Roy Knight Singers Motown Legends CD

Amid the generous helpings of compilations devoted to Gladys Knight and her cousins, this Motown collection is a rather erratic journey through the group's tenure at that mighty music machine during the '60s. The compilation starts off with their last hit for the label, the heartbreaking "Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye)" and mixes it in with various minor hits, album cuts, and cover versions of hits already established by Motown artists ("Every Little Bit Hurts" and "I Wish It Would Rain" are two of the most prominent examples). While this may be an interesting compilation for devotees, casual listeners might find it awkward that the group's biggest hit for Motown "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" isn't even included here. It's this lack of attention when selecting tracks for a supposed Legends series that is almost comparable to the group's Motown tenure itself, as they were often treated as outsiders or relegated to working with a "B" team of producers instead of the mighty Holland-Dozier-Holland trio. This one's definitely for collector's only. Casual listeners would be best served by a more expansive and thorough overview, like Rhino's Soul Survivors: The Best of Gladys Knight & the Pips 1973-1988. ~ Rob Theakston