When A Soulful Tale of Two Cities, the Detroit - Philadelphia R&B connection was released in 2006, it seemed we had just about reached the creative limit in the reincarnation of classic soul hits.

Now in 2010 comes Motorcity Hits...Real Music Is Back, a new 17 song collection featuring fresh takes on divine Detroit ditties.

The Four Tops, the Dramatics, the Miracles, the Contours with Joe Billingslea, the Original Vandellas, Freda Payne, and other artists are featured.

Be sure to listen to the 60 second montage I've created from three of the featured tracks.

One thing is certain, there is an eager market for vintage classic soul, but at what point will we become oversaturated with these infinite recorded retakes?

The original versions are burned into our memories just like our a-b-c's.

Will you accept essentially carbon copy updates?

I do like the sparser instrumental treatment these songs receive.

Freda Payne (pictured here) sounds just as good as she did back in the day.

I don't believe the producers wanted to meticulously duplicate the sophisticated layering of the Motown originals.

The updated arrangements salute the originals, but reflect an instrumental slickness that sings "2010."

Here are the tracks:

1. "Hitsville Hall Of Fame" - Various Artists
2. "Money" - Paul Hill featuring Barrett Strong
3. "Reach Out (I'll Be There)" - the Four Tops
4. "Baby Come Close" - Keith Washington
5. "Leavin You" - the Miracles
6. "Needle In The Haystack" - the Velvelettes
7. "Love Machine" - the Miracles
8. "Bad Girl" - the Dramatics
9. "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" - Paul Hill
10. "Even If My Heart Would Break" - the Contours with Joe Billingslea
11. "Band Of Gold" - Freda Payne
12. "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow" - Paul Hill Featuring George Clinton
13. "Miles Away" - the Four Tops
14. "Do You Love Me" - the Contours with Joe Billingslea
15. "Since I Fell For You" - Laura Lee
16. "Dancing In The Street" - the Original Vandellas
17. "Baby I'm For Real" - Duane Parham featuring Pat Lewis

Laura Lee, (left), takes the Lenny Welch serenade "Since I Fell For You," plugs in an intro rap, and sings her heart out.

There are original members still with us from many of these groups.

The Motor City Hits website 2022 Update: (now sunset) had some interesting links about these personalities in their artist(s) information section.

Listen to 60 seconds of: the Four Tops, Freda Payne, and Laura Lee from Motorcity Hits...Real Music Is Back.

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