Universal Int'l
2005
The Motown Anthology
About This Album
Although they only released a handful of singles (and no albums) during their time with Motown and they never had a truly big hit, the Velvelettes sure recorded a lot of material if you count all the unreleased tracks they laid down for the label. This two-CD set is the proof, presenting not just most of their scant body of previously released Motown sides (some of which didn't see the light of day for decades), but also no less than 32 cuts that make their first appearances here (although half a dozen of these are just alternate versions, alternate mixes, or stereo versions). Does the availability of all this stuff redefine their legacy? Nope -- it, like prior Velvelettes compilations, solidifies their standing as a decent but second-string Motown group, although it's a gold mine of discovery for the serious Motown collector. Though the Velvelettes really weren't much different than the Supremes or the Marvelettes in the caliber of their talents, and they recorded songs by several of the best Motown songwriters, they just didn't get those special classic tunes that would have vaulted them over the hump.

Nevertheless, some of those unreleased tracks penned by the likes of Mickey Stevenson, Norman Whitfield, Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier, Eddie Holland, Clarence Paul, and Barrett Strong are fun to hear, particularly the earlier ones from the 1963-1964 era, which are good if slightly cookie-cutter slices of the classic early Motown sound as it found its feet.
Track List

Disc 1 (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,14,15,17,18,19,20 and 21)

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Disc 2 (try tracks 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13,15,16,18,19,20 and 21)

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