Short Cuts

If you are a fan and collector of vintage soul music on vinyl, you probably know by now just how difficult it is to find many of those classic, sought-after recordings in nice condition. As with jazz from the 1950s and ’60s, soul sides were often life-of-the-party soundtracks, played on the low-cost record players and consoles of the times.

Brief sidenote: the average music enthusiast of the day didn’t call them turntables just yet. Mass-produced consumer record players of those mid-century times were often relatively inexpensive automatic-changer designs, created to stack multiple LPs for continuous play — and, more often than not, they wound up scuffing the vinyl in the process, as the discs would land one on top of another, sometimes slippin’ and a-slidin’ along the way as they did.

Fact is, not as many people played their records with an eye toward archival preservation back then, like many of us do now. It was truly all about the music (and partying, and dancing!). Those records frequently got treated pretty rough, and thus, clean of-era originals tend to be quite scarce.

These are but a few reasons why a new reissue series of vintage Motown titles by way of Elemental Music (and UMe) is no doubt warranted for aspiring collectors young and old alike — folks who don’t really want to spend the time hunting for those elusive, original unicorn LPs and just want a decent, clean copy of some of the more desirable titles from the legendary Motown catalog presented in as authentic a manners as possible while not breaking the bank. And thus, we have this exciting new series that’s officially been dubbed the Motown Sound Collection, for which Elemental Music will continue to release vintage Motown titles on an ongoing monthly basis.

Naturally, I asked the label and their PR team some important questions about the origins of these reissues, the answers to which may or may not impact your interest levels. The responses were very honest, enlightening, and not entirely surprising. Related to those crucial source DNA Qs, we have learned that, quote, “Given that we’re issuing a lot of Motown’s earlier and more obscure recordings, the original master tapes were not in suitable condition for remastering and re-cutting new lacquers. Instead, we’ve used the original digital remasters (AAD) from the ’80s — often revered as the best — to make our reissues sound as close to the original Motown LPs as possible. These were done primarily before the MCA acquisition by several engineers, including Gavin Lurssen, Bill Inglot, who did some Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye titles, and Motown legend John Matousek.“

Elemental Music employed DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) processes, cutting directly from high-rez digital files of the original master tapes. The LPs in this ongoing Motown Sound Collection 140g virgin vinyl series have been manufactured at GZ in the Czech Republic, reportedly using PrismSound and Orfeus 24-bit converters in tandem with Neumann VMS-82 DMM cutting systems.

Each album in the new Motown Sound Collection series comes housed in a protective plastic-lined audiophile-grade white inner sleeve. Also included is a recreation of a 1960s-era Motown Records insert, complete with catalog images of many of the hit albums the label was marketing at the time, as seen below. Some LPs in this series are also on color vinyl (though not all of them). The SRP for each Motown Sound Collection reissue is a reasonable $29.99, and the five that I’m covering here can all be ordered via their respective Music Direct link graphics that appear following each review that follows.

Before I get into those reviews, I will offer one additional collector’s insight. In the 1980s, there was an earlier reissue series made of many classic Motown titles. Somewhat akin to Fantasy’s Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series, those Motown reissues were a bit barebones in their presentation, reproducing best-available cover art elements without deep adherence to accurately recreate the original editions. Covers were made from thinner oaktag type stock — as opposed to the thicker cardboard construction of the ’60s — and the standard-weight pressings were admittedly decent enough. Like the OJCs, the pricing on those Motown reissues was reasonable enough for the times.

Personally, I never paid much attention to those reissues back in the day, but in recent years, I have picked some of them up out in the wilds and found they actually sound pretty good. I have since learned from other collectors that those reissues may have been crafted in the analog domain when the original tapes were available (as akin to the OJC series). Sadly, I am semi-educatedly guessing that many of those tapes were likely lost in those horrific, big archival storage fires from some years back.

The reason I point all this out is that if you are willing to do a bit of hunting and that being an AAA-completist is super-important to your collecting/listening M.O., then you might consider seeking those editions out on the used market. That said — if, like us, you tend to lean toward obtaining as many sealed, clean, modern editions of this historic Motown music on vinyl that you can afford, then these new reissues may very well be just the right LP ticket for you.

The following is the first installment of our Short Cuts Motown Sound Collection rundowns, this one featuring five of the albums to have initially appeared in the ongoing series since it commenced back in May 2024, along with my perspectives on comparing them to the original pressings I happen to own in my collection.

