This morning I found the new Graham Central Station-album in my mailbox... and... it's really funky!!! Maybe the best Prince-related album in years!!!

The 1st two songs GCS Drumline and Throw-N-Down The Funk are a brilliant opening of the album! And the new versions of the old GCS-songs (It's Alright / It Ain't No Fun To Me / Now Do U Wanta Dance) are great too!!!

and actually even the three Prince-songs (vocals, guitar, drums and keyboards on Raise Up and Shoulda Coulda Woulda and guitar on Movin) are more than fantastic songs!!!

Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground is also one of my favourites, together with Thrown-N-Down The Funk!

Really, really LOVE this album!!!

but... you have to play it LOUD!!!

[Edited 9/15/12 12:30pm]

johanhoiting said:

This morning I found the new Graham Central Station-album in my mailbox... and... it's really funky!!! Maybe the best Prince-related album in years!!!

The 1st two songs GCS Drumline and Throw-N-Down The Funk are a brilliant opening of the album! And the new versions of the old GCS-songs (It's Alright / It Ain't No Fun To Me / Now Do U Wanta Dance) are great too!!!

and actually even the three Prince-songs (vocals, guitar, drums and keyboards on Raise Up and Shoulda Coulda Woulda and guitar on Movin) are more than fantastic songs!!!

Stevie Wonder's Higher Ground is also one of my favourites, together with Thrown-N-Down The Funk!

Really, really LOVE this album!!!

but... you have to play it LOUD!!!

[Edited 9/15/12 12:30pm]

is it the fold out cover ???

xenophobia2002 said:

is it the fold out cover ???

a jewel case wit a nice booklet including pictures, lyrics and thankyou's...

johanhoiting said:

xenophobia2002 said:

is it the fold out cover ???

a jewel case wit a nice booklet including pictures, lyrics and thankyou's...

I was just about to ask about that. If I'm going to order a physical CD it has to include liner notes, pictures and lyrics to make the purchase price worth it. It seems like LG really went all out to make the CD design and layout cool. I know he'll bring it musically. I was going to sleep on it, but now I'll buy it.

johanhoiting said:

bashraka said:

johanhoiting said:

a jewel case wit a nice booklet including pictures, lyrics and thankyou's...

I was just about to ask about that. If I'm going to order a physical CD it has to include liner notes, pictures and lyrics to make the purchase price worth it. It seems like LG really went all out to make the CD design and layout cool. I know he'll bring it musically. I was going to sleep on it, but now I'll buy it.

Go for it!

SometimesIwonder said:

Cool stuff! I thought it wasn't being released until the 25th of this month? Where did u order it from to get it early? Gonna order my copy today. GCS were incredibly funky when I saw them last Monday in London! I had a blast to say the least! From the new album they played Raise Up, Higher Ground, Now do you wanta dance( a little) & Ain't no fun to me, which I believe is also on the new record. I was dying to hear Shoulda Coulda Woulda & then faint as Prince emerged playing his guitar...ha ha, but even my imagination couldn't will that in2 reality! If you truely love funk, how can you not buy this cd?! Looking forward to hearing it all in it's entirety, & gettin ma groove on!!

I ordered it for about two weeks ago at Larry's official site... and I was really surprised when I found it with the post yesterday, because the site still says it will be released on september 25th...

But a few days ago I received a mail from larrygraham.com that my order was completed...

where's it on sale at?

Frederick96 said:

where's it on sale at?

take a look at Larry's official site...

www.larrygraham.com

SuperSoulFighter said:

New album? Rerecording your old stuff? I feel like I've heared it already. This is exactly why I didn't bother with Sly Stone's "new" album either. Sorry guys, don't wanna spoil your fun, I used to luuuvvv Sly & GCS, but if it's going to be like this... No, thanx.

Only three of the thirteen tracks are re-recordings... and I don't wanna spoil your negativity but it's really a very good album...

