Released by
Motown
/
Universal
in 2008,
The Definitive Collection
is an update of 1998's
The Ultimate Collection
, albeit one with seven fewer cuts and less information in the liner notes (release dates, chart placements, musician credits). There is no indication that the mastering of the material between the two releases is any different. For the casual
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
fan, the truncated tracklisting is not a big deal. The songs not on this disc that were included on
were not major; in fact, not one of them cracked the Top 30 of the Black Singles chart. All the basic essentials are here, from 1962's
"I'll Try Something New"
through 1970's
"The Tears of a Clown."
~ Andy Kellman