THE JACKSON 5
GET IT TOGETHER
MUSIC: 7
SOUND: 7

At one point in the past ten years, I went through a period of collecting The Jackson 5’s catalog on vinyl, and their September 1973 Motown release, Get It Together — a.k.a. G.I.T. — was by far the hardest to find in decent condition, cover-wise. Why? Because, like Stevie Wonder’s oft-overlooked April 1971 gem on Tamla, Where I’m Coming From, The Jackson 5’s G.I.T. features a novel — but fragile — die-cut cover design. It was (and still is, frankly!) very easy to damage the intricate die-cut edges that reveal the color performance image of the band in action gracing the inner sleeve. To that, I would advise any of you who get G.I.T., whether new or used, to immediately put it in a protective plastic outer sleeve. Me, I also put the inner sleeve on the outside of the die-cut cover to further protect it from getting damaged while removing it from my packed record collection shelves.

That said, G.I.T. is one of the better Jackson 5 albums as an end-to-end listen. It features the original version of “Dancing Machine” (Side 2, Track 4) — which has a pretty ripping guitar solo in it! — and it’s also notable as the first place where most people heard Michael Jackson’s maturing, deeper tenor in action. This a solid soul/funk album that helped the band put their teeny-bopper years behind them.

Sonicswise, this reissue of G.I.T. sounds pretty good. As with other LPs in the Motown Sound Collection series, the music presents brighter than on the original, but overall, the album sounds like it should. The 140g 1LP pressing is decent and it generally plays pretty clean, but some surface noise is audible at high volumes, probably due to it being on translucent red vinyl.

THE JACKSON 5
GET IT TOGETHER
140g 1LP (Motown/Elemental Music)

Side 1
1. Get It Together
2. Don’t Say Good Bye Again
3. Reflections
4. Hum Along And Dance

Side 2
1. Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing (Don’t Say No)
2. It’s Too Late To Change The Time
3. You Need Love Like I Do (Don’t You?)
4. Dancing Machine

MARVIN GAYE
IN THE GROOVE
MUSIC: 9
SOUND: 7.5

Marvin Gaye’s In the Groove is another one of those albums that is hard to find in its original incarnation in good condition. Originally released on Tamla Motown in August 1968, In the Groove was rebranded and repackaged, once the now-iconic “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” (Side 1, Track 4) became a smash hit, as it reached No. 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Hot R&B Singles charts in the U.S., and it also hit No. 1 in the UK.

The album cover was changed dramatically — personally, I think, to its detriment — so it is great to see the original artwork restored for this reissue. Released only in stereo as far as I can tell for the U.S. market — a mono mix was issued in the UK — this reissue sounds pretty solid, and very much like my original.

Perhaps the best-sounding of the ’60s Motown reissues being discussed here, the new In the Groove vinyl is particularly quiet, and nicely centered. This was no doubt a pretty decent transfer of the original tapes, so this reissue sounds quite, quite good.

MARVIN GAYE
IN THE GROOVE
140g 1LP (Motown/Elemental Music)

Side 1
1. You
2. Tear It On Down
3. Chained
4. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
5. At Last (I Found A Love)
6. Some Kind Of Wonderful

Side 2
1. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever
2. Change What You Can
3. It’s Love I Need
4. Every Now And Then
5. You’re What’s Happening (In The World Today)
6. There Goes My Baby

THE TEMPTATIONS
MEET THE TEMPTATIONS
MUSIC: 9
SOUND: 7

Finding a clean original copy of this important April 1964 debut LP by The Temptations on Gordy is a bit like finding the proverbial needle in a haystack (if you’ll pardon the cliche). Meet The Temptations compiles most of their early singles, including their still-remarkable (and album-opening) hit “The Way You Do The Things You Do,” which hit No. 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and No. 1 on the Cash Box Top 100.

After many years of searching, I found one of these soul unicorn LPs in NM condition, so my collection is blessed in that sense. Meet The Temptations is a fine listen end to end, showcasing the early Funk Brothers backing band — including bass legend James Jamerson — in all their impeccable glory.

Along the way, Meet The Temptations traces the evolution of the Motown sound from its early rocking R&B/doo-wop roots. For example, “Isn’t She Pretty” (Side 1, Track 6) feels almost like a lost track from the 1950s R&B vocal hitmakers The Coasters than the group who would soon enough ride the charts with hits like “My Girl,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” and “Cloud Nine.”

So, if you can’t find one of those original Gordy gems out in the wilds — or simply don’t have the patience to endure endless cratedigging for decades, as I have! — this new Elemental reissue might be good for you. (And if you are on the hunt for originals, you probably will want to avoid the likely fake stereo editions, as this album was apparently only recorded in mono.)

Overall, Meet The Temptations sounds quite solid on this new reissue. The vinyl is especially quiet here, and it disappears immediately upon lowering your stylus into the grooves. The digital transfer is not bad, and indeed sounds like my original in many ways. Of course, it has some of that non-analog edginess that I wouldn’t describe as harsh, but simply a different flavor of sound that takes a bit getting acclimated to —especially if you put it on right after playing an original, just as I had done.

