#93...

#93: Parliament Funkadelic - The Mothership Connection

Let me revoke my statement about Beck. He ain't no funk compared to the P-Funk, baaaaaby!* (...sorry.)

Are they Parliament? Are they Funkadelic? Are they Parliament-Funkadelic? Do they have that hyphen? Who knows. Who cares? S'all good in the hood with 'the Mothership' around...* (A further apology.)

The few lines that George Clinton speaks on "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" - 'Let me put my sunglasses on, I want to look cool..' to '..can you imagine doobie-ing your funk?' sound like they could have even inspired Axel Foley's character in "Beverly Hills Cop". 

Overall, this album flows like one big funktastic piece, and only makes me want to download not only Parliament/Funkadelic/Parliament-Funkadelic's discography, but James Brown's, Stevie's, Duke Ellington's, and any other self-respecting classic funk-and-soul artist's. Simple, yet elegant, feel good music at it's best.

However, the long, winding songs have stylistic elements of jazz within them, sprawling along for over five minutes, when the point could be hammered home by a punk-funk band in well under two minutes. Rilo Kiley, anyone? And even the multiple-voiced song-hooks - "If you hear any noise..." on "Mothership Connection" and "You could feel so much better..." from "Unfunky UFO" - sound like an older Jurassic 5 with a lack of rhythmical rhyme. So there's much influence being flaunted and flashed here. 

Needless to say, George Clinton sums hisself and his sassy-ass band up perfectly on the opening track: "W-E-F-U-N-K...We Funk, baby." Yes, George. Yes, you do. I also don't think a band - or indeed, a reviewer - has ever said the word "funk" so many times in 200 words. But it's what this album makes you do.

* - this album makes me talk like this. It's too funky.

Key Tracks: "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)"; "P-Funk (Who Wants To Get Funked Up)"; "Unfunky UFO"

What The Funk Does The 'P' Stand For?: Well, P-Funk could simply be a shortening of 'Parliament-Funkadelic'. After all, it is their name. But that doesn't really roll off the tongue. Other suggestions from various sources seem to include Plainfield - the hometown of the original line-up in good old New Jersey; Pure - contained within the liner notes of Motor Booty Affair; and Psychadelic - well, how else would you describe this music..?; but who really cares? Make my funk the P-Funk, I'd quite like to get funked up. If you don't mind.

#96...

Beck - Midnite Vultures

Listening to this album makes me think, "Of course! Beck is actually the brain behind Flight of the Conchords!" He even sounds like Jermaine on "Peaches & Cream", and don't even get me started on "Debra", which has never been a more direct inspiration for the shepherds-turned-musicians' classic, "Jenny".

And with that, 'crimping' - Messrs. Barratt and Fielding's (apparently) original way of yarning a verse or four - also seems so ten years ago when you plug in and entertain your lugs with "Nicotine & Gravy", "Hollywood Freaks", and "Milk & Honey". It seems the man loves an ampersand too.

But seriously. The man has about as much funk in this album as the late, great James Brown..okay, so maybe that has overstepped the mark, but I first listened to this album on my laptop speakers, and I thought that it was good. But you plug those headphones in, and my God, does that bassline stick out like the thumb of an Ent who's bad at hammer work.

Key Tracks: "Sexx Laws"; "Hollywood Freaks"; "Milk & Honey"; "Debra"

Goofy Piety And Ambiguous Intent: Pitchfork's review of Midnite Vultures contained this phrase, applauding his ability to mix Prince, Talking Heads, Paul's Boutique, 'Shake Your Bon-Bon' and Mathlete. It's just a shame he couldn't keep up the funktastic fun of this album on his next offering, Sea Change. But hey, man's gotta move with the times. Even though he's from every time as well as no time at all on #96.