Debarge - Time Will Reveal: The Complete Motown Albums / 3CD / 2011

The DeBarge family--brothers El, Randy, Mark and James, and sister Bunny--signed to Motown and released their first album in 1981, kicking off an intense four years where they rose to the top of the charts with timeless ballads and classic dance tracks. Time Will Reveal: The Complete Motown Albums collects the group's four out-of-print albums on two CDs, restoring them to the marketplace for the first time in years, while adding a bonus third disc of remixes and unreleased versions. Among the many highlights are the No. 1 hits "Rhythm Of The Night," in its original and extended remixed version; "All This Love," from the same-titled album as well in a newly discovered alternate version; and the set's title song, sounding better than ever in a previously unheard, long version.

DeBarge, led by El's instantly recognizable falsetto voice, were renowned for their infectious melodies and memorable hooks in gorgeous-sounding productions. Motown saw them as heir apparent to the Jackson 5, another family dynasty that had left the label in the mid-'70s. But unlike the Jacksons, the DeBarges were given free rein to write, produce and arrange their own material.

After a debut album that showed promise but not much in sales, their second LP, All This Love, went gold. In A Special Way, which included "Time Will Reveal," their first top 20 pop hit, and "Love Me In A Special Way," featuring a harmonica solo by label mate Stevie Wonder, followed. The album also included "A Dream" and "Stay With Me," which have become better known as samples in several hip-hop classics, from "One More Chance/Stay With Me" by Notorious B.I.G and Faith Evans to Mariah Carey's "I'll Be Lovin' U Long Time." As a special bonus, this 3-CD set includes instrumental versions of the original DeBarge tracks.

With Rhythm Of The Night and its title hit song, DeBarge leapt into the pop mainstream. Two other songs from the album, "You Wear It Well" and "The Heart is Not So Smart," were dance hits; their rare "M+M" remixes are included on the bonus disc.

The accompanying booklet includes reproductions of the original album artwork, track annotations and a career overview by Gail Mitchell, Senior Editor of R&B/Hip-Hop for Billboard, who was seen on-screen as a commentator in the celebrated DeBarge episode of TVOne's Unsung.