Again, like some of the other editions here, perhaps my only real disappointment is that they didn’t try to recreate the original early Gordy Records logo on the label, as the Meet the Temptations reissue is presented on the standard blue Motown label. But again, if you just want a clean, fresh copy of music that sounds pretty close to the original, this new Elemental reissue should serve you just fine.

THE TEMPTATIONS
MEET THE TEMPTATIONS
140g 1LP (Motown/Elemental Music)

Side 1
1. The Way You Do The Things You Do
2. I Want A Love I Can See
3. Dream Come True
4. Paradise
5. May I Have This Dance
6. Isn’t She Pretty

Side 2
1. Just Let Me Know
2. Your Wonderful Love
3. The Further You Look, The Less You See
4. Check Yourself
5. Slow Down Heart
6. Farewell My Love

SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES
MAKE IT HAPPEN
MUSIC: 8
SOUND: 5

A great album that took three years and some rebranding to enter the lives of many listeners, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles’ August 1967’s Tamla LP Make It Happen was later renamed The Tears of a Clown in 1970 when that particular track (co-written by Stevie Wonder) was issued as a single, and subsequently became a No. 1 hit on both the Billboard Hot 100 and UK singles charts.

Here is the extra interesting twist about the original mono release of that song on Make It Happen — it actually uses an alternate lead vocal! That is at least one reason why Smokey Robinson and Motown fans would want to seek out this LP — but just know that this version is not quite exactly the same one as the big hit many of us all inherently know and love.

Soundwise, my original copy of Make It Happen wasn’t an especially great-sounding listen from an audiophile perspective — it’s a bit boxy, as the tracks were no doubt mixed for AM radio play. The reissue isn’t much of an improvement in that sense — “it is what it is,” if you will. I suspect that, due to the early digital sourcing, the treble is accentuated, making for a somewhat “crispy” listen.

Other Make It nits: the producers didn’t reproduce the original “twin globes” Tamla label, but instead used the later, more common split brown-and-yellow version. One downside to not doing any additional restoration work on this reissue is that the slight tape-speed variance at the intro of the aforementioned “The Tears of a Clown” (Side 2, Track 2) becomes a bit more apparent somehow on this new version.

SMOKEY ROBINSON & THE MIRACLES
MAKE IT HAPPEN
140g 1LP (Motown/Elemental Music)

Side 1
1. The Soulful Shack
2. The Love I Saw In You Was Just A Mirage
3. My Love For You
4. I’m On The Outside (Looking In)
5. Don’t Think It’s Me
6. My Love Is Your Love (Forever)

Side 2
1. More Love
2. After You Put Back The Pieces (I’ll Still Have A Broken Heart)
3. It’s A Good Feeling
4. You Must Be Love
5. Dancing’s Alright
6. The Tears Of A Clown

THE SUPREMES
MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES
MUSIC: 9
SOUND: 6

Released in July 1965, More Hits by The Supremes is one of the essential Supremes albums to own, and nearly a greatest hits collection in its own right. According to official press materials, “More Hits by The Supremes includes two No. 1 hits: “Stop! In the Name of Love” and “Back in My Arms Again,” as well as the Top 20 single “Nothing but Heartaches.” The album peaked at No. 6 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs album chart, and remained on that chart for 37 weeks. It reached No. 2 on Billboard’s R&B album chart.”

Soundwise, this reissue feels about right compared to my original pressing. But, much like that Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Make It Happen LP, the music presents a bit on the bright side here, making it harder to play this reissue loudly. It’s not harsh, just a bit more trebly for my tastes. Still, there is some nice soundstage depth apparent, once you get used to it. If you don’t mind listening at lower volume levels, it’s fine. For example, that nifty handclapping on “Ask Any Girl” (Side 1, Track 1) pops just like it does on my original pressing. That track, plus “Whisper You Love Me Boy” (Side 2, Track 1), are personal faves that I grew up enjoying on the August 1967 2LP Motown compilation Diana Ross and The Supremes: Greatest Hits, again underscoring the hit-packed nature of the More Hits reissue.

THE SUPREMES
MORE HITS BY THE SUPREMES
140g 1LP (Motown/Elemental Music)

Side 1
1. Ask Any Girl
2. Nothing But Heartaches
3. Mother Dear
4. Stop! In The Name Of Love
5. Honey Boy
6. Back In My Arms Again

Side 2
1. Whisper You Love Me Boy
2. The Only Time I’m Happy
3. He Holds His Own
4. Who Could Ever Doubt My Love
5. (I’m So Glad) Heartaches Don’t Last Always
6. I’m In Love Again

Mark Smotroff is an avid vinyl collector who has also worked in marketing communications for decades. He has reviewed music for AudiophileReview.com, among others, and you can see more of his impressive C.V. at LinkedIn.