Eddie Kendricks Albums (9)
'Live in Las Vegas 1991'
Release Date 2/11/2004
Tracks 20
Label Ten Am
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
After leaving the Temptations in 1971, Kendricks had nearly a decade of success as a solo act. But by the late '70s he began to experience a commercial decline. A promising stint with Arista resulted in two fair albums, although "I Never Used to Dance" from Something More surely had hit potential. He signed to Atlantic for this effort and the label didn't exactly roll out the red carpet for him. Unfortunately by the time this was recorded, Kendricks was well on the way to losing his voice. Although he still had his warm phrasing and tone, the vocals often became shaky -- a fact made even more clear on his less than stellar efforts. "(Oh I) Need Your Loving," written by Eddie and Brian Holland has a percolating groove but threadbare lyrics. "Old Home Town" is an unassuming country styled ballad where Kendricks sings, "I'm a child again in a pile of leaves/running through the snow on Christmas Eve." That will put a smile on anyone's face, but despite some nice melodic changes, the track eventually bogs down as well. Love Keys is like the rest of his later solo albums: Kendricks' voice seems to be out of sync with the backing track, either mixed down or way too high. "Never Alone," in contrast, is disconcerting because his voice sounds so good, most of the pieces are in place, except for the lyrics, which eventually doom the song. Kendricks closes the effort out with the best song; the ballad "In Love We're One" has melody that seemed to be custom made for his voice -- he seems animated, offers unbelievable melisma, and doesn't hit one false note. The album was recorded in his hometown, Birmingham, AL, and some key members from the Muscle Shoals sound are in the backing band. Even for a Kendricks fan, there is little here to recommend here. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
From this album's inception to its end, the mellifluous string and horn arrangements are irresistibly striking. The first of two singles was the title track "He's a Friend." An inspirational number with a disco flair showing praise to the Almighty without ever mentioning the word God. It scooted its way to number two on the Billboard R&B charts; holding that position for three consecutive weeks. The second release was the Caribbean flavored "Get It While It's Hot." This joyous, bouncy number features some passionate female background vocals. It slipped into the Top 30 at number 24. No album fillers here. The vocals of Eddie Kendricks are wonderfully impressive as he injects an incohesive texture to his delivery, but smoothly returns to his ultra-velvet tone. This veteran singer masterfully utilizes his various vocal tools throughout this album. The production, arranging, and savvy vocals of Eddie Kendricks make this one marvelous album. ~ Craig Lytle, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
This album was released in late 1974 and was the follow up to Kendricks' successful album Boogie Down. Even as talented as Kendricks could be, the line between him being inspiring and boring was remarkably fine. For You often finds him doing a batch of songs that simply paled in comparison to some of his stronger early-'70s work. Many songs here have good ideas but are barren lyrically speaking and often Kendricks sounds like he's on automatic pilot. The rich, musical backing of "One Tear" can't withstand the odd premise of Kendricks getting worked up over one non-falling metaphoric tear. "Shoeshine Boy" with its juvenile arrangement has Kendricks being the kid's biggest fan. As Kendricks piles on the platitudes he finally sings "Shoeshine boy/Working so hard in the noonday sun/Teasing the girls and having lots of fun." It's beyond silly. Kendricks did do good work here. "Deep and Quiet Love" is an ethereal ballad with unbelievable changes, heartfelt lyrics, and flawless and rich vocal. On that song in particular, Kendricks hit all of his spots and seemed to love the song himself. The song's repeated phrase "for you" is where this album got its title. No doubt For You producers Frank Wilson and Leonard Caston could come up with a few more ballad gems, but for some reason cover material was included here. "If" and "Time in a Bottle" were both songs that were pretty much summed up by the original artists and Kendricks sounded uncomfortable doing both of them. For You is one of Kendricks' lost album efforts and the good moments make this well worth seeking out. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Kendricks left the Temptations after seven years of constant success. As a solo act it took him a while to sustain momentum. Efforts like All by Myself and People...Hold On where unjustly ignored during the time of their release. Kendricks experienced a commercial breakthrough with his 1973 self-titled classic. Boogie Down is his fifth solo album and shows that Kendricks had attained a mature and tasteful musical niche independent of his former group. Despite the title, Boogie Down is an equal mix of dance and ballad material. Following the lead of Kendricks' number one single, "Keep on Trucking," producers Frank Wilson and Leonard Caston again found more like-minded tracks for Kendricks to do his trademark solo era perfunctory dance steps to. Songs like "The Thin Man" and "Son of a Sagittarius" are no doubt fatuous exercises, but not enough to be career threatening. The title track is about as monotonous as so-called early disco got and lyrics like "Let my love flood your Watergate" aren't exactly poetry. This effort is special due in part to Kendricks' treatment on the ballads. During this time, he could do anything he wanted with his voice and gained confidence as a solo act. The poignant "Honey Brown" and the affecting "You Are the Melody of My Life" display his skill at simply living the lyrics. "Girl of My Dreams" succeeds despite the shamefully overwrought '50s-style pop arrangement. Even as Kendricks sings "Oh my word" on the track, he doesn't even sound like a stooge. Boogie Down cut for cut is Kendricks' strongest album. ~ Jason Elias, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Although his solo outings had been uniformly well-received, Eddie Kendricks had not experienced the level of acclaim that he anticipated