Motown has released numerous collections over the years, including the definitive HITSVILLE USA box set. But this collection is one of the best. [It should be noted that MOTOWN GOLD was first released in 2000 under the title MOTOWN THE CLASSIC YEARS. But if you didn't make that purchase, GOLD is selling at a midline price and is clearly the better buy.]
The Ultimate Motown Sound Collection III buy from Amazon:
The Best of R&B and Soul Classics Vol. 3 MP3 Album
[$44.49]
There isn't a song on this 40-track collection that hasn't already been permanently etched on my brain. When I was a teen in the Sixties, these songs were a part of the soundtrack of my life. [Only the final four tracks charted after 1970.]
The Ultimate Motown Sound Collection II buy from Amazon:
The Best of R&B and Soul Classics Vol. 2 MP3 Album
[$44.49]
Over the years Motown Records has repackaged its legendary artists and hits to varying degrees of commercial and critical success. And as with many labels it seemed at times that the retrospectives became more important to the company coffers than developing new talent or promoting new releases by existing artists.
The Ultimate Motown Sound Collection I buy from Amazon:
The Best of R&B and Soul Classics Vol. 1 MP3 Album
[$44.49]
The sound quality is excellent, easy to listen to. There is definitely a "lite" feel about the CD on the whole, pleasantly upbeat. I'm sure most people who are serious fans of contemporary music have already heard this. But if there are a few unfortunates such as I was myself until recently, this truly is on the short list of must-see rock documentaries.
Discover The Classics Album buy from Amazon:
Discover The Classics MP3 Album
[$43.49]
Each one covers the top ten pieces from a different time period. Even if you don't know most of the names of the pieces, you will probably recognize most of the music. Each piece is rendered by a different orchestra such as the London Philharmonic for "The Marriage of Figaro" to the Vienna Mozart Ensemble and many others. This is a basic beginner set for people who own no other Classical or who can't decide or identify which of 'that music' they like.
The World's Greatest Symphonies buy from Amazon:
The World's Greatest Symphonies MP3 Album
[$41.93]
The best transfer of these "not great but not embarrassing" early '60s performances of Beethoven's 9 performed by the LSO and Josef Krips. The performances are better than I remember (maybe the cruddy sound in the transfers I listened to had something to do with it). Recommended because the price cannot be beat and it's a cheap and honest way to become familiar with these great symphonies.
Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies Nos 1-9 buy from Amazon:
The Complete Symphonies Nos 1-9 MP3 Album
[$41.93]
For the collector or classical guitar enthusiast, the chief disadvantages of the album are duplication of other recordings, and that the way at least some of the works on this album are listed isn't helpful in telling the listener the set(s) to which these pieces belong and how to find them. The font listing the titles and track numbers is small and somewhat hard to read.
100 Classical Spanish Guitar album buy from Amazon:
100 Classical Spanish Guitar MP3 Album
[$41.93]
