Mixed Sugar

June 1st, 2012

Title: Mixed Sugar: The Complete Works, 1970-1987

Artist: Regional Garland

Formats: CD, 2-LP set

Release date: March 27, 2012

Mixed Sugar represents a musical biography of little known Michigan-based musician Regional Garland. The accompanying booklet traces Garland’s career as a Flint, Michigan impresario and showcases recordings made with his band, Mixed Sugar. This album is definitely for fans of the obscure, as most of these songs were previously unavailable and it is fairly likely that most of them are unknown to listeners—except perhaps for P. Diddy fans, who will note that the Hunts Determination Band’s instrumental version of Garland’s “I Need Love” was sampled on Diddy’s 2006 track “Make It Hard.”

There are some creative standouts on this compilation, such as “Fifteen Ain’t Young No More” with its classic generation gap pop sensibilities, and the smooth soul ballad “I’m Sad We’ve Broken Up.” Overall, however, the album flows from one track to the next ambiguously with few tracks that demand attention. Collectors of deep cuts and those who wish to maintain an encyclopedic knowledge of regional soul and funk releases throughout the U.S. should definitely check this out since it sheds light on a particular era in Michigan music. Additionally, the well researched and documented booklet by Ronnie Reese and Egon (a.k.a. Eothen Alapatt) provides a crash course on what music making was like outside of the major markets and labels in the 1970s.

Reviewed by Dorothy Berry

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Review Genre(s): Rhythm & Blues, Soul, Funk