Diana Ross & the Supremes: Let the Music Play - Supreme Rarities (1960-1969)

Between late 1964 and mid-1967, the Supremes were the closest thing to perfection at Motown Records. All but three of their fourteen charting hits went to #1. Only one, 'Nothing but Heartaches,' barely missed the Top Ten. But for every diamond on vinyl, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard — like every other act at Berry Gordy's Detroit grooming factory — cut mountains of discarded tracks that did not live up to his singles-ready standards. This flawed, fascinating set of outtakes swept out from the deepest corners of the Motown vaults starts with the Supreme's earliest days together and goes up through the farewell sessions with Diana at the end of the decade. It's seeing light of day for the first time ever, with a bunch of alternate versions of some of the most famous tunes, and really loaded up with some wonderful surprises. It has got looser, wonderfully raw numbers that are not as bright as polished as the big hits, plus some sweet Supremes covers of some hits of the era that might have been huge if released at the time. Really compelling are the early street-corner-harmony-style numbers with original fourth member Barbara Martin and, in 'Hey Baby,' a great come-hither-now vocal by Ballard before Gordy pushed Ross up front for good. Near-miss takes of the # 1s 'Back in My Arms Again' and 'Love Child' and the unfinished '68 romp 'Believe in Me' would have passed muster at any other label. But Gordy's fixation on Ross as his ticket to the L.A.-mogul life means much of the second part of the compilation drowns in strings and standards, often by a solo Ross. An exception is 1969's 'You're Gonna Hear from Me,' her last studio recording with Wilson and Ballard's replacement, Cindy Birdsong. Ross belts the title line like a kiss-off to the group, but the proud, strong way the others sing "Move over" behind her is a final testament to the power of three. Other tracks include 'You Can Depend on Me', 'Because I Love Him', 'Too Hot', 'I Saw Him Standing There', 'It's Not Unusual', 'Don't Let True Love Die' (extended version), 'Wish I Knew', 'The Look of Love' and 'Someday We'll Be Together.' http://www.rollingstone.com/, http://www.dustygroove.com/

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The Supremes perform their 8th #1 hit 'You Keep Me Hangin' On' and 'Somewhere', from West Side Story, at The Hollywood Palace on October the 22nd, 1966: