Get Off Your Ass and JAM with The Rolling ILX Funk Listening Club: New Selections Weekly! Updated Mondays and Fridays! All ILXors and Lurkers Welcome!

Weird, he hasn't posted them. He had them ready to go on AIM last night.

Patience

http://castlescorner.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/app_solitaire_01.png

(called Patience here in Scotland for some reason)

sam get in here with your arsenal players and catch up

filling in, ok here it goes

http://munchiegonetoheaven1.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/jorge-ben-1976-africa-brasil-front2.jpg

#1 Jorge Ben - Africa Brasil

some of the most diabolical sambafied funk breaks known to humankind all up in this. 'ponta de lanca africano (umbabarauma)' prolly the greatest song about soccer tbh. the bass on 'xica da silva' is str8 booty, no way around it. saves the best for last on 'zumbi (africa brasil)' which is less a rerecording than a complete revision of the track of the same name from tabua de esmeralda. lyrics are basically the same, but the tone is more sinister and foreboding, full of fire-bellied rage and all kinds of deep feelings of wanting to merk fools (loose translation imo).

rly if u listen to nothing else for the month of july/2010/the decade/UR LIFE it should be this record.

download: http://bit.ly/a4JUJg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pv2wWq0AZ3Y/SFm9NvvVqvI/AAAAAAAAADY/W1SLg25H7Bg/s400/Sly+And+The+Family+Stone+-+Dance+To+The+Music+(1968).jpg

#2 Sly and the Family Stone - Dance to the Music

don't know which side of your sly bread u like it buttered, but i like happy hippy sly, if that is such a thing. 'dance to the medley' is a 4 real jam tbh, by minute 4 or 5 of this 12 minutes, if u are not feeling joyful funk vibes, u may very well be in the zone of zero funkativity!

Spotify

http://www.jamati.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/fela_expensive_shit.jpg

#3 Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit/He Miss Road

WARNING ADULT THEMES Ok so if u didn't know the title track is about how mr. kuti had to buy someone's poop so he wouldn't test positive for weed!!! also there are naked ladies on the front!!!

also there are some banging joints on this, 'water no get enemy' is total gangster leaning times, basically a dub song at its <3 now that i think of it. one of fela's strongest double album re-releases which is saying a lot.

Spotify

mr. kuti had to buy someone's poop so he wouldn't test positive for weed!!!

..
also there are some banging joints on this

haha

Jorge Ben = amazing start to finish. landmark record, full of joy, bursting with amazing chops skillfully deployed
Sly = probably my least favorite Sly record actually. Apparently derided by the band too, at least according to the "In Their Own Words" book (iirc Jerry Martini ridiculed it as "glorified Motown"/"dance to the medley/shmedley bullshit"). I think this record was taken as a step back from the much more adventurous hybrid weirdness of "A Whole New Thing", with Sly consciously rushing out an album that apes the simpler, more straightfoward commercial trends of the time. Oddly enough, nothing on this record was a hit apart from the title track, making this a record with even fewer distinctive cuts then pretty much any other pre-Fresh Sly LP. That being said, it's not a bad record by any means, but I find its funk too restrained, and there's not much that hints at the awesomeness to come. "Color Me True" is probably my favorite track on here.
Fela = this was the record that opened me up to Fela. killer non-stop.

i agree about the sly, but mbison wouldnt listen!

i like the bubble-gummy aspect of it tbh

bubblegum has more hooks!

*shrugs*

*cries*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkP5roFukKY&feature=related

its funny how pfunks been avoided mostly so far

bubblegum has more hooks!

And both bubblegum and the "Dance to the Music" album have more hooks than "A Whole New Thing", which doesn't really work for me

I prefer A Whole New Thing myself.

there are hooks on A Whole New Thing, they're just all chopped up and jammed together in really odd ways. I think the appeal of that album is more in it's left-field inventiveness - there are a LOT of strange sounds and left turns in it - and that's more what holds my attention (as opposed to bubblegum hooks or harder funk rhythms)

I just prefer A Whole New Thing as an album.

