Various Artists
'Motown Made To Measure'
A selection of Motown songs selected by Sparks
Universal/Motown
Released in the UK June 2006
Catalogue Number: 9840015

Not released until June this second CD release in this series finds US 80's electro duo Ron & Russell Mael who recorded under the name of Sparks choosing a selection of their favourite Motown cuts from the 60/70's. Looking at the twenty songs they have chosen its fair to say they have great taste in music even though I didn't care too much for their own music of that period, and it is clear that the Motown sound made a major impact on them as they grew up in Los Angeles during the heady period of beat music along the whole of the west coast.


Choosing a selection of songs that are both ballads and uptempo classics from the glory days as well as the early to mid seventies they know a good Motown tune or two and quite a number of these featured songs would certainly slot into my own list of all-time favourites. Opening with the moody instrumental 'Cleo's Mood' from the late Junior Walker before moving through some serious classics from the 1960's including Stevie Wonder with his 'Work Out Stevie, Work Out' Marvin's all-time classic from 1964 'Can I Get A Witness' 'Get ready from the legendary Temptations as well as taking in the likes of Kim Weston, Barrett Strong, The Miracles, and Edwin Starr's 1966 Ric-Tic recording 'Agent Double O Soul'.

There's nothing really out of the ordinary here with all the songs being well known and popular and track listing is perhaps somewhat typical of a casual Motown fan as opposed to a specialised one. Two tracks from the Jackson 5/Michael Jackson along with the Commodores from 1977 sprinkled with a covering of the Undisputed Truth and Gladys Knight makes a good selection for anyone's collection. I'm not so sure this will sell in big quantities but will look good in the likes of HMV/Virgin stores which hopefully will attract some new younger Motown fans.

Tracklisting;

1. Jr. Walker and the All-stars                  "Cleo's Back"
2. Little Stevie Wonder                            "Workout, Stevie, Workout
3. Marvin Gaye                                        "Can I Get A Witness"
4. The Commodores                                "Brick House"
5. Temptations                                         "Get Ready"
6. Thelma Houston                                  "Don't Leave Me This Way"
7. Miracles                                               "Mickey's Monkey"
8. Martha and the Vandellas                   "Dancing In The Street'
9. Undisputed Truth                                 "Smiling Faces"
10. Barrett Strong                                       "Money"
11. Gladys Knight and the Pips                 "The Nitty Gritty"
12. Kim Weston                                         "Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While)"
13. Jackson 5                                             "ABC"
14. Eddie Kendricks                                   "Keep On Truckin'"
15. The Supremes                                     "Back In My Arms Again"
16. Jimmy Ruffin                                       "What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted"
17. Edwin Starr                                          "Agent Double O Soul"
18. Mary Wells                                           "You Beat Me To The Punch"
19. Contours                                              "First I Look At The Purse"
20. Michael Jackson                                  "Ben"

Rating 7/10

Track numbers 3,5,6,7,12,15,16 can be viewed as streaming videos - click here to go to our video page.