Master of wordplay, Smokey Robinson was the premier lyricist of the classic rock era, period. Add his incredible voice and you have some of the most superbly crafted music of the era. And while many of his best efforts went to supplying other Motown artists with some of the most engaging pop of all time (Mary Wells' "My Guy" and the Marvelettes' "Don't Mess With Bill" to just start that list), his writing and singing talents along with the other Miracles group members combined to provide us with a decade and a half of incomparably stunning music. An incredible 42 pop chart hits were racked up during that time before Robinson left the Miracles to embark on his prolific solo career. And while collections of the Miracles' recordings have been reissued throughout the CD-era, this two-disc collection does it best. First off, every top-100 hit is here so this is truly an anthology. Beyond the repertoire though, is the inclusion of many new stereo mixes of earlier hits, taken from the original three-track masters. Lots of early Motown stuff is horribly muddy sounding but these new mixes are clean and crisp sounding and add new life to these tracks. For the mono purist, there are compilations available with the original mono mixes but these stereo versions give a whole new dimension to these early classic tracks. Finishing up the piece is a 24-page liner notes booklet with pics, a group history and track details. Robinson and his Miracles were indeed miracles of the early rock era and this new anthology does them well-deserved justice. An absolutely top-notch CD - there is no pop music collection that this should not be a part of.

It doesn't matter whither you already have the box set AND the two previous anthologies (1986 and 1995 respectively). The price of admission is well worth the sixteen re-mixed stereo versions of classics dating from 1962 to 1965. When the stereo LP "From the Beginning" came out in 1964, the tracks were, for the most part, shorter than the mono singles. Most of these new mixes have not only been brought to thier original length, but are quite a bit longer than the originals. The original version of "What's So Good About Goodbye" lacked the strings ending, but on this new collection, the ending has been restored. You've Really Got A Hold On Me, Mickey's Monkey and I Like It Like That have all been extended. In addition, there are the B-sides, "I Can Take A Hint" and "When Sundown Comes" both released here on disc for the first time. The rarer hits like "Everybody's Got To Pay Some Dues", "Mighty Good Lovin'" and "The Man In You" are also here. Brighter guitar solos from Marv Tarpin and a crisp brass section previously burried on the originals are noticed more. Strings and chiming backup singing are heard up front giving the listener renewed appreciation of this remarkable group. (A warmed-over version of the Platters, indeed!) It's a good thing Barry Gordy was at the audition and rescued The Miracles from obscurity. We can only hope they do the same type of sound treatment with other classic Motown artists.

THIS IS A MUST HAVE FOR ALL SMOKEY FANS AND FANS OF THE MOTOWN SOUND PERIOD, THIS SET HAS SMOKE DOING HIS THING BUT THOSE TIGHT HARMONIES OF THE MIRACLES ARE STRONG AND CLEAR A GOOD EXAMPLE IS "WHATS SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD-BYE" CHECK OUT THE CHIMES, CD IS FULL OF UNRELEASED "STEREO" VERSIONS NOT HEARD BEFORE......TRUST ME....I'VE GOT THEM ALL

This generous 52-track compilation is a pretty definitive overview of the Miracles recording career in terms of singles releases, as all the A-sides are here (with the exception of a couple of early pre-Tamla, non-Top 100 sides), as well as 11 B-sides, one of which, Would I Love You? from 1964, seems not to have been on any original album. Their early Chess single (as the Matadors), Got A Job, an answer record to the Silhouettes' Get A Job, was produced by Berry Gordy and its local success led to the eventual formation of the famous Motown label, so its inclusion here (unfortunately in mono) is highly warranted. Three of the singles are in the slightly-longer LP versions - no bad thing at all, but the inclusion of the 1963 live version of I've Been Good To You in preference to the version from I'll Try Something New that was the B-side of What's So Good About Goodbye is perhaps more questionable.
Although the first 8 tracks are in mono, the rest are in stereo and it is a delight to discover that tracks 9-24 on disc 1 appear in previously unreleased stereo mixes. To hear old classic favourites like You've Really Got A Hold On Me and Mickey's Monkey in stereophonic glory for he first time is like discovering them afresh. The separation of guitars, horns and voices adds so much to the sound picture. 
The first disc, which is over 80 minutes long, is especially strong and causes one to want to dig out the original albums. The overall descent into schmaltz and blandness on the second disc is offset by some key returns to form, notably on Abraham Martin And John, The Tears Of A Clown (US Single Remix) and I Don't Blame You At All. Sadly, by the time of We've Come Too Far To End It Now, Smokey Robinson had come too far not to end it then

I dont care what others say about The Supremes,Temptations, or other Motown groups,the MIRACLES were the greatest group to ever come out of Motown.PERIOD!! Why ? for one thing,they were the FIRST MOTOWN GROUP.It was their success that paved the way for all the others. Had they not been successful, there would have been NO MOTOWN,and none of those other groups would have even found fame ,or at least not to the extent which they did.They also had Motown's first million-selling record "Shop Around".THE MIRACLES put MOTOWN on the map. During the company's critical early years- 1959-1964- they were BY FAR Motowns TOP GROUP,(despite what certain reviewers have written},with top 10 pop hits in '1961,'62,AND' 63, the STAR ATTRACTION of the legendary MOTORTOWN REVUES,and the ONLY group that was bringing any serious money into the company!! By 1964, the year that the SUPREMES, TEMPTATIONS, AND THE FOUR TOPS had their 1st hits, THE MIRACLES had already released their 1ST DOUBLE ALBUM of GREATEST HITS !! Yet, while all these other Motown groups have been inducted ,AS GROUPS, into the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME, The MIRACLES have been ignored.They chose to induct only Smokey.What a shame and insult to MOTOWN'S legendary First Group. The TEMPTATIONS ? great singers and dancers to be sure,but what most Temptations fans WON'T tell you is that 9 of their first 12 hits were actually written by The MIRACLES !! not just Smokey,THE WHOLE GROUP !! Don't believe it ? just look at the writing credits on the Tempts GREATEST HITS album !(How many MIRACLES songs did the TEMPTATIONS WRITE ? think about it}. THE SUPREMES ? They wouldn't have even GOTTEN on Motown if not for Smokey !!Stevie Wonder? He was discovered by Miracles member RONNIE WHITE !! THE MARVELETTES,MARVIN GAYE & MARY WELLS ?Yep, they wrote their stuff too.The MIRACLES were responsible,either directly or indirectly, for the success of just about EVERY EARLY ARTIST ON THE MOTOWN LABEL!! In fact ,of the five leading Motown groups ( Supremes, Temptations,4 tops,Miracles,J-5 }The MIRACLES were the ONLY ones that wrote their own material. Hopefully one day ,the ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME will induct them ALL-SMOKEY, BOBBY,RONNIE, PETE, MARV & CLAUDETTE ,not just SMOKEY , as they did.Want to know why they deserve it? Just listen to this CD.Then, read the writing credits.It will prove that SMOKEY wasn't the ONLY serious talent in this group.