Smokey's was always the most asexual yet varied of Motown voices, his angelic counter-tenor articulating compassion ("Ooo Baby Baby"), pain ("Tracks Of My Tears"), euphoria ("Going To A Go-Go") and selflessness ("I Don't Blame You At All") via some of the most expressive words and music of the moder...
Smokey’s was always the most asexual yet varied of Motown voices, his angelic counter-tenor articulating compassion (“Ooo Baby Baby”), pain (“Tracks Of My Tears”), euphoria (“Going To A Go-Go”) and selflessness (“I Don’t Blame You At All”) via some of the most expressive words and music of the modern age. This two-CD set traces the Miracles’ ascent from their doo-wop beginnings to their Motown heyday, but also reminds us of the inventiveness of their later work. Songs like “Here I Go Again” are as adventurous as anything Norman Whitfield was doing with the Temptations. One star is docked for not representing 1967’s excellent Make It Happen, but really, everyone needs this record.