The Supremes Albums (33)
What The Critics Say
After Florence Ballard, Diana Ross and then Cindy Birdsong left the Supremes, the sole original member of the group was Mary Wilson. In Japan (1973) features Ross' replacement Jean Terrell -- sister of boxer Ernie Terrell -- alongside Wilson and the most recent addition Lynda Laurence, who took over when Birdsong flew the coop the previous year. The 'new' Supremes lineup didn't last very long as Terrell and Laurence split -- replaced by Scherrie Payne and the return of Birdsong several months later. Although unable to unleash the same torrent of hits as the earlier incarnations had done, the Supremes ably re-create some of the sweetest sounds to have emanated from within the Motown family. Their stage show remained polished, including not only soul classics, but familiar popular standards as well. While on tour supporting The Supremes Arranged and Produced by Jimmy Webb (1972), there are no representatives from that platter. The ladies do offer up a "New Hit Medley" with "Automatically Sunshine," "Floy Joy," "Nathan Jones" and "Up the Ladder to the Roof"." Of course there is an oldies congregate linking up "Reflections," "Where Did Our Love Go," "Baby Love" and "My World Is Empty Without You," not to mention the opening pairing of "T.C.B" and "Stop! In the Name of Love." Other worthwhile inclusions are the Stevie Wonder penned "Bad Weather," the light and breezy "Stoned Love" and Mary Wilson's intimate and affective interpretation of "I Can't Take My Eyes Off of You" joining a suitably samba-like "Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars." In 2004, Hip-O Select issued the Supremes In Japan on CD in a limited edition of 5,000 copies. Notably, the disc contains the sole concert recording by this trio. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
'Captured Live on Stage!'
Release Date 10/17/1990
Tracks 23
Label Motown
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What The Critics Say
This is a two-disc live recording of Diana Ross's last show with The Supremes. -- ~ Rick A. Bueche, All Music Guide
'Mary, Scherrie and Susaye'
Release Date 1/1/1976
Tracks 8
Label Motown
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What The Critics Say
Things started to go downhill when they recorded this effort. This time they alternated leads (Payne on the uptempo tunes, Wilson and Greene on the ballads) and the Holland brothers continued on as producers. While Susaye Greene gets a chance to show off her power and range, Mary Wilson comes off as competent yet colorless. Although they had a minor hit with the disco number "You're My Driving Wheel," by then they'd lost their distinction and became an anonomyous echo of their former glory, as interchangable as the next group on the block. Sad. ~ John Lowe, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Perhaps the most vigorous (and best) album of their latter-day career, it helped that Payne was established as the centerpiece of the group. Also, multi-octative-voiced Susaye Greene replaced Cindy Birdsong in the group, though producers used her voice more for coloration than for substance. It also helped that Brian and Eddie Holland returned to the production helm, though they were past their artistic prime. A sturdy dance-oriented album, it is highlighted by the hard-driving dance hit "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking," which became their last Top 40 hit in 1976. ~ John Lowe, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Their first studio album in nearly three years was a disappointment. By then Jean Terrell left the group, powerhouse singer Scherrie Payne (a former vocalist with the group the Glass House) replaced her and Mary Wilson took charge of the group, splitting leads with Payne. The result was a collage of production approaches that don't seem to jell as a unified whole. Another problem was that Mary Wilson wasn't (then) a particularly distinctive lead singer. (It wasn't until her 1979 self-titled solo album with Motown that she began to gain a clearer musical idenity.) The album's failure sent them scurrying back to the drawing board, quite appropriately as the album did nothing to establish a distinctive musical idenity for the group. ~ John Lowe, All Music Guide
'The Supremes Arranged and Produced by Jimmy Webb'
Release Date 1/1/1973
Tracks 11
Label Motown
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
