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Most Underrated LP of the Electrofunk/boogie period ('82-'86) While there is debate about the exact boundaries of the electrofunk/boogie style of music that is clearly demonstrated by mid 80s Midnight Star/Roger-Zapp and the 1999 LP, it is generally agreed that electronic funk/boogie/so called "stripped down" funk was the style that the masters such as Prince, Roger/Zapp, Rick James, the Bar-Kays, the Dazz Band, etc. and the uptempo parts of the Thriller LP used. It is a style the emphasized synthesizers and drum machines and very focused and tight melodies & percussion (compared to the more frequently but not always loose, wandering funk arrangements of that were more prevalent in the 70s such as certain tunes by the Ohio Players, etc.). It is a style that minimized or discarded the use of strings, symbols, horns and electric piano in favor of a more fully electronic sound.
For afficionados/fans/hobbyists/etc. of the electrofunk/electronic funk/boogie period, it is relatively easy to think of the bands, LPs, and songs that are the best, most popular, or or at least somewhat popular.
What about the underrated LPs from this period that were the most underrated?
A couple of candidates:
1. Any Bobby Nunn LP. Incredibly catchy melodies, sexiness (essential to a funck song), and solid electronic sounds.
2. Roy Ayers "In the Dark" and "You Might Be Surprised". Produced by James Mtume and Reggie Lewis, the brains behind Mtume's own LPs and classics such as "Juicy Fruit" and "Would You Like to Fool Around?". The Roy Ayers tune "Hot" received lots of airplay on WGCI in Chicago. as a stand alone song and "in the mix." Every up-tempo song on both LPs is totally solid and frequently uses another key to top quality funk: comedy/humor.
3. Jesse Johnson's Revue (1985). This LP had only small production quantities when it was reissued on CD on or about 2001 and it is basically not available for new purchases unlike "1999" "No Parking on the Dancefloor", Dynasty's "Right Back At Ya" or The Deele's "Street Beat".
It had 3 classic songs from this period, "Be Your Man" "Can You Help Me" and "I Want My Girl". The LP cuts (songs on the LP that were not released as singles) were ultra strong examples of the electrofunk style, too. This CD is rarely available for sale anywhere in the world for less than $100.
4. Rick James "Cold Blooded" (1983, I believe). Same scenario as "Jesse Johnson's Revue", this LP featured the singles "Cold Blooded" and "U Bring the Freak Out". But "New York Town" "You Me and He" and the other up-tempo equally deserved success and admiration.
5. "Jermaine Jackson" (1984). Finally available for purchase in CD form in 2009/2010, this LP included R&B and pop chart successes "Dynamite" and "Tell Me I'm Not Dreamin" and "Sweetest Sweestest" but had other up-tempo cuts such as "Come to Me One Way or Another" that found "the zone" for catchiness, sexiness, and danceability.
6. "Some of My Best Friends Are Jokes" - George Clinton
7. "Sweat" - The System.
8. "It's So Delicious" and "All Night Long" - Starpoint.
9. "Electric Lady" - Con Funk Shun.
10. "Skyylight" - Skyy
What LPs from this period do you know that (1) received minimal attention/sales back then even though they deserved more attention back then OR (2) maybe were popular when they were new but are not frequently getting attention now when there are discussions of best quality funk LPs from this period OR (3) not available for LEGAL purchase in CD or MP3 format but should be ? | |
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The title to this thread subject should have read "Most Underrated LPs" to invite people to suggest several LPs rather than only one. | |
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I love synth-driven funk! Those albums in the opening post are very good picks. | |
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Thank you for the feedback. Any particular LPs that you would like to add to this list?
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I don't have all the exact numbers and statics about how much these following below were sold, or how much media exposure they got though
1982 - BB&Q Band - All Night Long (Capitol) 1982 - General Caine - Girls (Tabu) 1982 - Pleasure - Give It Up (RCA) 1982 - Slave - Vision Of The Lite (Cotillion) 1982 - Sunrize - Sunrize (Boardwalk) 1982 - Trilark - Trilark (Handshake) 1982 - Zinc - Street Level (Jive) 1982 - Zinga Washington - Zinga (My Disc) 1983 - BB&Q Band - Six Million Times (Capitol) 1983 - Cameo - Style (Atlanta Artists) 1983 - Change - This Is Your Time (Atlantic) 1983 - Ebonee Webb - Too Hot (Capitol) 1983 - Enchantment - Utopia (CBS) 1983 - Fatback - With Love (Spring) 1983 - General Caine - Dangerous (Tabu) 1983 - Glass Featuring John Williams - Introducing (HCRC) 1983 - High Fashion - Make Up Your Mind (Capitol) 1983 - Kiddo - Kiddo (A&M) 1983 - Kwick - Foreplay (Capitol) 1983 - MCB - MCB (Epic) 1983 - Ozone - Glasses (Motown) 1983 - Slave - Bad Enuff (Cotillion) 1983 - Tease - Tease (RCA) 1983 - Unlimited Touch - Yes I'm Ready (Salsoul) 1983 - Wreckin' Crew - Pixie Dust (Sound Of Florida) 1984 - Autumn - Arrival (Compleat) 1984 - Bryan Loren - Bryan Loren (Philly World) 1984 - Kiddo - Action (A&M) 1984 - Kleeer - Intimate Connection (Atlantic) 1984 - Network - I Need You (Rams Horn) 1984 - New Horizons - Gonna Have Big Fun (CBS) 1984 - Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame - Positive Power (Atlantic) 1984 - Sun - Eclipse (Air City) 1985 - Fatback - So Delicious (Cotillion) 1985 - Jakky Boy & The Bad Bunch - Jakky Boy & The Bad Bunch (Atlantic) 1985 - Kleeer - Seeekret (Atlantic) 1986 - Tease - Tease (Epic)
( i might add more later...)
