Diana Ross - Motown Albums 1970-1980 (10CD) Japanese Mini-LP SHM-CD Remastered Reissue 2012

Her self-titled debut LP (later retitled Ain't No Mountain High Enough after the single became a hit) was arguably her finest solo work at Motown and perhaps her best ever; it was certainly among her most stunning. Everyone who doubted whether Diana Ross could sustain a career outside the Supremes found out immediately that she would be a star. The single "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" remains a staple in her shows, and is still her finest message track.

Review by Ron Wynn, Allmusic.com

Fresh from her career-defining role in the Supremes, Motown issued Diana Ross' Everything Is Everything in 1970, within months of her self-titled solo debut of earlier the same year. This time, veteran Motown multitasker Deke Richards was brought in with hopes of equaling the unqualified success that the staff team of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson had with Diana Ross – particularly the songs "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Although Everything Is Everything failed to exceed – or even meet – the chart achievements of its long-playing predecessor, many enthusiasts consider it to be a worthy companion. Rather than drawing exclusively from their stable of in-house writers, Richards split the duties between himself and a variety of Hitsville U.S.A. stalwarts – including Berry Gordy and Marvin Gaye – as well as significant outside input from the likes of John Lennon-Paul McCartney, Burt Bacharach-Hal David, and fellow Motor City soul stirrer Aretha Franklin. The upbeat opener, "My Place," swings steadily behind the frisky rhythm section – replete with Jack Ashford's signature timekeeping on tambourine. Sprightly strings underscore Ross' similarly agile and inviting lead vocals. In deference to the pink glamour shot adorning the front, Ross reveals an earthier image on the funky "Ain't No Sad Song." It is a perfect example of producer Hal Davis' ability to capture the essence of the singer's sensuality, a feat he repeated to even greater effect a few years later on his production of the R&B/pop crossover chart-topper "Love Hangover."

The infectiously cheery "Everything Is Everything" has the slightly quirky feel of a Laura Nyro composition, although it was actually written by a female friend of Berry Gordy. The Marvin Gaye-Anna Gaye co-penned "Baby It's Love" is one of several outstanding deep cuts flawlessly blending the unmistakably vintage Motown sound with a comparatively modern arrangement. Underneath Gene Page's silky strings is the midtempo ballad "I'm Still Waiting." Although the softer selection didn't make too much of an impression stateside, it went to the top of the singles survey in the U.K., resurfacing in their pop countdown – in a remix form – nearly two decades later. One of Richards' laudable achievements on the disc is the return to the well-established Motown vibe on the phonetically monikered "Doobedood'ndoobe, Doobedodd'ndoobe, Doobedood'ndoo." On the other hand, the Beatles remakes show contrasting sides to Ross' talents. "Come Together" pulls no punches with an extended brassy and sassy reading directly contrasting the empathetic and heartfelt take of "The Long and Winding Road." As good as those upgrades are, it is Ross and Richards' sultry collaboration on Aretha Franklin's "I Love You (Call Me)" that may arguably be the finest contribution from either participant. Everything Is Everything concludes with the charming filler "How About You" and "(They Long to Be) Close to You." The latter indeed shimmers while showcasing Ross' interpretive talents, yet ultimately lacks the sincerity and believability of the Carpenters' take of the Bacharach-David staple.

Review by Lindsay Planer, Allmusic.com

A nice early-'70s date from Diana Ross, who at that time was unaffected by her diva/show business persona and was sticking to singing. She turned in effective, unadorned, soulful leads on several songs, with the title tune cracking the R&B Top 20 and pop Top 40. Ross would later turn to a more exaggerated, self-conscious, mock-sophisticate style, but on her early Motown albums, she retained the mix of innocence, anguish, and sexiness that made her a legendary vocalist.

