AMG Review of Great David Ruffin

Hal Horowitz
All Music Guide

Hip-O Select resurrects the first four albums Motown released from David Ruffin (another previously shelved but finished project that finally was made commercially available in 2004 is not included) in this limited-edition two-disc set. Ruffin's solo years were not commercially successful, so most of these songs have never seen the light of day on CD. Casual fans can certainly make due with 1998's well-chosen, fairly comprehensive 20-track Ultimate Collection. But only ten songs from these albums are represented, which leaves 32 tracks left to explore. While not every one of them is a keeper, there is plenty that should not be left to collect dust in the Motown vaults, especially from a talent as influential as Ruffin. The fourth album, Me 'n Rock 'n Roll Are Here to Stay, produced by Norman Whitfield, is alone worth the rather steep price of admission. Despite its horrible cover art (which couldn't have helped its commercial chances), Ruffin and Whitfield are a mighty team. Whitfield's sonic psychedelic soul works perfectly with Ruffin's raspy vocals, especially on the opening "I Saw You When You Met Her," a lost gem. Even 1973's Bobby Miller-produced and predominantly written David Ruffin, arguably the least impressive album in this set, has its share of nuggets such as the searing screams of the funky "Blood Donors Needed (Give All You Can)," another staggering track that might otherwise have been lost in Motown's voluminous unreleased catalog. The original albums have not been enhanced with extra material, which is a little disappointing, especially since "I Miss You, Pt. 2," which was a minor hit that made the cut on The Ultimate Collection, is not here. The songs have been remastered from the original tapes and the glossy, full-color 28-page book includes liner notes, reproductions of the original artwork, and a short but interesting recap of these years from soul historian David Ritz. [The Great David Ruffin is available at /www.hip-oselect.com.]