From Bobby Nunn's Private Party album:
"Hanging At The Mall" has a keyboard-loop inspired by MJ's "Billie Jean" keyboard-loop
"Lady Killer" has an intro which seems somewhat inspired by MJ's "Thriller"
Also, the bassline of "Thriller seems inspired by Rick James earlier recorded/released bassline in "Give It To Me Baby"
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I have learned about 2/3 to 3/4 of the groups/soloists in Shango's comment, which I say THANK YOU! to Shango for sharing? Was Shango a DJ who specialized in R&B in '82-'86?
Thankfully, "So Delicious" is now available on CD since late 2010.
It is strange that a band as commercially successful as Cameo does not have its entire LP catalog available on CD and MP3. The LP "Style" is not available on legal MP3 or CD format but that song is very solid and part of the "Gold" compilation that is sold in CD and MP3 formats.
I have heard of and listened to, at the least, or own music from any of these bands/soloists that have music for sale in CD and/or MP3 format. I definitely am pleased that I finally learned about & own music from BB&Q Band, Fatback, Unlimited Touch, Kleeer, and Change.
I am interested to hear songs from Trilark, Zinc, Kiddo, Tease & other bands/soloists that I have not hear of before now.
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You're welcome DJK, and sorry for my delayed reply! I've been an enthusiast collector since i started but never officially dj'd though.
Yeah, that "So Delicious" album by Fatback is a great collection of new songs which they released that year.
And "Style" is indeed one of the few Cameo albums without any RIAA-award sales. Good that the title-cut is available on that "Gold" CD. Japan officially reissued the "Style" album on CD through Mercury Japan, around the early 90's, and some available copies still appear occasionally online. The concept of their previous album (Alligator Woman) was continued on "Style." Imo, you can hear some similarities in both albums:
album - Alligator Woman (1982) <-> Style (1983) track - Be Yourself <-> Style track - Enjoy Your Life <-> Aphrodisiac track - Alligator Woman <-> Let's Not Talk Slot
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Thanks for the details.
I had listened to Alligator Woman, Style, Be Yourself in the past couple of years.
Due to your discussion I just listened to Aphrodisiac, Let's Not Talk Slot, & Enjoy Your Life.
I do hear the similarities in both LPs but the tracks from "Style" have a more polished sound that is a little more radio friendly.
If the Cashflow LP can be recently released in CD format with its excellent music (Larry Blackmon) but subpar weak vocals then both Style and Alligator Woman should be re-released on CD. The vocals are plenty good on both LPs. Several tracks on You Tube have been listened to more than 30,000 times.
It is a strange twist of corporate music label choices for very solid LPs from Cameo in 1982/1983 and Rick James (Throwin' Down/Coldblooded) to not be available on CD or MP3 format when their prior and subsequent LPs have been produced in CD and MP3 format for availability at this point in time.
Also, I have listened for the 2nd time to a couple of General Caine tracks and I think that at the least a greatest hits compilation should be availabe in MP3 format since his best stuff is, at the least, as good as tunes on compilations from Klique, Collage, and Unlimited Touch. I think that the Caine stuff, on several tracks, and Bobby Nunn stuff is as good as Rick James's stuff. Definitely sexy stuff.
Have you ever heard all of Con Funk Shun's "To the Max"?
If you have, what do you think of that album? | |
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You're welcome!
Yeah, the sound on Style is more electronic (especially the drums) and one of the albums without any horns. I personally experience that a number tracks on that project still have a raw edge though. Mercury released around the 90's some CD-compilations from groups such as The Bar-Kays, Cameo, Con Funk Shun, The Gap Band, etc, but not so much reissues of their original albums, with maybe a few exceptions. Besides Japan, a few others independent companies started to dig deeper in the catalogues of those groups and other, or rarer artists and groups. So there still might be a possibility that Style could be released.
Expired CD-copies of Rick's "Cold Blooded" can still be found online here and there, but for more cash unfortunately:
Amazon.com: Cold Blooded:...mes: Music
General Caine's earlier albums are also available on CD, somewhat sounding more towards P-Funk at moments:
And remasters of "Girls" and "Dangerous" would be great indeed
Con Funk Shun's "To The Max" is wild! These are some of my rotations:
( ^ i couldn't post ""Ain't Nobody Baby" and "Ms. Got The Body" because all the youtube-links are blocked ^ )
[Edited 9/30/11 2:15am] | |
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