The propulsive James Jamerson bass lines, Benny Benjamin’s funky-but-precise rhythms, the elegant, atmospheric orchestrations — given the opportunity, who wouldn’t want to assimilate all those elements at the intersection of pop and soul and assemble their own Motown pastiche? We’re not talking about artists covering classic Motown tunes, either. From the “You Can’t Hurry Love” groove of The Jam’s “Town Called Malice” to the New Jack-meets-Jackson 5 vibe of New Edition’s “Candy Girl” and Amy Winehouse’s brassy, sassy “Rehab,” these tracks take the Motown template and go someplace with it.
