Marvin Gaye Stop Midnight Love

The liner notes that accompany this collection note that '70s soul music has never really gotten its due. One could argue that point for days, but hubris aside, there's no denying that Can You Dig It pays serious homage to the golden years of American soul. The new box set contains 6 CDs and 136 cuts, 65 of which hit the No. 1 spot on the R&B and/or pop charts. As you'd expect with a project that mines such a rich era (the CDs are compiled chronologically), it represents a who's who of stars. Among the notables: Marvin Gaye, Sly Stone, Curtis Mayfield, the Spinners, the O'Jays, the Staple Singers, James Brown, Chairmen of the Board, Laura Lee, Freda Payne, and Jean Knight. Lesser lights also get to shine, i.e., El Chicano, who deliver the salsafied hippie anthem "Tell Her She's Lovely." But let's be honest–the selling point is the hits, and from the uplifting "Ooh Child" to the sassy "Want Ads," if you grew up in the '70s (hands up), then these tracks are beloved. Sure, the hard-core fan will probably wish for more obscurities, and the exclusion of Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and George Clinton is troublesome, but anyone wanting an at-home jukebox loaded with classic R&B will certainly dig this.

VA - 60's Classics The Ultimate Collection (5CD) 2014
MP3 320 CBR kbps | Tracks: 100 | 04:38:54 | 664 Mb
Genre: Pop, Rock, R&B, Soul | Label: Union Square Music Limited

The five disc Ultimate Collection: 60s Classics box rounds up 100 genre spanning hits from the explosive decade, with highlights arriving via iconic cuts from the likes of Jimmy Ruffin ("What Becomes of the Broken Hearted"), Percy Sledge ("When a Man Loves a Woman"), the Walker Brothers ("The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine (Anymore)"), and the Moody Blues (Nights in White Satin").