In the late 60s, Motown's idea of getting two of its hottest acts together in the studios was a commercial stroke of genius. It spawned the two albums on this twofer and a taped-for-TV live recording for Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations.

Their first studio collaboration - "Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations", which opens this twofer, is by far the better album. It kicks off on a sizzling note with "Try It Baby", a jazzy showbizzy number which somehow captures the magic of the ensemble. Neither group was trying to dominate the other and that's part of the reason for its success. The other familiar Motown covers - "I Second That Emotion" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" - aren't too many streets away from the originals but they still sound fresh and viable. Dee Dee Warwick and Madeline Bell had minor hits with "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" but it was a little known song until the Supremes and the Temptations made their smash version. Truly an awesome performance and without doubt the high point of the album. "I'll Try Something New" was another example of how getting Diana & Eddie to trade leads was a winning formula with the public as it gave them a follow-up hit. But for me, their nitty gritty super soulful take of "Funky Broadway" rivals Wilson Pickett's original and is the one cut on the album that really impresses. Elsewhere, the energy level sags and the magic dissipates whenever they're lumbered with karoake singalongs like "A Place In The Sun" or supperclub standards like "This Guy's In Love With You" and "The Impossible Dream". "Sweet Inspiration" is sadly less than inspired, while "Then" isn't better than the Supremes' own version.

"Together", their second collaboration, is obviously an attempt to repeat a successful formula and here, the formula wears a little thin. There's an indifferent paint-by-numbers feel about the arrangements. Opening with a pair of gritty but so so Marvin Gaye covers, they prove the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" adage. Not that they do bad jobs of them, only pointless ones. "The Weight" has Diana singing too high and sounding shrill. The other covers - "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", "Uptight" and "Sing A Simple Song" - are fine but unexceptional. The one bum track that should not have made the cut is the embarrassing "My Guy, My Girl", a dreadful medley of two Motown classics. Thankfully, the album picks up once past the three-quarter mark. Mary Wilson's solo spot on "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" is a winner, showing the difference her smoky sultry tones makes to the sound of the Supremes. But Motown has left the best for the last. "Why Must We Fall In Love", the closing number, is easily the best cut and the one track on "Together" that really works, recalling the verve of the two groups' earlier collaboration.

Fans of the Supremes and the Temptations have the UK branch of Motown to thank for making this twofer available. Though hardly classics, they recall the groups at their prime and are charming and nostalgic to listen to. Essential for fans.

An interesting thing Motown did back in the 60's... they reunited two acts that began their careers singing together on the streets of Detroit. On these two classic albums combined on one disc you'll hear the Supremes exchange melodies with the Tempts on classic songs like I'LL TRY SOMETHING NEW and I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME. An even more poignant moment occurs when the two super groups perform THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM...something they had dared to do...and at this point in their careers they had certainly come to the realization (except for poor Florence Ballard) that some dreams do come true.

In Britain, sixties Motown music is revered as much as Elvis and the Beatles, so perhaps it is no surprise that a lot of twofers have been released, featuring several of their acts. This particular collection presents the two original albums in which Diana Ross and the Supremes joined forces with the Temptations.

The first of the two is the stronger album, including the transatlantic smash hit I'm gonna make you love me. The remaining tracks include a minor American hit, a minor (different) British hit and several interesting covers, particularly The impossible dream.

The second album, while not as strong overall, is also excellent even though there were no British or American hits. It includes a cover of Can't take my eyes off you with Mary Wilson as lead singer, something rare in the sixties. Florence Ballard was the original lead singer, but was replaced in that role by Diana Ross because none of Florence's records yielded a hit. This helps to explain subsequent events regarding Florence, who had already left the group before these albums were recorded.

If you enjoy this set so much that you want to collect the series, it will not be a cheap exercise. There are six other Temptations twofers and five other Supremes twofers. There are also twofers for Marvin Gaye, Martha Reeves, the Four Tops, the Jackson five and Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. I don't know if the series is complete - there may even be more to come.

Before buying this, check out Joined Together: The Complete Studio Duets, which contains everything here, plus bonus tracks

...could unite two vocal acts into albums like these and still come out with listenable material. I've been told it was done by recording each of the eight singers individually. If that's so the achievement is even more remarkable. You'd think these recordings would sink under their own weight, but these albums are sparkling, breezy, glamorous, funky, fun--you name it--and crystal clear in sound quality. I believe the wonderful recording of "Can't Take My Eyes" began as a Mary Wilson solo recording and then was built upon from there. Motown alone could do this kind of project and bring it off with surprises, sparkle and a celebratory sense rather than something monumental.