The Supremes: Supreme Rarities: Motown Lost & Found : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

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 Number One. 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 two-CD set of outtakes shows that even Gordy's most favored group hit its share of brick walls on the assembly line. While the Beatles covered Motown songs with brawn and sass, the Supremes take on the Fabs' "I Saw Her Standing There" and the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" like singing waitresses at the Peppermint Lounge. Far more compelling are 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 Number Ones "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 Disc Two 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.