Customer Reviews

Kick It Around

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We'll I actually just received my CD of James Hunter the other day and have been enjoying every one of the songs. I actually had to do a little bit of searching trying to track down Mr. Hunter's CD after hearing the song, "It's So Easy to Say" on the local blues station. If you are into the sounds of the 50's and early 60's types of Rythym and Blues you'll love these songs. They have the groove and sound of modern-day interpretations while at the same time clearly show their early R&B influences. I will definietly buy Mr. Hunter's other CD's and hope some day he'll make it to the US so that I can see him live or maybe I'll have to save up and go to the UK?

Did I say that the guy truely has a great voice and can sing!

James Hunter is absolutely brilliant. I've had this CD since it was first released, and years later, I still haven't tired of it.
The man's voice is phenomenal. I could swear he was black, rather than English. A definite set of pipes. I'm almost convinced that a) he's either possessed by the ghost of Sam Cooke, or b) Sam Cooke is alive and well and James is just doing the whole Milli Vanilli thing. His backing band is fantastic, as well. They really have the vintage R&B thing down to a perfection. The cover of Clyde McPhatter's "Lover's Question" is so amazing. I love Mr. McPhatter's music to death... but I think James definitely one-upped him!
The only track I don't care for is "Turn On Your Love Light" with Van Morrisson... only because I don't like Van Morrison. James definitely outshines him on that track!
So yes, I highly suggest buying this album... along with the others.

James Hunter is an r&b revivalist. His style is not new; however, he certainly nails the genre, managing to sound two parts Sam Cooke and one part Georgie Fame. "Don't tell me now, I know I'm on trial, so kick it around for awhile," he sings on the bubbly title track with Nick Lunt's baritone sax smoking. "Because You're Mine" rocks with a great boogie woogie tenor sax of Damian Hand bopping joyfully. "Believe Me Baby," slams out of the speakers with Hunter's expressive vocals, "I love you, baby, & I always will, but your big mouth's about to get me killed." The instrumental "Night Bus" has equal parts sleazy Neil Hefti and Dick Dale beach boogie in a great sonic explosion. "Tell Her for Me" closes the CD with Hunter sounding about as soulful as Sam Cooke, "I asked the moon if you catch her eye, tell her for me as you pass by." His cover of Clyde McPhatter's "A Lover's Question" is an excellently rendered homage. This is one of those CDs that you might have to seek out under the radar, but is well worth the journey. Bravo!

Simply put, James Hunter has soul. This is wonderful Soul music for the 21st century, though it certainly sounds an awful lot like Sam Cooke's music from the 1960s, which is definitely not a bad thing at all! For me, the highlight of this disc is "Mollena", which is simply beautiful. Hunter's newest album doesn't do it for me like this release and "People Gonna Talk" do, so I recommend picking up "People Gonna Talk" first, since it is sold at a cheap price on Amazon.com and is an excellent record. If you highly enjoy that disc, you should absolutely purchase this one as well, as it is every bit as good as "People Gonna Talk", though the price is a bit high. It will be wonderful to watch James develop into one of the greatest Soul singers of all-time, along with Sam Cooke and Otis Redding.

James Hunter first appeared on Britain's blue-eyed soul scene as Cry Wilf! back in 1986, with gritty, smokin' covers of blues classics such as Boom Boom and R&B covers of Ike Turner, Barbara Lewis, and Willie Dixon. On his first Ace solo album ...Believe What I Say, released in 1996, Hunter had found a more polished, smooth soul sound reminiscent of Otis Redding and Sam Cooke, with many original songs such as the ballad Believe What I Say and uptempo jam Two Can Play and the gospel-inspired Let Me Know and Hear Me Calling.

On his second solo album Kick It Around, published on Germany's RUF Records, Hunter again relies on his solid band and tight songwriting skills to produce a short but sweet miracle of retro songwriting. Too many modern artists attempt to channel the golden age of soul and R&B but too often come off as uninspired, or worse, as a cliche. Hunter has the rare ability to capture the lyrics, studio sound, horn sections, and jivin' guitar, resulting in nuanced recordings that sound like they've been transported directly from the 1960s. As with his first solo album, Hunter has produced another original album full of memorable soft ballads such as Mollena, It's Easy to Say, and Tell Her for Me, as well as a stellar cover of Clyde McPhatter's Lover's Question that threatens to upstage the original. Better Luck Next Time is a hilarious tribute to Roy C.'s Shotgun Wedding. There's also a tight James Brown-inspired instrumental on the rockin' Night Bus, a nod to James's Night Train.

Four of the songs on Kick It Around were revived on People Gonna Talkfrom 2006 (It's Easy To Say, Kick It Around, Mollena, and Tell Her For Me), which is a good thing considering that Kick It Around is currently out of print. It's a mystery to me why Lover's Question wasn't given similar treatment, and I'm glad that I managed to track down a new copy of Kick It Around. Fans of Hunter's other albums Believe What I Say and People Gonna Talk can expect more of the same awesome instrumentals, great guitar riffs from Hunter, and satin-smooth vocals that will transport you back in time.

Hi All! I am guessing that by now you know that it takes a very, very special CD to rate being reviewed by me. Average maybe, one in every 20 is reviewed. Well here is one that literally knocked my socks off when I played it. James Hunter a young German National has captured the essence of the 50's & early 60's Rock and Rhythm & Blues. One sensational track followed by another. Listening to James and I find no problem at all picturing him with the likes of Little Isidore & Little Leopold. The sound is THERE!! Doing a couple of oldies and a load of originally written tunes. All vocals are by James Hunter. Along with his vocal abilities, he plays one Great guitar. This will be evidenced on the one instrumental offering on the CD. I know you will feel the same as I do when you sit and listen to James Hunter. Did I say SIT?? Well you won't be sitting still!!