5/7 - moka Funka
12/7 - Turangalila Funkapus
19/7 - The Rev Funkenstein
26/7 - Shakey Mo Funkier
2/8 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
9/8 - Von Bootee!
16/8 - Polomint City FunKlata
23/8 - Doran D'VoidOfFunk
30/8 - pfunkboy

Moka are you ready for your rejigged week?

you're ready to go now

Anyone want to talk about last weeks albums while we wait for moka's picks?

damn webmail still isnt working so i cant even message moka.

Has anyone seen her posting today?

..

alright, no sign of moka, turangalila is too busy @ work. Who can post tonight? Shakey mo?

buncha punks shirking their duties!

yeah I can do this

cool, post away then. Email me your choices first and i will find spotify links. I was going to email me but I forgot the new addy you gave me so i only have the old one that you never check.

email you, not me, obviously.

WattStax: The Living Word
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_KmPfJhokokU/ScZTQ3Tf8tI/AAAAAAAAIso/p6rW3fEjyz0/s400/VA-WattstaxTheLivingWord.jpg

Soundtrack to the amazing documentary, featuring many of Stax's best at the height of their powers/popularity just prior to the label's implosion. Includes Rufus Thomas starting/stopping a riot, Bar Kays delivering some of the fastest wah-wah pedalling ever, and my personal favorite version of Ain't No Sunshine by Isaac Hayes clocking in at an astonishingly absorbing 17 minutes. The between-song chatter was mined endlessly for samples, especially by Public Enemy and Ice Cube

Muddy Waters: Electric Mud
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:lL_GEJxkZMmrAM:http://homepage.mac.com/jatticusryan/.Public/muddy_waters.jpg

A classic "sell-out" move album, routinely voted "the Worst Blues Album of All Time" by purists and reportedly loathed by Muddy himself. But the actual record is a marvel - Pete Cosey at his pre-Miles Davis best, everything fuzzed out to the nth degree and tons of amazing, rollicking drum work. Cypress Hill looped "Tomcat" as the basis for "Ultraviolet Dreams".

Parliament: Mothership Connection
http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:9_8EQ-ehTDlZJM:http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y51/chaos61/parliament_mothership_connection-1.jpg

the nee-plus-ultra of funk albums, reputedly the first R&B album to feature zero ballads. There's kind of nothing more to be said of this, as it's probably the best and most well-known Parliament album, and deservedly so. A breakthrough in concept in consistency, this would mark the beginning of P-Funk's peak commercial period. Super heavy but also bouncy and plasticized, Bernie, Bootsy, and George are all at their best, ably assisted by Maceo and Fred Wesley (and the rest of the JBs horn section). Mindblowing.

aw man harvey fuqua died

new rota

12/7 - Turangalila Funkapus
19/7 - The Rev Funkenstein
26/7 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
2/8 - Von Bootee!
9/8 - Polomint City FunKlata
16/8 - Doran D'VoidOfFunk
23/8 - pfunkboy
30/8 - Funky Mo Collier

Spotify links

Wattstax - The Living Word http://open.spotify.com/album/0a9H8Tz9M694g6KuJvRDyo
Muddy Waters - Electric Mud http://open.spotify.com/album/2u8GYGxTQGPAdEkyI8Bv9E
Parliament - Mothership Connection http://open.spotify.com/album/734MC4wQsfNWsg9HLTrUoN

no discussion? Everyone has surely heard Mothership Connection!

12/7 - Turangalila Funkapus
19/7 - mbison the texan funkateer
26/7 - Shakey Mo Funkier
2/8 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
9/8 - Von Bootee!
16/8 - Polomint City FunKlata
23/8 - Doran D'VoidOfFunk
30/8 - pfunkboy

Turangalila cant take his shot, he's busy. Anyone want to take his shot?

Tuomas do you want another shot sometime?

hermanz aksed me to go this week, so i got:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e6/Parliament-Funkentelechy_Vs._the_Placebo_Syndrome_%28album_cover%29.jpg

parliament - funkentelchy v the placebo syndrome

spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/1FuGcOBda4iJma3adpRcgW

i resisted putting this in my first go-around because i feared the funk listening club would just be all p-funk all the time, which i’m personally okay with but it’s certainly not all that the funk world has to offer.

