The Motown Box [Box] (CD - 2005)

With a plethora of outstanding box sets, anthologies, and budget-line compilations flooding the market from Motown, to pinpoint a definitive collection that is both economically feasible and a thorough introductory primer can be a challenging affair. While this Motown box seems like a four-disc collection most die-hard enthusiasts will have in their collection (especially with such a simple, forthright title), Motown Box is actually a quiet treasure in the label's already vast and intimidating modern digital catalog. Unlike many of the other box sets, this is the first to feature stereo mixes exclusively, with a few tracks mixed by the godfather of the (re)mix himself, Tom Moulton. All of the familiar chart-topping anthems that made Motown the soul juggernaut that it is make their appearance here, concentrating predominantly on the label's early years through the late '60s. But what makes this such a captivating collection is the nuances, though subtle, that can be found with close attention and listening. It's a bit like looking at a treasured and long recognized jewel from a different angle under a different light; just the mere repositioning can bring about new quirks that weren't present in mono form. The first three discs are essential Motown 101, but the fourth disc is the one collectors should jump to first. New mixes of rare material from minor (but equally important) artists like Chris Clark and the woefully underrated Andantes are spread about B-sides from some of the label's larger names. It's a box set that really is a win-win situation for the most casual of fans and die-hard devotees. ~ Rob Theakston

Given the tremendous volume, range, and generally superior quality of Motown's output throughout the 1960s, it is difficult to find a satisfyingly comprehensive collection, and fans are easily in danger of finding themselves neck-deep in the sea of compilations flooding the market. The four-disc HITSVILLE U.S.A. box and THE MOTOWN STORY, VOL. 1: THE SIXTIES are good bets, but 2005's beautifully compiled four-disc THE MOTOWN BOX matches--and arguably surpasses--those collections.

In addition to containing nearly every essential chart hit by the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Temptations, the Four Tops, Martha & the Vandellas, and Little Stevie Wonder--not to mention classics by the likes of Mary Wells, the Elgins, the Spinners, and the Marvellettes--THE MOTOWN BOX boasts extended stereo remixes of the majority of singles. Audiophiles used to the mono mixes will relish the rich sound here, and Motown fanatics will have to own the fourth disc, which contains rarities and B-sides. These bonuses heighten the appeal on this already outstanding and thorough collection of some of the best pop music of the 20th century. minimize