Motown's 60th anniversary celebration continues with limited-edition vinyl reissues of six classic albums this fall:
- The ultra-rare Quad Mix of The Jackson Five Greatest Hits drops October 25th. Focusing on the family group's remarkable first 18 months on the charts, the set includes their four consecutive number-one hits from "I Want You Back" through "I'll Be There." Originally sold only in Japan, the set stands out for its use of alternate vocals, as well as some instrumentation not heard in the tracks' single and album mixes. Tech advances now enable these to be heard on traditional stereo systems.
Five more arrive on November 8th:
- The Four Tops - Reach Out (1967)
- The Marvelettes - Sophisticated Soul (1968)
- The Miracles - You've Really Got a Hold On Me (1963)
- Diana Ross and the Supremes - Reflections (1968)
- The Temptations Sing Smokey (1965)
Newly remastered from their original analog master tapes, these titles are pressed on audiophile-quality 180-gram vinyl and packaged in deluxe gate fold jackets.
A website honoring these Motown classics answers why the mono mixes are so important: "Motown's hits were engineered to leap out of the radio. Their mono mixes imparted power, presence and immediacy to certain sonic ingredients -- especially bass and vocals. Hear these songs in mono and you'll feel the energy, emotion and soul of Motown's classic era."