Rating:
Genre:
R&B
Release Date: 05/03/2005
Compiling a single-disc set of tracks from
William "Smokey" Robinson's long career and calling it a "definitive collection" is a bit absurd, since
Robinson -- as a writer, singer, producer, and arranger -- has had a hand in countless hits over the years, at
Motown and elsewhere, and nothing short of an extensive box set could hope to even come close to defining that kind of
pop history. What
My World as a single-disc compilation does do, though, is bring together tracks from all phases of
Robinson's tenure, from his 1960s and early-'70s material with
the Miracles through his smooth
R&B hits as a solo artist in the later '70s and '80s, and then tops everything off with two brand new songs, making this a collection that spans four decades of elegantly arranged romantic
pop in just over 70 minutes. You can't complain about a lack of quality, since the classic
Miracles hits are here, including
"The Tears of a Clown" and
"The Tracks of My Tears," as well as
Robinson's biggest solo hits, like the lush, irresistible
"Cruisin'" from 1979 and his genre-defining
"Quiet Storm," which lent its title to a whole new
R&B radio format. Still, it will always be a little jarring to hear the earlier
Miracles material next to the smoother (relatively) solo stuff, even if most of the musical ingredients are the same. The new tracks are lushly and lovingly arranged, and
"My World" in particular seems to have the stamp of a future
Smokey classic. Die-hard fans will want the two new songs, but undoubtedly will already have everything else collected here, so devotion will have to be measured. Casual listeners will benefit the most, getting an overview of
Smokey's considerable achievements in one package, although that's no excuse for not going back and buying every
Miracles album in the rack.
~Steve Leggett, All Music Guide
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