anyway, this is my favorite lp of all-time of any genre. it’s bookended by “bop gun (endangered species)”, an immediate assault on that which is unfunky, and “flashlight” which is basically the electro-funk blueprint. but on the whole, it’s a sprawling jazz-psych-dance-funk masterpiece. "Sir Nose d'Voidoffunk (Pay Attention - B3M)" is a maddening lurch that evolves into some twinkle-toed funk fairy that summons the spirits of looney tunes theme and the 3 blind mice. “funkentelchy” is its bouncing cousin that talks in commercial taglines and swings so hard. “wizard of finance” is a love song for ppl who love strained fiduciary metaphors (i.e. me). “placebo syndrome” is a dream, kind of beatles-style descending chord progression (w/ more horns obv).

if mothership connection is p-funk star wars, this is empire strikes black.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/ca/Isleysheat.jpg

the isley brothers - the heat is on

Spotify: http://open.spotify.com/album/113hKdgPCgDXwegavxniAZ

i defy any woman of child-bearing age to listen to side b of 'the heat is on' and not be pregnant when “make me say it again” is over. I DEFY YOU. not to mention side a which has “fight the power” and the title track which i would be remiss to exclude mention because they PWN.

http://www.hardtofindrecordsrecordstore.com/htfrimages/BMR140817.jpg

con funk shun - candy

Download http://bit.ly/dakgGp

a solid dollar-bin find. group reminds me of the isleys a bit (“(let me put) love on your mind” is p much a dick-you-down anthem in that vein). title track’s just all kinds of bumpin, fast paced syncopation and what not.

Sam & co dont seem to be around anymore

I hope people decide to catch up on these 3 albums.

The Parliament and Isleys are classics, you wont regret it.

con funk shun never quite hit the heights for me but it was ok. worth a listen

19/7 - Shakey Mo Funkier
26/7 - Tom "Funkybutt" D
2/8 - Von Bootee!
09/8 - Polomint City FunKlata
16/8 - Doran D'VoidOfFunk
23/8 - pfunkboy

That's another great selection of albums. Funkentelchy is probably my third favourite album of theirs after Mothership Connection and Motor Booty Affair. Most people seem to rate Flashlight as one of their very best songs but for me that album is all about Wizard of Finance which is maybe their best ballad.

The Heat is on is yet another perfect album. I probably would put it just ahead of 3 + 3 which is also classic. The ballads are just killer and Hope You Feel better Love might be my favourite song of theirs (that or Behind a Painted Smile) Live it up is another really good album of theirs, they really were on fire around that time.

I just picked up a cheap copy of Candy last week. After a couple of plays I'd say it's not in the league of The Isley Brothers or Parliament but it's pretty good. The ballads really remind me of Earth, Wind & fire and the upbeat songs sound a lot like early Gap Band or Cameo. Most of the 70's funk I get I always want to hear a bunch of their other albums but I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to get much more by Con Funk Shun, the few things I've read about them suggest Candy is their best album would anyone here strongly recommend any others?

Ok this is an xxpost, I recently got round to buying Mandrill is and I've really fallen in love with it. It reminds me a lot of War who are one of my favourite bands from that era. Can anyone recommend which albums to get next? AMG says the first one is hardly essential and Composite of Truth gets a higher grade. I'm aware AMG can be very hit and miss, I'd really appreciate any guidance.

that album is all about Wizard of Finance which is maybe their best ballad

I wouldn't go THAT far - but it is their best ballad. not sure why that is, maybe because it's goofier than their other ballads

kitchen person, the 1st Mandrill is great, but it is very different. Its quite experimental and dare i say prog? But it is very good.
I have the 1st 5 albums and We Are One, and while Is is the best one, you wont be disappointed with those.

Great, I'll get some of the early albums ordered soon then. I might not get the first album straight away, prog isn't exactly my favourite genre. Thanks for the advice though, I'm really excited about hearing some more of their albums.

Its not prog rock, i just mean it has longer songs and suites. Its still mandrill. Its prob my 3rd fave of theirs. Its good.

Mandrill definitely reminds me of War. I think War was a better singles band tho

Okay cool, I'll check it out. I'm glad to see most of their stuff seems to be fairly easy to get on vinyl and CD.

Think I'm going to be looking for some more of this kind of sound for a while now, I've had the first Cymande album on my wishlist for ages I'm imagining they have a similar kind of sound.

shakey you taking your turn?

toms turn then

Forgot, if I don't post something later today it'll have to wait till Thursday

ok