upon leaving the Temptations. All that would change with his third collection, simply titled Eddie Kendricks (1973). Thanks to the chart-topping success of the proto-disco "Keep on Truckin'," the vocalist was able to finally crossover into the pop market. Which is precisely the reaction the public had as the Eddie Kendricks album was his first (and last) to land in the Top 20 Pop Album survey at a respectable number 18. While there aren't many radical stylistic departures from his previous effort People...Hold On (1972), there is an overall trend away from his earlier songs that had been steeped in socially conscious soul music. Immediately, the influence of Philly soul leaps out of "Only Room for Two" sporting judiciously appointed orchestration accenting Kendricks' malleable falsetto as it drifts above the evenly churning tempo. "Darling Come Back Home" begins shrouded in a dark groove that quickly gives way to a comparatively lighter tropical steel drum melody. A return to full form occurs on the heartfelt ballad "Each Day I Cry a Little." After a brief narration, Kendricks' angelic lead takes the listener on a seven-plus minute soul-stirrin' excursion as he unleashes a spiritual freedom sorely lacking in the majority of the vocalists' post-Temptations recordings. The centerpiece of the long-player is the stretched out funkathon "Keep on Truckin'." The sturdy wah-wah guitar, four-on-the-floor backbeat and nearly eight-minute running time made it an instant dancefloor favorite. Much like the lengthy "Girl You Need to Change Your Mind" -- from the aforementioned People...Hold On -- "Keep on Truckin'" is considered an undeniable precursor to disco. Kendricks beatific tenor is custom fit for his update of Chuck Jackson's hit "Any Day Now," and recalls the Temptations' clean and deceptively simple harmonies. Another link to the vintage Motown sound is Funk Brother Number One, James Jamerson (bass), whose solid time keeping is prominently displayed on the midtempo closer "Where Do You Go (Baby)." According to the liner notes, the cut actually dates over a year earlier and was presumably a leftover from People...Hold On. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
For his second outing People...Hold On (1972), former Temptations leader Eddie Kendricks expanded his horizons, dabbling with communally conscious soul and making initial forays into dance music that would predate disco. As he had done for Kendricks solo debut All by Myself (1971), producer Frank Wilson contributes several tunes. Among them is "If You Let Me" that kicks off the disc with a bright groove, custom-made for the vocalists' sanguine lead. Things get downright funky on the sanctified "Let Me Run into Your Lonely Heart." The mercurial beat is bathed in distortion and wah-wah guitar that trades back and forth with a syncopated clavinet. All the while, Kendricks shows off his range-free tenor as he effortlessly vacillates in and out of his trademark overdrive falsetto. The sacred influence of "Day by Day" is underscored by some stellar keyboard with organ and piano runs that could just as easily have been heard in a Sunday morning prayer meeting. The nearly eight-minute "Girl You Need a Change of Mind" is nothing short of an epic precursor to the extended four-on-the-floor numbers that would soon be christened as "disco." In addition to providing an above average R&B groove, Kendricks' new band -- the Washington D.C.-based Young Senators -- are joined by the unmistakable touch of Eddie "Bongo" Brown's rhythmically limber congas. The record buying and radio listening public obviously agreed as the song was edited and issued on a 45 rpm that made it to the Top 15 R&B Singles survey. Returning to the project's thematic motif, "Someday We'll Have a Better World" is a midtempo optimistic number with a plea for a more peaceful co-existence. It even goes so far as to directly reference the violence -- presumably domestic as well as in Vietnam -- when Kendricks pleads for a time when "...we won't have to destroy each other" and "men can lay down their guns." The project's title composition "My People...Hold On" is stunning on a completely different level as the artist reconnects with his musical heritage with a languid and methodical bed over which Kendricks raps, practically begging for sanity within the socially troubled African-American community. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Even before his departure from the Temptations was confirmed, Eddie Kendricks had started working on the suitably titled debut solo venture All by Myself (1971). So, while the Temps were continuing to own the charts with the early-'70s soul epics "Ball of Confusion," "Psychedelic Shack," "I Can't Get Next to You," and "Just My Imagination (Runnin' Away with Me)," the combo's co-founder had already maneuvered his escape. The album's ultimate lasting power can be found in the ageless grooves laid down behind Kendricks, courtesy of the Detroit-based Motown house band the Funk Brothers. Luckily, All by Myself was created while the soul and sonic spirit still dwelled at Hitsville USA's Motor City headquarters. Within 12 months, the entire operation would relocate to Los Angeles, thus concluding the label's seemingly perpetual stream of classics from the self-proclaimed "Sound of Young America" hit factory. Right out of the gate the vocalist is at his intensely testifyin' best with the reverb-laden proto-funk "Let's Go Back to Day One." For the equally heartfelt "This Used to Be the House of Johnnie Mae," Kendricks digs deep into his gospel roots to unleash one of the effort's most emotive leads -- complete with spoken narration. Perhaps inspired by the lush string scores emanating out of the Philly soul movement, "I Did It All for You" and the classy remake of Jimmy Webb's "Didn't We" would have been worthy entries from the Kenneth Gamble/Leon Huff school of T.S.O.P. brand R&B. All the more refined is the laid-back and jazzy "Can I." Here, Kendricks' intimate interpretation demonstrates a strata that takes the tune to a level of sophistication that was unavailable to him as a Temptation. In 2005, as part of their restoration of Kendricks' Motown catalog, Hip-O Select included All by Myself on the double-disc Keep on Truckin': The Motown Albums, Vol. One (2005) anthology. ~ Lindsay Planer, All Music Guide
