The Ultimate Collection

Martha & the Vandellas were second only to Diana Ross & the Supremes in Motown’s staple of great girl group acts. They ditched the super-polished very-pop gloss that Diana Ross & the Supremes made their stock and trade, instead Martha & the Vandellas went for a rougher, more urban pop-soul sound and look. It worked just as effectively. While a gem of a pop song like “Where Did Our Love Go” f... read more

Description: Considered by some pundits as having played second fiddle to the lofty mainstream success of Motown's Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (initially Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard, who was replaced by Betty Kelly in 1964) had a grittier sound that may not have given them the same kind of pop following accorded label founder Berry Gordy Jr.'s "pet" group. But as this 25-track compilation demonstrates, former Motown secretary Reeves and her cohorts hardly languished in obscurity. Rather, the team--with the assistance of Motown producers like Mickey Stevenson and the formidable Holland-Dozier- Considered by some pundits as having played second fiddle to the lofty mainstream success of Motown's Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas (initially Rosalind Ashford and Annette Beard, who was replaced by Betty Kelly in 1964) had a grittier sound that may not have given them the same kind of pop following accorded label founder Berry Gordy Jr.'s "pet" group. But as this 25-track compilation demonstrates, former Motown secretary Reeves and her cohorts hardly languished in obscurity. Rather, the team--with the assistance of Motown producers like Mickey Stevenson and the formidable Holland-Dozier-Holland trio--provided the musical soundtrack for the '60s with such classics as "Heat Wave," "Dancing in the Street," "Nowhere to Run," and their first hit, 1963's "Come and Get These Memories." While it doesn't have every one of the group's 24 charted hits, this collection includes all of their major smashes, some notable B-sides ("A Love Like Yours," "Forget Me Not," "Motoring," and the much-loved "Third Finger, Left Hand"), and some interesting obscurities, such as 1970's "I Should Be Proud" (a poorly disguised Vietnam protest) and "Tear It On Down," the group's final chart single. A perfect, essential overview of one of Motown's most prized and admired female groups. --David Nathan ... (more) (less)