The CONTOURS - THE TRACKS OF MY TEARS

A new extended remix is up on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km1UcdH-NAs&feature=youtube_gdata

Try this link as the first one is wrong. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km1UcdH-NAs

Stone Diamond

Good to hear this....

It will shortly be 25 years since Ian Levine commenced his MotorCity project.

The releases were generally commercially unsuccessful, and continue to be disparaged by many lovers of Motown.

Despite that, I've always felt that one of the greatest achievements of Ian Levine's work was in capturing the actual voices of the artists once again - some of them, for the last time.

In having done so, the vocal tracks are available for re-presentation and remixing, sometimes with completely different musical productions.

I think this is an admirable example, and enjoyed it very much indeed. Thank you for posting it:)

I think most people were put off Ian's productions, because of the "Electronic" backing tracks. But had Ian used a session group, with brass and string sections, the cost would have been prohibitive. Which would have resulted in far fewer ex-Motown artists seeing a studio again. I'm grateful for what Ian did, and a lot of people have missed out on some really good arrangements, The vocal arrangement on this Contours revival of "Tracks Of My Tears is superb; and deserved to be a hit.

Yes, I agree with everything you say there.

About 10 years ago, I bought a 4CD set called 'Soul Giants' on a market stall, which has the tagline 'features exclusive, previously unreleased versions'. These tracks have the sound of a basic session group - a more natural, less synthesised sound, which may include some real instruments.

However, the vocals are the same as on the more generally available versions, so they must have been reassembled a little later with the addition of fuller computerised instrumentation, under the banner of 'MotorCity' - the sounds of which were achieved via a Fairlight [[I think?)

Extra work was needed on many of the tracks. The drum machine sound which could sound leaden and plodded just a tad too slow, or another which sounded like someone hammering tacks into a metal wall - both did detract from some good work on those tracks where they had not overlaid with another additional sound.

But some are fine just as they are, especially the new songs, or where the arrangements were sufficiently different from the original Motown recordings.

Also, some of the re-worked versions from the last 10 years are a great improvement - 'Hold On A Little Longer' by Mary Wells, given a light jazz tempo and feel, is a particular favourite....

Having said about the "Electronic" backings, this Contours remix is "Electronic". The strings are from a Yamaha keyboard, and the percussion is a finger snap with echo, and a tambourine. I know that back in the day, an ARP Odyssey 2000, could produce very good strings, it's just that drum machine that did it for a lot of people. But as I've said, most of Ian's work had very good vocal arrangements and a great many people have missed out because of that drum machine.
You say that the vocal tracks are available for remix, well with some new more "authentic" sounding drums and percussion, plus brass and string sections from the Korg and Yamaha keyboards, a lot of Ian's work can be updated, and sell to those that avoided them when they were originally released.
Do you know if there are any CD's that carry just the vocals? Because I'd buy them in a heartbeat!

Yes, I'd buy them too, although I'd not really expect there to be any CDs generally available with vocals only - but someone, somewhere, must own the masters.

You're probably fully aware that Midnight johnny is a master of remixing, but I'm unsure if he creates his absolute masterpieces by blending in vocals from the audio tracks featured in Motown karaoke series, or has a method of separating vocals - you could try having a word with him..??

And, if no_place_like_motown reads this, how about a thread dedicated to re-worked MotorCity tracks, so we can all give a listen - and please include the aforementioned Mary Wells track. LOL:)

Grapevine has included some of the later versions in his excellent Soulful Detroit Jukebox series - that was where, by chance, I first picked up on Bettye LaVette's re-worked version of 'Good Luck' - which is one of my favourite MotorCity tracks - along with Carolyn Crawford's 'Timeless'.....then there's J.J.Barnes "I've Seen The Light", Frances Nero's "Footsteps", Marvelettes "Secret Love Affair" [[the version without the draggy drum machine) etc, etc...

Another spin off of the project was the live appearances where one could have the chance to see the likes of Marv Johnson, Syreeta, Jean, Scherrie and Lynda, Elgins, Kim Weston and Carolyn Crawford. "Side Stepping" by Fantastic Four is well worth a listen, Enjoy the tracks for what they are.