Smokey Robinson 20th Century Masters

The Millennium Collection: The Best of Smokey Robinson collects the highlights of Robinson's career after the Miracles, including "Quiet Storm," "Being With You," "One Heartbeat," and "Cruisin'." "Let Me Be the Clock," "Baby Come Close," and a live version of "Ooo Baby Baby" round out this portrait of Robinson's sweet, sensual, maturing style.

It's an irresistible budget-priced summary of their prime Motown recordings. There may be a couple of noteworthy songs missing, but many of their best-known songs are here, including "The Tracks of My Tears," "Ooo Baby Baby," "The Tears of a Clown" and "I Second That Emotion." Serious fans will want something more extensive, but this is an excellent introduction for neophytes and a great sampler for casual fans, considering its length and price. That doesn't erase the ridiculousness of the series title, but the silliness is excusable when the music and the collections are good.

This discount-priced compilation of Motown hits from 1980-1985 includes the work of longtime label artists like Diana Ross ("I'm Coming Out"), the Temptations ("Treat Her Like a Lady"), and Smokey Robinson ("Being With You"), as well as relatively new ones such as Rick James ("Give It to Me Baby"), DeBarge ("Rhythm of the Night"), and the Dazz Band ("Let It Whip"). The inclusion of Michael Jackson's "Farewell My Summer Love" is something of a ringer, since it is a track Jackson actually recorded in 1974, given overdubs and a remix to cash in on his Thriller fame in 1984.

Short and sweet, this ten-track compilation hits all the high points of Rick James' career, from his 1978 number one debut single, "You and I," to the 1984 triumph "17," collecting every major hit in between while casting off James' post-1984 denouement without a second glance. But really, the casual fan looking for hits without misses won't need to go any farther than this disc. You won't find any rarities or unreleased material here.