ALTROK Ordinals 12

Marvin Gaye - The Very Best Of Marvin Gaye (Motown/Universal 2 CD set)
Jeff says: Marvin Gaye died the year I graduated high school. I was too far into REM, U2, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, and XTC to notice. At the time all I knew about Marvin was "Sexual Healing". And I've always hated that song. Well, sometimes you have to look back on things you may have dismissed "at the time". Such is the case with me and Marvin Gaye. The man ruled!
Sure, there are several Marvin Gaye "best of's" out there, but this is a new 2 CD set that includes just about everything you could hope for. 34 tracks, 5 of the Tammi Terrell duets, a previously unreleased track, "Can I Get A Witness", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "I Heard It Through The Grapevine", "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing", "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", "What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me", "Let's Get It On", even the dreaded "Sexual Healing". Everyone should own this.

Joe Jackson - Steppin' Out: The Very Best Of Joe Jackson (A&M/Universal 2 CD set)
Jeff says: Yes, there's also more than one Joe Jackson "best of" collection out there to choose from. I know, I have a few. But I had to get this one too. Why? I dunno, I just did. 38 tracks spanning everything from '79's Look Sharp to '00's Night Music II. All the hits (Yes, there was more than one.) and even a track from his soundtrack to Mike's Murder. I think the only records not accounted for are Symphony No. 1 (his classical record) '97's Heaven & Hell (his exploration of the seven deadly sins), the soundtrack to Tucker, '87's Will Power (his instrumental album), the Live 1980/86 record, and last year's Summer In The City: Live In New York. Hell, I probably would have bought this collection for 2 songs and 2 songs only, but it's great to have tracks from his entire career to date included too. What are those 2 songs you ask? His cover of Jimmy Cliff's "The Harder They Come", which was only on a 7" EP called Tilt in June 1980; and "Enough Is Not Enough", a single-only release from October 1980. I don't know that I've ever seen either of those 7-inches, and now I have them CD. Kick ass!

(This week's Ordinals courtesy the always prompt Jeff Raspe.)