Supremes - Let Yourself Go: The 70s albums, Volume 2 1974-1977

  by Daniel Cressey

published: 26 / 6 / 2011

intro

Daniel Cressey reflects upon ‘Let Yourself Go’, a new box set which compiles together the Supremes' final post-Diana Ross recordings between 1974 and 1977.

The Supremes without Diana Ross might seem a strange prospect to many, but the Motown group persisted long after Ms Ross departed at the end of the 1960s. This collection of tracks from the second half of the 70s shows why. Although Ross was probably irreplaceable, the group continued to put out classic soul tracks in the mode they made famous when she fronted them. Scherrie Payne does a stand up job here, but with hindsight it is hard to see how this group could ever equal the heights of the likes of 'Can't Hurry Love' from the Ross period. They have a game job of trying though. High points like 'I Can Never Recover' combine all the elements of soaring lead vocals, sweet back-up harmonies, horns, and strings into pop bliss. But much of this compilation is made up of sweet but otherwise tasteless songs about love in its various guises. Some of the later tracks are also a Marmite proposition. The veer into funk of 'You Keep Me Moving' will not be to all tastes and 'High Energy' can also fail to excite like earlier hits. But 'Let Yourself Go' is not really designed for the casual listener. With its variations, offcuts and outakes, this is for the supreme Supremes fan. Although there may be more filler here than the average listener will appreciate, when the Supremes really hit their stride such fans will not be disappointed.

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