*** Mike James Kirkland ***
"VERY,VERY RARE GEM'S "
Originally from Yazoo City, Mississippi, Mike James Kirkland
grew up singing doo wop and
gospel. Eventually settling in California,
Kirkland and his brother started a record label, Bryan Records, to
release the love songs and socially conscious soul music that Kirkland
had been writing. The two albums they released — Hang On in There in
1972 and its follow-up, Doin’ It Right, both echoed the style and
sentiments of other artists determined to comment on social issues
relevant to the African-American community: soul heavies like Marvin
Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Stevie Wonder. The reputation of both albums
slowly spread over the ensuing years, finally resulting in reissues in
the ’90s by archival label Luv N Haight, including the 2011 two-disc set
Don’t Sell Your Soul, which combined both of Kirkland’s MCA albums with
rare early tracks from his first band, Mike & the Censations,
comprising a kind of collected works.
Mike James Kirkland - Hang On In There (1972)
By Papa Funk
Singer Mike James Kirkland recorded an impressive pair of albums for MCA during the 1970s but lack of interest on the label’s part led to their eventual obscurity. That is until fans of ultra-rare rare groove caught wind of the sounds of Doin’ It Right and Hang on in There, both of which began to change hands for astronomical prices amongst collectors. The latter drew obvious comparisons to What’s Going On, Marvin Gaye’s classic 1971 meditation on an ailing society. The first side of Kirkland’s Hang on in There reads like an alternate version, exploring many of the same themes. “What Have We Done?” he asks on the album opener over an excellent conga and flute-spiced funk groove, a track followed by the equally pained “Where is the Soul of Man?.” Both are eclipsed however, by the eight-minutes-plus title track. The album’s undeniable centerpiece, “Hang on in There” is a lyrical tour de force over a slow-burning groove.
Though arrangement touches are as lush as a film score, the
underlying rhythms are rooted in urban funk: bells, backing singers and
syrupy strings meshing perfectly with guitar scratch and percolating
bass. Unfortunately, Kirkland drops the concept for the album’s second
half, turning his attention to the mysteries of love and throwing the
album off balance. He would have been better off integrating the two
sides or voicing the greater concerns of side one over a full-length
album. Regardless, at least half of this material is the product of an
underrated artist at the peak of his compositional powers. Making this
disc even more desirable are a trio of tracks culled from 45s amongst
them “The Prophet”: a scorcher that finds the singer riding a vibrant,
horn-seasoned funk rhythm that’s the toughest thing on hand.
A landmark in rare Cali soul – and quite possibly the
greatest moment ever from the legendary Mike James Kirkland! The set’s
got a vibe that grabs you right from the very first note – a blend of
funky rhythms and more righteous moments that are totally outta site – a
careful balance that you’d be hard pressed to find done this well in
any other indie soul set of the time. Mike’s vocals are wonderful – with
a depth that rivals some of his bigger contemporaries, but a slight
roughness that makes them a bit more personal too. The album is divided
into two halves – a “peace” side, which is more political; and a “love”
side, which has some mellow soulful tracks – and titles include “What
Have We Done”, “Where’s The Soul Of Man”, “Hang On In There”, “It’s
Alright With Me”, “Give It To Me”, and “Blota Blota”.
*** Mike James Kirkland ***
" VERY,VERY GOOD SOUL ALBUM'S "
Originally from Yazoo City, Mississippi, Mike James Kirkland
grew up singing doo wop and gospel. Eventually settling in California,
Kirkland and his brother started a record label, Bryan Records, to
release the love songs and socially conscious soul music that Kirkland
had been writing. The two albums they released — Hang On in There in
1972 and its follow-up, Doin’ It Right, both echoed the style and
sentiments of other artists determined to comment on social issues
relevant to the African-American community: soul heavies like Marvin
Gaye, Curtis Mayfield, and Stevie Wonder. The reputation of both albums
slowly spread over the ensuing years, finally resulting in reissues in
the ’90s by archival label Luv N Haight, including the 2011 two-disc set
Don’t Sell Your Soul, which combined both of Kirkland’s MCA albums with
rare early tracks from his first band, Mike & the Censations,
comprising a kind of collected works.
Mike James Kirkland - Doin' It Right (1973) By Papa Funk
Singer Mike James Kirkland recorded an impressive pair of
albums for MCA during the 1970s but lack of interest on the label’s part
led to their eventual obscurity. That is until fans of ultra-rare rare
groove caught wind of the sounds of Doin’ It Right and Hang on in There,
both of which began to change hands for astronomical prices amongst
collectors. The latter drew obvious comparisons to What’s Going On,
Marvin Gaye’s classic 1971 meditation on an ailing society. The first
side of Kirkland’s Hang on in There reads like an alternate version,
exploring many of the same themes. “What Have We Done?” he asks on the
album opener over an excellent conga and flute-spiced funk groove, a
track followed by the equally pained “Where is the Soul of Man?.” Both
are eclipsed however, by the eight-minutes-plus title track. The album’s
undeniable centerpiece, “Hang on in There” is a lyrical tour de force
over a slow-burning groove. Though arrangement touches are as lush as a
film score, the underlying rhythms are rooted in urban funk: bells,
backing singers and syrupy strings meshing perfectly with guitar scratch
and percolating bass. Unfortunately, Kirkland drops the concept for the
album’s second half, turning his attention to the mysteries of love and
throwing the album off balance. He would have been better off
integrating the two sides or voicing the greater concerns of side one
over a full-length album. Regardless, at least half of this material is
the product of an underrated artist at the peak of his compositional
powers. Making this disc even more desirable are a trio of tracks culled
from 45s amongst them “The Prophet”: a scorcher that finds the singer
riding a vibrant, horn-seasoned funk rhythm that’s the toughest thing on
hand.
One year after producing Hang On in There, Mike James
Kirkland returned with Doin’ It Right, another soul/funk treasure that
reveals an obscure artist more than capable of matching the work of his
more popular contemporaries. Unfortunately, MCA, Kirkland’s record label
at the time, failed to get behind the releases and they faded from
view. While the singer divided the A- and B-sides of Hang On in There
between sobering reality themes and a batch of love songs, Doin’ It
Right focuses exclusively on the pained trials and tribulations of the
heart. Once again, Kirkland’s voice is set against a series of
sophisticated arrangements that, at their best, avoid dipping into
overly sentimental schmaltz. There are a few exceptions. The title
track, an unfocused “I want you back” plea that unfolds over eight-plus
minutes, begins as an unconvincing, soap-opera style drama. On a version
of “O Me, O My (I’m a Fool for You Baby),” Kirkland drifts over a bed
of guitar and strings for a series of verses that attempt too forcefully
to tug at the heartstrings. More impressive is the singer’s take on
Carole King’s “It’s Too Late,” a song whose sentiments translate easily
into a soul setting. Also of note are the Kirkland originals that open
and close the set: Songs like “Got to Do It Right,” “Love Insurance,”
and “The Only Change” find the session players falling back on more
reliable funk elements for more impressive results.
" A MUST HAVE BEFORE DIE "
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Pass is: MustHaveBeForeDie
