Various Artists
'The Shadows Of Love'
Universal Motown
UK Release Date: Monday 2nd October 2006.


Here's the third and final chapter for 2006 in this mini series of Motown compilations hand picked by individual people in the music media. Following on from the last release in the summer months courtesy of Sparks comes 'The Shadows Of Love' featuring twenty more gems from Hitsville USA this time compiled by Jon Savage (author of England's Dreaming, Time Travel, and editor of the Faber Book Of Pop).

OK so these songs are nothing new to seasoned Motown fanatics and they are merely a personal selection of Mr. Savage and no matter how many times we see these tracks appear on compilations CD's you cannot deny the sheer intensity and the quality of the songs in question irrespective of how many CD's you have in your collection with these songs on, or how many times your local radio station gives them an airing - the fact of the matter is they so brilliant anytime, any place!

Most of the tunes featured here were hit songs of which there are pages and pages on this web site covering other CD reviews where they can be found so let's not go over the same old ground and repeat what is already known. Savage along with the previous two compilers has clearly reflected on his personal favourite Motown sides and it is clear from the track listing that he found favour with the Supremes, and Martha Reeves whose hits 'You Keep Me Hanging On' 'Reflections' and the fabulous 'Honey Chile' and 'I Can't Dance To That Music Your Playing' (Martha) are a true and accurate reflection of both of these female outfits at their creative best.

No-one, and I mean no-one, could ever leave out the legendary Temptations from any Motown compilation and Savage has chosen two tracks from the mid sixties in 'I Know I'm Losing You' and the similarly paced 'I Wish It Would Rain' from their self titled album of 1967. Interestingly too, Savage plumps for 'Loves' Gone Bad' from Chris Clark who made the point during an interview I did with her in 2004 that she gets more people complimenting her on that song that any other she recorded in Detroit.

It was pleasing to see Mr. Savage include the excellent 'Gotta See Jane' from one time Motown songwriter and arranger R Dean Taylor who it would appear help co-write a number of cracking tunes for the company although not necessarily getting the full credit for his part. The same artist scored a hit in the early 1970's in the UK after the legendary Wigan Casino picked up on his 1966 US Soul recording of 'There's A Ghost In My House' and turned it into a deserved northern soul hit at that time and prompting a UK Tamla Motown release too.

Other recordings here emanate from Stevie Wonder (I Was Made To Love Her) and three sides from the Four Tops (Bernadette, You Keep Running Away & their Standing In The Shadows Of Love). One of my favourites has to be the gorgeous 'Hunter Gets Captured By The Game' by the lovely threesome the Marvelettes and one of Motown's all time great diva's Gladys Knight & the Pips whose 1967 outing 'Take Me In Your Arms And Love Me' is as good as it gets.

The track listing is obviously superb but again I wonder whether sales will se somewhat limited to Motown newcomers, as most of us seasoned fans will claim to have all the tunes on other CD's.

Rating 7/10