in its first four years of existence. It’s certainly not blues, but it’s no pop record either; it’s almost defiantly uncommercial. (5)
195. Hattie Littles: “Is It True (What They Say About You)”
Interesting, fast-paced fun, too slight to be a single in its own right, but a good opportunity for singer and band to let their hair down; I’m just very intrigued to know what it sounded like before Hattie got to record it. (6)
194. Hattie Littles: “Back In My Arms”
Hattie could take heart in the fact she wouldn’t be the last Motown artist to suffer such a fate, and she’d be in some pretty good company. (6)
193. The Contours: “Move Mr Man”
Not awful, by any means, but the image of the Contours conjured for new listeners by Do You Love Me is slightly dispelled here. (4)
192. The Contours: “Do You Love Me”
A good example of an inspired match between performer and material; the Contours’ performance makes a thin song into a super record, while Berry Gordy’s song briefly makes a bunch of tone-deaf dancers into a star recording group. (8)
191. Mickey McCullers: “I’ll Cry A Million Tears”
If this had been released two years earlier with a better lead vocal, it might have been a hit; instead, this feels like something of a waste of material, and a waste of Smokey Robinson. (6)
190. Mickey McCullers: “Same Old Story”
The reason for McCullers finding himself sidelined on his own record is pretty straightforward; rather than being a daring aesthetic choice on Smokey’s part, the simple fact is that McCullers’ performance wasn’t good enough, and had to be compensated for with backing vocals and instruments. (4)
189. Lamont Dozier: “Fortune Teller (Tell Me)”
A run-of-the-mill early-Sixties R&B workout with some bluesy piano, sung well enough by Lamont but with little else to commend it. Lyrically it goes nowhere, and musically, it’s unimpressive, unimaginative and ultimately boring. 3
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