The first time I heard this one I can’t say it endeared itself to me. Though I don’t know enough about it, it sure struck me as a Parliament record, or closer to one, than I would have preferred. (Again, I don’t really know what I’m talking about.)
But with time, I’ve come to hear that the reason its sounds different than classic Funkadelic is because it is more diverse. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. (And some people seem to regard this record as “the beginning of the end.”)
Sometimes the diversity is refreshing but often times it does feel like a half-baked idea is turned into a song. That’s sort of the recipe for funk in many ways, but often with the best Funkadelic there’s a lot more going on.
And there are certainly enough classic Funkadelic tracks here to still make the record enjoyable.
And given that this is a group of talented musicians, the record often rises above the inconsistent material.
So I find myself liking it a lot more on the third listen than I did on the first.
7/10
- “Nappy Dugout” (George Clinton, Cordell Mosson, Garry Shider) – 4:33
- “You Can’t Miss What You Can’t Measure” (Clinton, Sidney Barnes) – 3:03
- “March to the Witch’s Castle” (Clinton) – 5:59
- “Let’s Make It Last” (Clinton, Eddie Hazel) – 4:08
- “Cosmic Slop” (Clinton, Bernie Worrell) (released as a single-Westbound 218) – 5:17
- “No Compute” (Clinton, Shider) – 3:03
- “This Broken Heart” (William Franklin) – 3:37
- “Trash a Go-Go” (Clinton) – 2:25
- “Can’t Stand the Strain” (Clinton, Hazel) – 3:27
- Bernard Worrell – keyboards, melodica, strings on “Broken Heart”
- “Boogie” Mosson – bass guitar
- Eddie Hazel – lead & rhythm guitar
- Tyrone Lampkin – percussion
- Gary Shider – lead & rhythm guitar
- Ron Bykowski – lead & rhythm guitar
- Guest Funkadelic Maggot – Tiki Fulwood – drums on “Nappy Dugout”
- Engineers: Lee De Carlo, Manta Sound, Toronto
Mallia Franklin and Debbie Wright uncredited but sang.