Motown Number 1's

Owner of one of the deepest catalogs in music history, Motown/Universal allows very few recordings to escape the clutches of its archive. Once they're available, however, they're repackaged in endless permutations; such it was when Motown was ten years old, and such it was as the company approached its 45th anniversary. Motown 1*s, a collection of 24 number one hits enjoyed by the label, ranges through four decades for its material -- from "Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes to "I'll Make Love to You" by Boyz II Men -- and provides the very broadest of hits anthologies. It is an excellent selection, perhaps skimping on Stevie Wonder and Smokey Robinson, but never spending too much time with any one artist (which allows the disc to survey Junior Walker as well as latter-day artists Thelma Houston, the Commodores, and DeBarge). Motown 1*s is presented in chronological order, with a baker's dozen of tracks from the '60s, and 11 from the '70s or later. Unnecessary for soul fans much less collectors, Motown 1*s works best for its intended audience -- those with no prior experience who wish to understand why the Motown conglomeration of singers, songwriters, musicians, and executives comprised the premier pop music organization of all time. [The bonus track, a cover of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" by Michael McDonald, is a fine reminder of how far the label's influence has carried.]