Switch - 20th Century Masters: The Best of Switch (2001)

A perfect place to begin and quite likely conclude for those interested in Motown's late-'70s funk band Switch. As you no doubt assume, 20th Century Masters collects all of the biggest hits from the group's three-year, four-album stint on the Gordy imprint. You get the laid-back sexy ballads "I Call Your Name," "I Wanna Be Closer," "Love Over and Over Again," and also the steamy funk grooves "There'll Never Be," "Best Beat in Town," "You Pulled a Switch." When you take a retrospective look at Switch's better moments like this it becomes evident that the group was at their best when they were able to integrate their grooves with their ballads, as they did on "There'll Never Be." That's pretty much what's here: a total of 11 songs with a funky bottom end to groove to and a sentimental top end to dim the lights to. And even if Switch did have some stellar album tracks, you probably don't need those. For most, 20th Century Masters should suffice as a fine one-stop collection.