The Supremes - I Hear a Symphony [Green]

Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard reach for the classics on I Hear a Symphony, the Supremes' 1966 album, here on green vinyl.

By the mid-sixties the Supremes were Motown's crown jewels, and this album showed off their versatility beyond the hit factory. Alongside new songs from Holland-Dozier-Holland, it found the trio wrapping their voices around standards and contemporary hits, a move designed to win over supper-club audiences as well as teenage fans, and it worked beautifully on both counts.

The title track is the jewel, a chart-topping swirl of strings and climbing key changes that ranks among their very finest singles. "My World Is Empty Without You" brings a darker, minor-key ache, while their takes on "Yesterday" and "Unchained Melody" let Ross linger over every phrase. "Stranger in Paradise" opens the set with a lush, dreamy glow, and the harmonies of Wilson and Ballard shine throughout, cushioning Ross's lead like velvet.

It is a wonderful snapshot of the group at their imperial peak, polished and ambitious from start to finish, with three voices that knew each other inside and out. Green vinyl adds a bright splash of colour to a Motown classic that deserves a spot right next to their greatest hits.