Yes, strap on your funk goggles my friends, I'm doing an unsolicited quick track by track review of the first Bootsy Collins solo album, released in 1976.
1. Stretchin' Out (In a Rubber Band)
A good intro to Mr. Collins' particularly atypical approach to basslines, this was a live classic. Casper is introduced, and the band keeps a nice locked groove.
2. Psychoticbumpschool
Probably my favorite track of the album, this one starts out with some great guitar rhythm licks from Catfish. The first part of the song has a lot of complex turns, and then (after some cheesy introductions) it settles on a groove with a single note, envelope filtered bass line. Live performances amp up this groove quite a bit, but I somewhat enjoy the simplicity of the groove that sits on top of the bass. The Horny Horns here have a great part that carries through to the end of the song.
3. Another Point of View
Highlight of this song is a razor sharp guitar riff. Crisp, taut, and doubled perfectly by the Space Bass.
4. I'd Rather Be With You
One of his most famous songs, with a slow melodic groove. Note the melodica used for the high background melody.
5. Love Vibes
Cheesy as all get out, Mr. Collins puts a female vocalist doing a decent if uninspired lead on a hippie-love soul song. Skippable.
6. Physical Love
Awful lyrics (but, well, they've been awful up to here anyway...lyrical content is not what brings you to P-Funk family albums), but a pretty solid groove.
7. Vanish in Our Sleep
A perfect ending to the album, a slow groove of simple drums, bass, and an interwoven blend of effected guitar melody and rich Rhodes piano. There are some effects employed on this song that remind me of effects used for transitions on Radiohead's OK Computer album. Nothing new under the sun, eh?
7 comments:
Nice cover artwork.
I have been listening to James Brown's In the Jungle Groove a lot lately. What does your Funkness think of that album?
by the way, I'd Rather Be With You is one of my favorite songs ever. It takes me back to Jr. High for some reason. I remember listening to a lot of funk and soul about the time I started listening to Gangster Rap.
Always trying to be black...
racist...and yes.
Haven't listened to Mister Brown's albums much...that appears to be an 80s compilation. Note that many of the tracks are from the early 70s and feature the later version of the JBs, most of whom later quit to form the Rubber Band. Fred Wesley, Kush Griffith, and Maceo Parker needed only Rick Gardner to complete the Horny Horns, and then you have Bootsy and his brother Catfish. Throw in Kash Waddy, Mudbone, P-Nut, and Bernie Worrell and you got the elastic music of the Rubber Band.
For the best, albeit, most ridiculously obscene version of I'd Rather Be With You: link
In the Jungle Groove, though released in '86, it is a compilation of the funkiest of Brown's work. Essentially, they released these more obscure tracks to capitalize on Brown's popularity amongst DJ's who were constantly sampling those funky bass lines and soulful drum beats.
You should definitely check it out.
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