It is a great piece of funk. Larry G did a great job on the new one.

its available at most mom and pop stores(as long as they are carrying it). They started shipping Tuesday

It's on iTunes, thinking of getting it. Debating whether to buy the whole album or just the three Prince tracks. Throwin' Down the Funk, Higher Ground, It's Alright, Now Do U Wanta Dance are great, amazing bass player... normally not the biggest fan of Brother Larry's vocals. He sounds good singing with others, but solo he's just not that stellar a singer, but he almost makes me change my mind here (especially on Hold You Close). I may have to sleep on this too. But this is way better than his last album for sure.

johanhoiting said:

I'm impressed with the album. The Prince produced songs are above average and certainly this album is better than 3121, Planet Earth and 20TEN combined. Who would have thought? I also thought it was pretty cool that 1/4 of the album was recorded at Paisley Park. But like LG said when you have Prince as a neighbor, the local Kingdom Hall nearby and Paisley Park around the corner, you're playing with house money.

Got the digipack version yesterday. Very nicely done artwork. And the album is great!

bashraka said:

I'm impressed with the album. The Prince produced songs are above average and certainly this album is better than 3121, Planet Earth and 20TEN combined. Who would have thought? I also thought it was pretty cool that 1/4 of the album was recorded at Paisley Park. But like LG said when you have Prince as a neighbor, the local Kingdom Hall nearby and Paisley Park around the corner, you're playing with house money.

Sure it is, thats the reason there are so many replies to this thread.

I broke down and bought it. A little buyer's remorse since P didn't actually write anything on the album, but it's good overall.

It's up on Spotify now: Larry Graham & Graham...“ Raise Up

kenkamken said:

I broke down and bought it. A little buyer's remorse since P didn't actually write anything on the album, but it's good overall.

Are you saying that Prince doesn't have anything to do with this album? not even one song?

I was wondering too if they are still hanging out together? If they are not, I understand why.

RosesRred said:

This cd is below average.

Graham should NEVER be allowed 2 sing lead vocals again.

Graycap23 said:

This cd is below average.

Graham should NEVER be allowed 2 sing lead vocals again.

listened to the sound samples and it's not grabbed me at all. Same old, same old. May buy it eventually.

Graycap23 said:

This cd is below average.

Graham should NEVER be allowed 2 sing lead vocals again.

LG singing lead shoud've retired long time ago.

He was alright on Graham Central Station 2000 and One in a Million

and Just Be My Lady are classics, but now he should Just play the

bass and remain well, maybe a couple lines he is allowed

in order to keep it funkay !!!

I love LG

I would love to see him perform live. One day I will. He rocks

[Edited 10/1/12 16:07pm]

I'm willing to give it a chance before I judge it, the only problem is trying to buy it! I've been living in Ireland for the past number of years and no store seems to be selling it. I asked one HMV employee if they will be getting it in and he looked at me and shrugged and said ''Never heard of it, mate''...

If there's any Irish orgers out there, can you let me know if u see it anywhere in Dublin.

Cheers,

K

billymeade said:

It's up on Spotify now: Larry Graham & Graham...“ Raise Up

Got the album today.. Love this song especially....really old school Prince funk....it reminds me a bit of 100mph, the song he later gave to Mazarati.

[Edited 10/1/12 13:42pm]

Graycap23 said:

This cd is below average.

Graham should NEVER be allowed 2 sing lead vocals again.

[Edited 10/2/12 12:40pm]

I don't know whose influence is stronger on the other, Prince or LG. On "GCS 2000", Larry Graham did remakes of his own songs, and on the album LG remade "It Aint No Fun To Me", "It's Alright", "Now Do You Wanna Dance" and on the song "No Way" LG wrote new lyrics to the melody of "Tis My Kind Of Music". Also, the the GCS covers are subtitled The New Master, implying that LG owns the master tapes to new versions of classics.

Fast forward with Prince, P has recorded covers of his tunes: "1999", "Extralovable", "In A Large Room With No Light" etc. I'm a big LG fan, but I wish that both LG and Prince would ditch the remakes and write more original tunes.

With that said, "Raise Up" is a very good listen and worth buying, in my opinion. Thank God, Prince didn't produce the whole album. The new CD is the closest LG has gotten to classic Graham Central Station since the '70s. LG's fuzz effects on "One Day" (same form as "Stand") is still hair-raising.