Fourever
Those only familiar with the Tops' 1960s Motown heyday may be surprised at just how prolific the foursome remained after leaving the mother ship in 1972. While this four-disc set does include 53 tracks from their peak Motown tenure, it also offers a much more comprehensive look at their entire career, reaching all the way back to a 1956 Chess single and continuing into the 1990s. Of particular note are a number of topflight selections from their years on Dunhill and ABC (1972-1979), when hits such as "Ain't No Woman (Like the One I've Got)" and "Keeper of the Castle" as well as a few lesser-known gems successfully updated their trademark sound to include elements of funk and disco while still remaining true to their defining trait: the balance of Levi Stubbs's robust growl and the ethereal harmonies of his mates. Their early-1980s Casablanca period also yielded notable additions to their repertoire, such as the buoyant "When She Was My Girl" and the ballad "I Believe in You and Me," which would become a wedding staple. Still, nothing can compare to their Motown classics, when the songs of the Holland-Dozier-Holland hit machine joined forces with the Tops' appealing style to the delight of a generation. Fans content with the Motown hits are advised to pick up the single-discUltimate Collection, but those looking for a deeper investigation will enjoy this thorough survey.--Marc Greilsamer