[.ca] The Best of the Spinners

Wrong Tracks, Amazon!:
I once owned this great album on vinyl. The description on Amazon looks great -- everything one would want from a Spinners CD. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box and found a completely different CD than the one pictured and advertised online (even though the product codes match exactly). I sent the CD back to Amazon (no problem) but I'm disappointed Amazon still has it listed incorrectly online more than a year later.

Unheralded Philly Soul At Its Peak:
Producer/songwriter Thom Bell has justifiably been praised for helping draft and design R & B's legendary "Sound of Philadelphia," most recently on the Philadelphia International box set. But his finest songcraft may be here in this Spinners collection, turning a neglected Motown group into one of the mid-70s most consistent hitmakers. Bell worked with the best ingridients. Phillippe Wynne's lead voice danced and testified around the melodies of "Mighty Love" and "One Of A Kind (Love Affair)," crooned atop the sparkling old-fashioned ballad "How Could I Let You Get Away," captured the stately, sweet family memory of "Sadie." (Could any song sound happier to hear or sing than 1974's #1 "Then Came You," or "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love?") Bell had outstanding songs, many written with late partner Linda Creed, which poetically caught snapshots of 70s life ("Ghetto Child," the missed opportunities of "Games People Play." But most of all, Bell had unerring pop and R & B style sense; he arranged funny, funky, and silly (1976's #2 "Rubberband Man") or sparce and serious ("I'll Be Around," with its two distinctive, chiming intro guitar chords). Released in 1978 at the height of disco and after Wynne boarded the Parliament-Funkadelic mothership, this Spinners collection misses several fine tracks ("Love Don't Love Nobody," "It's A Shame") which show up on 1991's later "One Of A Kind" 2CD anthology. Yet "The Best Of The Spinners" remains a reasonably-priced set recalling one of classic soul's underrated groups (and producers) at their collective best. Highly recommended.

The Spinners' Brief But Powerful Motown Era:
Long before they teamed with Gamble-Bell-Huff, the Spinners were one of those many Motown groups in the mid-1960s that oozed with talent, but lacked much support from Berry Gordy's A & R staff. "I'll Always Love You," and "Truly Yours" enjoyed moderate success on the R & B airwaves. And in 1969, "It's a Shame" became their biggest Motown hit. Of course, everyone seems to think of the Spinners in terms of their success with Atlantic Records, but theirs was a solid sound many years before. Other cuts of note are "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music," and "Sweet Thing." NO Spinners collection is complete without the early Motown stuff.

Don't get confused with title, but it's still good:
After leaving Motown for Atlantic where they really made their move with the "Spinners" blue and white album, Motown tried to take advantage of their popularity by releasing this CD. Some good work here led by lead singer G.C. Cameron (who is currently touring again with the group as John Edwards was ill). "It's a Shame," their lone Motown hit, obviously highlights this set. Some of the material is solid, but certainly not up to their Thom Bell produced sound a few years later. Cameron kicks it in with "My Whole World Ended" and "I've got to find myself a brand new baby" is an upbeat song. Interesting CD to show Spinners roots and why they left Motown. Huge confusion today: The Spinners are not really a Motown group. They made their mark with Atlantic. Amazon STILL has not corrected the song listing on this. None of the songs they have listed are on this CD.

Best of Spinners:
This CD does NOT have the tracks listed. No "Rubberband Man", "Could It Be..", nor "Then Came You". I was VERY dissapointed! Those were the only songs I wanted. BOO AMAZON!!!!!!! Fix your track listings!

• I'll Be Around
• How Could I Let You Get Away
• One of a Kind (Love Affair)
• Mighty Love
• Ghetto Child
• Then Came You
• Sadie
• Could It Be I'm Falling in Love
• They Just Can't Stop It (The Games People Play)
• Rubberband Man