"…I'm On The Sideline Hoping You'll Give Me A Chance…"
For Motown fans the world over - this American 2CD set on Hip-O Select B-0005132-02 (originally released August 2005 as a limited edition of 5000) represents something of a long overdue treat (Volume 1 of 2 covers his stay at the famous US Soul label from 1971 USA to 1975 UK, while Vol.2 does 1974 to 1977).
"Keep On Truckin': The Motown Solo Albums, Vol.1" offers the forgotten and hard to find US album catalogue of ex Temptations frontman EDDIE KENDRICKS finally put onto CD and in a top quality manner too. UK fans had to wait until June 2007 for its release (Barcode 602498837023), but with both versions unfortunately now deleted - it has of course led to the inevitable hefty price tags too. Still, for fans and the curious, here is the funky breakdown:
Disc 1 (72:04 minutes):
1. Let's Go Back To Day One
2. This Used To Be The House Of Johnnie Mae
3. I Did It All For You
4. It's So Hard For Me To Say Goodbye
5. Something's Burning
6. Can I
7. Didn't We
Tracks 1 to 7 are his debut US solo album, "All By Myself" – released April 1971 in the USA on Tamla TS 309 and September 1971 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11186
8. If You Let Me
9. Let Me Run Into Your Lonely Heart
10. Day By Day
11. Girl You Need A Change Of Mind
12. Someday We'll Have A Better World
13. My People…Hold On
14. Date With The Rain
15. Eddie's Love
16. I'm On The Sideline
17. Just Memories
Tracks 8 to 17 are his 2nd US album "People...Hold On" – released May 1972 in the USA on Tamla T 315L and February 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11213. Note Volume 2 in this Hip-O Select series has seven Bonus Tracks tail-ending Disc 3 – six are Previously Unreleased outtakes recording in 1972 during the "People...Hold On" sessions – the seventh is around that period.
Disc 2 (74:14 minutes):
1. Only Room For Two
2. Darling Come Back Home Soon
3. Each Day I Cry A Little
4. Can't Help What I Am
5. Keep On Truckin'
6. Any Day Now
7. Not On The Outside
8. Where Do You Go (Baby)
Tracks 1 to 8 are his 3rd US album, "Eddie Kendricks" – released May 1973 in the USA on Tamla T 327L and October 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11245
9. Please Don't Go Away
10. One Tear
11. Shoeshine Boy
12. Deep And Quiet Love
13. Let Yourself Go
14. If
15. If You Think (You Can)
16. Time In A Bottle
Tracks 9 to 16 are his 4th US album, "For You" – released November 1974 in the USA on Tamla T6-33551 and January 1975 in the UK on Tamla Motown STMA 8020
Note: There are no single versions nor any previously unreleased tracks of any kind on this set - they feature on the last disc of the companion volume "The Thin Man" - The Motown Albums Vol.2" (reviewed separately)
Both CDs are Brown & Yellow in colour with the Tamla World logo - aping the way the US LP labels would have looked. The 28-page booklet pictures both the LP sleeves front and rear in full colour, gives detailed notes on the songwriter and session players involved, lists US singles and their B-sides that came off each album (details from the actual Motown session logs) and there's an essay on Hendricks' career by noted Motown writer BRIAN CHIN. In between the exact reproduction of album sleeves are high-quality colour pictures of Kendricks from the early Seventies. In fact, the booklet, like the silver digipak that houses the whole thing - has an overall classy feel about it. But the best bit - as always with Hip-O is the wonderful sound quality...
All tracks have been remastered by one of Universal's trio of in-house wizard tape engineers - SUHA GUR - a name that has turned up on many of the "Gold" 2CD sets dedicated to other Motown acts. Typical of Hip-O - the sound is superlative and like the packaging, reeks of class and pride in what's been presented to you.
Stylistically, Kendricks' high voice and the string-drenched arrangements of the songs sound like Eugene Record and The Chi-Lites. On other songs, it's very Philadelphia International. On the downside, there is fairly audible hiss on some of the "All By Myself" tracks, but none too much to detract from the soulful listen. Besides, it all but disappears completely by the time we get to the next album, 1972's fantastic "People...Hold On". You can now hear the drums and bass on "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" like never before - funky, warm and sweet.
Another job well done by Hip-O Select who are quickly becoming the Number One choice for collectors when it comes to Motown reissues. And this set will have you reaching for the Eddie Hendricks installment door number two - "The Thin Man Motown Solo Albums Vol. 2" - an October 2006 US Hip-O Select 3CD set covering 1974 to 1977…another US-based limited edition of 5000 (see separate review)...
