Mike Williams – “Pleasing You”

The Sleeve:

The Liner/Sleeve Notes:
 “PLEASING YOU” is the name of this album. It’s also Mike Williams’ musical destiny. He sings, plays and entertains from his heart. A purity many musicians never possess.
 At the age of 10 Mike sat down at the piano and picked out “What Now My Love.” Since then, he has performed many songs. Some of his favorites are here on this, his first album. Mike can be seen and heard “Pleasing You”, the public, at various night spots throughout the Glens Falls area. The “Gibson Girl, Heritage Hall in the Glens Falls Civic Center, and at Chateau de Louis. Mike is also a guest vocalist with the popular Albany based group “The Valentinos.”
 Mike had the time of his life creating and working on his 1st album here at Trackdown Recording Studios. Norma and I at Trackdown had the time of our lives engineering, mixing and watching his dream come true. Future projects include a gospel, and a country & western album. We hope you enjoy this music and so does Mike as he’ll tell you on the last band of Side B. 
 Sincerely
 Alan W. Prince
 Chief Recording Engineer
 Trackdown Recording Studios”

Personal Review:
 This record has been on my want-list for quite sometime, and I was planning on waiting a bit before reviewing it, but it’s just too damn excited to not actually write about. So here we go.

 So, the album opens with a cover of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” and well, Mike different can play the piano that is for sure, and his voice, well he has a Jersey accent, and is doing pop covers of country songs, and well it’s good! He’s got a good thing going for him with his voice and piano playing talent. Continuing on we have Mike on the organ and singing the song “Georgia” and he gives it a slower ballad type vibe to this track, but his organ solo is what really makes this song fabulous. This guy is very talented at the keys! Mike ends the song on some wonderful high notes, and well, I like it. Next up comes Mike Williams’ own composition, the title track “Pleasing You” which I believe it is an organ instrumental, and well, it’s peppy and upbeat, I like it! After that fantastic instrumental we go onto the song “All the Girls Get Prettier at Closing Time” and Mike rips into this one, and it’s literally a song about getting a drunk and the women getting prettier as he gets drunker, and taking a 5 to bed and waking up with a 1. Is this song rating women on a 1 – 5 scale? I’m really confused. The musicianship however is pretty decent! Mike is a magician on those keys! Mike then sings he isn’t trying to criticize their looks. I don’t think this song should be on this album. Next up is a phenomenal cover of “Please Release Me” and Mike on the keys, and his singing are all just so great. I literally love this album, it’s fantastic. We end the A-Side with “Johnny Be Good” and Mike rips into this track, forgetting the lyrics, at least he has the organ on the rumba setting. He just missed a key. I feel as though if I recorded my own album, it would be much like Mike’s, and for that I have the utmost respect for Mike Williams as a musician, because his songs come from the heart.

 The B-Side opens with “I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You” and no, it’s not the Phil Collins song, it’s a slow ballad type song with Mike, the piano and the rumba setting on an organ. Then we go onto “Blue Suede Shoes” and I believe that Mike is trying to channel Elvis on this one with his few grunts he lets out at the end of some verses, this guy is off the wall on the keys, it’s fantastic! Next up is “39 and Holding” and it’s recorded live, and the one guy heard cheering really seems to love Mike, probably as much as I am right now. I hope if I ever become a recording artist, or a lounge singer, I’ll be like Mike. Mike then steals my heart, with his cover of Hank Williams’ “Your Cheatin’ Heart” and Mike gives his own special touch to this song, in a softer, lovely-er soft pop version of this classic country hit, and the rumba setting makes everything so much better, Mike uses it on ever song so far. We then go onto another Mike composition, “Miguel”s Tango” and I think it should be titled “Mike’s Rumba“. Mike is very talented and this is great. Mike ends his masterpiece of an album with “Roll Over Beethoven” and for a moment, I thought Mike didn’t have the rumba setting on, but he did! So, yes, Mike and the rumba are amazing. Mike, himself, closes the album by saying “Thank you everyone who bought this album, I hope you enjoy it, thank you, thank you very much.” No Mike, thank you.

Interesting Facts:
None.

Track Listing:
A1 – Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On
A2 – Georgia
A3 – Pleasing You
A4 – All The Girls Get Prettier At Closing Time
A5 – Please Release Me
A6 – Johnny Be Good

B1 – I Can’t Stop Lovin’ You
B2 – Blue Suede Shoes
B3 – 39 and Holding
B4 – Your Cheatin’ Heart
B5 – Miguel’s Tango
B6 – Roll Over Beethoven

Standout Track:
“Please Release Me”

Label:
Trackdown Recording Studios

Catalog Number:
None.

Studio Musicians & Other Album Credits:
Chief Recording Engineer – Alan W. Prince
Director of Arts & Repertoire – Norma B. Dixon
Photography – Richard Durling

Other Albums I Own by Mike Williams:
None.

Released:
1981

Related Vinyls:

Scott Mitchell – “He Knows What’s Best for Me” Jeff Kimball ‎– “The Jeff Kimball Show” Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – “Against the Wind” Charity Brown – “Rock Me”