Review by Ron Wynn, Allmusic.com

Arriving after Lady Sings the Blues, Touch Me in the Morning trades easily on Diana Ross’ status as a superstar. Grandiose and slick without being cloying, soft and seductive while retaining soul, the album veers away from R&B toward adult contemporary, a sound fitting a cross-platform, cross-genre star such as Ross, and the telling thing about Touch Me in the Morning is that for as soft as its surfaces are, this isn’t quite a makeout record thanks in part to the trace DNA from its origins as a concept album Diana Ross conceived for her children. This record, fittingly called To the Baby, didn’t appear until Hip-O Select reissued Touch Me in the Morning as an expanded double-disc Expanded Edition in 2010, whereupon it was easy to see just how much the two albums shared: “Brown Baby” shows up as its own track, “My Baby (My Baby My Own),” while “Imagine” is part of the medley with “Save the Children.” Apart from such specifics, the overall tone is indeed similar, particularly in how the music is sentimental without being syrupy, pushing the idea of Diana as a diva who can do it all, but there is a reason why To the Baby was scrapped in favor of Touch Me in the Morning: it lacked a single as sweeping as “Touch Me in the Morning” itself, a signal that it was just slightly too inward-looking to sustain Ross’ monumental success. Sensing that, Berry Gordy once again displayed remarkable commercial instincts, rejiggering the project just enough to turn the LP into something rich, gorgeous, and romantic, something of a slow-dance classic, something that To the Baby, no matter how sincere and interesting it was, couldn’t quite be.

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Allmusic.com

The early 1970s were a pivotal time for Diana Ross. In 1973 alone – between touring and performing for SRO crowds in Vegas, she managed to record enough material for a number of different projects. Last Time I Saw Him (1973) was just one of several Ross releases that year as she worked on the still unissued To the Baby album, which was filled with songs for her daughters. She also released the hugely popular Touch Me in the Morning (1973), as well as contributed to Diana & Marvin (1973) – an LP's worth of duets with Marvin Gaye. Last Time I Saw Him is particularly striking as the spotlight belongs on Ross' remarkable versatility. Although arguably campy, the countrified title composition is larger-than-life thanks to Michael Omartian and Gene Page's arrangement. They throw in everything but the proverbial kitchen sink with a score that is all over the musical map from Dixieland band jazz to banjo-pickin' and even an orchestrated string section. The lightweight poppy "No One's Gonna Be a Fool Forever" is memorable as Ross adopts a Barbra Streisand approach, giving the song enough style as to level out the ersatz instrumentation that hopelessly places the tune squarely in the '70s. Conversely, the ballads "Love Me" and "Sleepin'" are among the best that Ross has to offer. The latter is marked by a dramatic delivery, suggesting a subtext that would reveal more than the story lets on at face value. She likewise scores on the light and funky love song "When Will I Come Home to You" thanks to a jazzy melody and catchy chorus. "You" is another winner as the gospel-infused redemptive waltz is custom-made for Ross' emotive reading. One minor caveat being that her spoken recitation comes off a tad too maudlin and actually sounds like an exchanging of vows. Similarly, her remake of the Malvina Reynolds/Harry Belafonte lullaby "Turn Around" – which had initially been earmarked for the aforementioned To the Baby – suffers from the same melodramatic dysfunction. Ross returns to form for the upbeat rocker "I Heard a Love Song (But You Never Made a Sound)" with roots reaching deep into a vintage Motown groove. "Stone Liberty" continues with an empowering R&B statement that might have been penned for the emergent women's liberation movement, but works equally as well as a personal declaration of freedom for all oppressed peoples. Wrapping things up is a cover of "Behind Closed Doors," which Ross turns into a soulful number giving the lyrics a bit of a lilt woefully absent from Charlie Rich's hit version.

