Motown Remixed

1 rating: 2.0

2005 audio CD release

.Mocean Worker's thumping funk remix of "I Just Want to Celebrate" would likely meet with approval from Rare Earth, while Salaam Remi's "krunk-a-delic party mix" of the Jackson 5's "ABC" wins points for originality. Purists may cry "blasphemy," ... … see full wiki

Tags: Music, Albums, Soul, Motown, Remixes

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Curious to hear them once...but will I want to hear them again?

Dec 19, 2008

by drifter51
posted in Music Matters

Rating:

That is the $64000 question! I must say that I really did not expect very much when I gave this disc a listen. It seems that remixing old hits is all the rage these days. But I must report that I really was pleasantly surprised by the quality of many of these tracks. Some of today's most successful record producers were given the opportunity to reinvent 15 Motown tunes from the 60's and 70's. Some chose to simply tweak things just a bit while others made radical changes to the original tunes. The various approaches to this project were downright fascinating. As you might have guessed some worked out better than others. Of the 15 offerings on this CD I was particularly pleased with 4 of them. My favorite track would have to be "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)". The changes were subtle but they certainly worked for me. I actually preferred this version to the original. I would also recommend to you the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" as well as the remix of Gladys Knight and the Pips version of "I Heard It Through The Grapevine". Another enjoyable tune was the Undisputed Truth's "Smiling Faces Sometimes". Nicely done! Other tracks that deserve honorable mention are Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" and Edwin Starr's 1970 anthem "War". As you might expect the songs I cared for the least were generally songs I did not care for in the first place like Eddie Kendricks "Keep On Truckin'". Perhaps the tune that underwent the most radical transformation was Smokey Robinson and the Miracles "The Tears of a Clown". While interesting I would only give that cut only a grade "C". Nice try.
All in all. "Motown Revisited" was an interesting experiment that will likely spawn a Volume 2. Me thinks this will get old real fast. While I am certain this disc will be popular in dance clubs I am not so sure that this is a disc I would be inclined to play at home or in my car very much. As with the Beatles "Let It Be...Naked" the record companies are attempting to cash in on our curiosity. In the end what I would really like to hear is some brand new music that will get me excited. While I am keeping my ears wide open I am not terribly optimistic.

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