The Temptations
The Ultimate Collection (1997)


Thanks to their fine-tuned choreography -- and even finer harmonies -- the Temptations became the definitive male vocal group of the 1960s; one of Motown's most elastic acts, they tackled both lush pop and politically charged funk with equal flair, and weathered a steady stream of changes in personnel and consumer tastes with rare dignity and grace. The Temptations' initial five-man lineup formed in Detroit in 1961 as a merger of two local vocal groups, the Primes and the Distants. Baritone Otis Williams, Elbridge (aka El, or Al) Bryant, and bass vocalist Melvin Franklin were longtime veterans of the Detroit music scene when they joined together in the Distants, who in 1959 recorded the single "Come On" for the local Northern label. Around the same time, the Primes, a trio comprised of tenor Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams (no relation to Otis), and Kell Osborne, relocated to the Motor City from their native Alabama; they quickly found success locally, and their manager even put together a girl group counterpart dubbed the Primettes. (Later, three of the Primettes -- Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard -- formed the Supremes).

Channels:		2 (stereo)
Sample Rate:		44.1 KHz
Sample Size:		16 bit
Bit Rate:		320 kbps

Audio Quality:		Very High (Lossy)
Encoder:		LAME 3.98r
Encoder Settings:	Constant Bit Rate 320 kbps (Insane)
Contains:		Album Art, ID Tag [ID3v2.3 (ANSI) & ID3v1.1]

Format:			Mp3
Genre:			Soul and R&B
M3U Playlist:		Yes

With the exception of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye, one would be hard pressed to name a Motown act who went through as many creative shifts as the Temptations. While Wonder's and Gaye's changes of direction were a product of their own creative rebellion against Berry Gordy' brilliant but often formulaic vision, the Temptations seemed to be the label's official "keeping up with the times" artists, starting out as interpreters of Smokey Robinson's silky-smooth sweet soul confections and going on to embrace rock guitars, work with members of Funkadelic, and be produced by Rick James, all while holding onto their trademark vocal style. The length and breadth of the Temptations' career would make it practically impossible for a single-disc career retrospective to be truly comprehensive, and The Ultimate Collection is missing a few essential tracks (most notably "Psychedelic Shack" and "Runaway Child, Running Wild"), while two latter-day hits, "Treat Her Like a Lady" and "Error of Our Ways," don't exactly bring this set to a triumphant conclusion. But if you're only going to own one Temptations disc, The Ultimate Collection is a very good one to get; it includes the majority of the group's biggest hits, the remastering sounds great, and the chronological sequence gives a fine picture of the group's constant musical evolution. The Ultimate Collection isn't the last word on the Temptations, but it's a splendid starting point to their music, and will add a satisfying portion of sweet-and-sour soul to your next party. Special added attraction: a rare a cappella take of "My Girl" is included as a bonus.

01.The Way You Do The Things You Do
02.My Girl
03.It's Growing
04.Since I Lost My Baby
05.Don't Look Back
06.Get Ready
07.Ain't Too Proud To Beg
08.(I Know) I'm Losing You
09.All I Need
10.You're My Everything
11.Angel Doll
12.I Wish It Would Rain
13.Cloud Nine
14.I Can't Get Next To You
15.Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)
16.Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)
17.Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
18.Shakey Ground
19.Treat Her Like A Lady
20.Error Of Our Ways
21.My Girl (A Cappella) (Excerpt)

Cheers!