Review by Lindsay Planer, Allmusic.com

This self-titled release, issued in February 1976, was Diana Ross' first album since December 1973's Last Time I Saw Him. It followed Ross' starring role in the Berry Gordy-directed Mahogany. That film's theme, a sweeping Gerry Goffin/Michael Masser ballad sung by Ross, topped Billboard's Adult Contemporary and Hot 100 charts; though it appeared on the Mahogany soundtrack, it was also included here and leads a set that's as diverse as Last Time I Saw Him, with a total of nine songs involving 16 songwriters. "I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)," a stately ballad with a commanding chorus, was a Top Five Adult Contemporary hit but wasn't nearly as successful with R&B radio. "Love Hangover," with its extended lead-in and hurtling and thumping yet graceful groove, was Ross' entry into the disco market, where she proved to be a natural fit, and it not only topped the dance chart but the R&B and pop ones as well. "Kiss Me Now" is another highlight, a frisky, showbiz jazz number where Ross feels free enough to throw in a quick impression of Louis Armstrong. That covers the album's first side. Side two is much more focused, generally sticking to contemporary soul. "One Love in My Lifetime," yet another one of Ross' Top Ten R&B singles, is the most notable of the five songs, with the Ashford & Simpson-penned "Ain't Nothin' But a Maybe" a close second. Subsequently mired in a couple unfocused patchwork recordings, Ross wouldn't make another truly fine album until The Boss, written and produced in its entirety by Ashford & Simpson.

Review by Andy Kellman, Allmusic.com

A moderately successful late-'70s album for Diana Ross. She was evolving into celebrity/stardom status, and her albums were increasingly filled with less soulful, more sophisticated, heavily produced and arranged ballads and light pop. She still sounded glorious on most of them, but now the edge, sensuality, and energy that had made her Motown songs classics was steadily eroding in favor of a more stylized, almost show-business kind of singing.

Review by Ron Wynn, Allmusic.com

As a solo artist Diana Ross' ‘70s recording career was often marred by lack of inspiring material and her film career. Even with her busy schedule she could always release good to great singles like 1976's "Love Hangover" and "I'm Getting Ready for Love." As an album artist, at this point, only Lady Sings the Blues, Diana and Marvin and 1977's Baby It's Me had displayed all of her gifts. While Ross doesn't attain that high standard, it at least offers some thoughtful performances. This 1978 set mixes six new tracks with earlier unreleased tracks. Like the Temptations 1975's House Party, this "throws together" tracks from different years. Although it could be reflected as a desperate tactic, Ross shows that often it can work. The ballads here tend to show her in the best light. The hypnotic and sensual "Never Say I Don't Love You" boasts one of her most subtle performances. That track along with "Where Did We Go Wrong" and "To Love Again" suggests that a great weepy album filled with strong ballads was just within reach. 1974's country styled offering, "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right" mixes in extremely well. The dance tracks aren't as good "Lovin', Livin' and Givin' and a discofied "What You Gave Me" both from 1978, has Ross going through the motions and feigning enthusiasm. (Oddly enough those two tracks appeared on her 1995 anthology.) While Ross isn't a full-fledged effort, it often captures enough of Ross' essence to make it recommended.

Review by Jason Elias, Allmusic.com

While hardly as superfine a Ross vehicle as the Chic-produced Diana of a year later, 1979's The Boss does offer a few tracks of prime Ashford and Simpson-helmed disco-pop. Foremost among them are the title track (also heard on this augmented CD reissue in an even better 12-inch remix), "No One Gets the Prize," and "I Ain't Been Licked." All three offer a mix of sass and vulnerability that's among the diva's most pleasing stances. "All for One" and "I'm in the World" try too hard in their ways to reinvent Ross's showbizzy anthem "Reach Out and Touch," but neither truly offends.

Review by Rickey Wright

Coming off four Top Ten hits in three years for their group Chic, producers Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers were the hot R&B/disco team of the day when they wrote and produced Diana Ross' second album named simply diana. (The first was her 1971 TV soundtrack, Diana!.) The result was Ross' best-selling album ever, paced by her biggest singles hit yet, "Upside Down," and its Top Ten follow-up, "I'm Coming Out." For the most part, disco productions tended to emphasize the beat over the voice, and it might be argued, but for the billing, Ross had been reduced to guest vocalist on her own album. But it was exactly her struggle to retain an identity beyond the groove that made this music more compelling than Chic's records. diana marked an important comeback for Ross, who had struggled in the late '70s after the early successes of her solo career. She celebrated by leaving Motown for a six-year, five-album sojourn at RCA.

Review by William Ruhlmann, Allmusic.com