[NEW RELEASES]“50 Best Songs: The Motown Years”

“50 Best Songs: The Motown Years”

Michael Jackson grew up to become a very strange man, but he is without a doubt an amazing and prolific artist. The fruits of his early years are gathered here in “50 Best Songs: The Motown Years,” a three-volume collection.

All the hits that grace present-day radio are here, from “ABC” to “I’ll Be There” and “I Want You Back,” but there’s also a largely unheard side of the Jackson 5. Who knew the boys did covers to such soul staples as “Ready or Not (Here I Come),” “My Girl” and “Ain’t No Sunshine”?

There are other great, lesser-known hits like “Doctor My Eyes” that convey the brilliance of a not-yet-spoiled M.J., blaring peewee pipes and all.

But if the compilation pulled from Jackson’s entire corpus and not just his six years with Motown, this collection would undoubtedly have a lot less filler. While it has its high points, the set begins to simply blur together after a while. Hearing too much of Jackson’s voice almost seems to make it less special - and who would want that? By Hannah Bae

Michael Jackson & The Jackson 5

“50 Best Songs: The Motown Years”

Label: Motown, Universal

Genre: Soul