Monitors – Say You! The Motown Anthology 1963-1968 CD (Kent)

Hot on the heels of well-received projects by the Contours and Marv Johnson, Kent is delighted to bring you the altogether-splendid results of a further dip into the 1960s Motown archives, with the first ever CD by collector favourites the Monitors.

Although they consistently failed to achieve the promotion and success that was afforded to some of their more famed labelmates, the Monitors were among the finest groups to record for Berry Gordy’s company during its golden era.

Led by the soulful tenor of future Temptations member Richard Street, the three-boy, one-girl quartet was never among Motown’s big chart hitters, but the comparatively few recordings the Monitors made in almost seven years with the company were and remain of the highest quality – and each of their five released singles deserved considerably more chart action than they got.

“Say You!” – named for the group’s V.I.P 45 – rounds up the Monitors’ lone 1970 album for Motown’s Soul label and adds a further 12 killer 60s tracks from the Detroit vaults, 10 of which are being released for the first time here.

Across its contents you will also find a version of every Monitors A- and B-side, most of them being reissued in stereo for the first time.

The package features a wealth of label shots and rare ephemera, with a sleeve note by Motown uberfan Keith Hughes that incorporates the recent reminiscences of Richard Street about his time as “head Monitor”. – Ace Records