An interesting but erratic set, co-written and produced by the prolific Smokey Robinson, then undergoing a transition phase in his career (he was getting ready to exit the Miracles). As usual, the highlights were the singles, particularly "Automatically Sunshine" and the bouncy title track. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough promotional push to maintain the group's viability, and thus a commercial decline reigned unchecked until the group disbanded in 1977. ~ John Lowe, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The last of three albums together finds the Supremes and the Four Tops' producers reverting back to the formula of the first and most successful of the three with this set of remakes. "It's Impossible" builds on New Birth's recording and "Hello Stranger" is a melter; Jean Terrell syncs her soprano to your heart on this soul/pop classic where she swaps lead lines with Levi Stubbs. They get sweaty on Stephen Stills' "Love the One You're With" and gel on Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell's "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By" and "If I Could Build My World Around You." The last track, "Do You Love Me Just a Little Honey," is as creamy as "Hello Stranger" and as aching as the original by Gladys Knight & the Pips. Dynamite gassed at number 160 on Billboard's pop 200 chart, six rungs lower than their second together and 47 shy of their debut, The Magnificent Seven. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
'The Return of the Magnificent Seven'
Release Date 1/1/1971
Tracks 22
Label Motown
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
The Supremes and the Four Tops' first album crept to number 113 on Billboard's Top 200 Albums survey and produced a moderate hit, prompting Motown to go to the well again with The Return of the Magnificent Seven (three Supremes and [four] Tops). Remakes dominated the first LP, but this time they sing more originals. While "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart" did a little action, it was a mere blip on a radar screen compared to what was expected. And others like "I'll Try Not to Cry," "I Wonder Where We're Going," and an update of "I Can't Believe You Love Me," originally by Tammi Terrell, went unnoticed. Like their first LP, Motown issued one single and passed on the rest. Sales were disappointing; it stumbled to number 154, 41 slots lower than the original. But like the original, Jean Terrell's and Levi Stubbs' leads are invigorating. Atlantic Records later paired Stubbs (and the Four Tops) with Aretha Franklin for some dizzying dramas, i.e., "Make It With You," that also failed to gain a mass audience. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
"Up the Ladder to the Roof" opens the album with enticing voices and Frank Wilson's underappreciated first-class production. Right On is a textbook on how to come back from the brink of disaster. The Supremes achieved something the Doors, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Creedence Clearwater, the Guess Who, and so many others could not, go Top Ten and survive the loss of the star who the world recognized and assumed was the key element of their success. Even more stunning is that they did it two months before Diana Ross would go Top 20 with her first solo hit. Jean Terrell brought a terrific voice and new emotion to a group that would rack up eight Top 40 hits without Diana Ross. This is not your Holland-Dozier-Holland Supremes; Wilson creates a sublime stereo mix for the debut single, a wonderful-to-this-day headphone mix with sounds swirling left and right. The follow-up single, "Everybody's Got the Right to Love," went Top 25 with its politically correct theme and clever R&B pop flavors. It gives Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong a chance to use their voices to interact with Terrell, creating a true group sound. A new team, a united front. Where producer Wilson would give the girls cover tunes to sing on the follow-up -- which came eight months after this debut -- they experiment with all sorts of styles on Right On. Among its generous selection of 12 titles, "I Got Hurt" gives a nod to the Honeycombs, "Baby Baby" seems to be a response to Diana's vocal work on "Where Did Our Love Go," and the Supremes take on the sounds of Dionne Warwick with "Then I Met You" (Warwick later hitting with "Then Came You," but this is more the Warwick of Bacharach/David, not the Philly sound). "Bill, When Are You Coming Back" is the Fifth Dimension meets Martha & the Vandellas by way of Laura Nyro. This is Frank Wilson and the Supremes having fun, and Right On holds up today as a solid pop album that is both adult contemporary and girl group pop. "But I Love You More" ends side one, a powerful composition co-written by producer Wilson, performed with enthusiasm by the Supremes. They would rack up four hits in 1970, double the tally by Diana Ross, and between 1971 and 1976 an additional four Top 40 titles. Eight hit singles is a major accomplishment for any recording act, more so for one that endured after the departure of a superstar. Right On is thoroughly enjoyable. ~ Joe Viglione, All Music Guide
