The official CD release, after first being announced for December 1, was delayed to December 23, 2014.

HuMpThAnG said:

gotta feelin a whole lot of hip-hop is on this disc

not trying to be a spoil sport

Not to be mean to the guests, but I don't see this as Hip Hop influence on this cd. If you go to Cdbaby & go to the rap section, that's what is influenced by this. Everything is so thrown together, I promise you if you listen to this album, everytime someone rhymes you will say "SHUT the FUCCCCK UP, let someone play in the band!!!"

There is something about rappers on funk records, 99.999999 percent show a lack of caring about their presentation or lyrics. If you think Tony M is bad, wait til you hear "Nuclear Dog Pt. II" the first 2 minutes

Nobody even think of buying this on Vinyl unless you plan on reselling it after World War III when there is no more vinyl left except this album.

Trickology said:

if you will read this thread you will think everybody hates this album but then you start to look at the usernames and you will start to notice that it's only one person flling up the thread with his negative bashing

First of all, I didn't realize a CD version was coming (missed this thread) and bought the MP3 version from Amazon. This sucks cuz I so would have waited. I'm old school, I buy CDs & rip my own digital copy for the iPod for free, I usually only buy digital when there is no physical option, as I incorrectly thought was the case here. So, woe is me with the first world problems...

Other than that, I have to agree with some of the complaints, namely:

- "Funkadelic"? Yeah, some of it fits that tag, but not all. Not even half. "George Clinton Presents" with some tracks tagged as Funkadelic would be more appropriate.

- Too much laptop noise, not enough real jams from the many fantastic musicians still hanging with the P-Funk empire.

- Too much mediocre rapping, of course. It is what it is. See Bootsy's last several LPs or even some of How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent? for precedent.

- Lots of recycled lyrics & chants, all great, but I prefer the NEW shit to repeats, just sayin...

Beyond the gripes that I dropped $16 on a digital copy of something I'll soon be paying again for a physical copy of and the nitpicking complaints I echoed others with above, there is one thing about the album that I cannot stand: AutoFUCKINGtune. Prince doesn't need that shit and neither does George. They've both used vocal manipulations throughout their careers and prior to autotune I always loved it. Whether it was changing playback speed on tape, vocoder, or even digital effects in a rack unit, it was always cool, organic and fun. Autotune scrapes my brain, induces migraines and makes my soul sad.
I wish talented artists that don't need to use it, would refrain. It's not going to make the kids like you but it might make the older fans like you a little less.

All that said, I'd still recommend this to any P-Funk fan. At 33 tracks and 3 & 1/2 HRs there is plenty to like and any Funkateer should have no problem trimming & making their own playlist from this set resulting in a solid new P-Funk album they love. I'll happily buy this on CD when it's available (it's paying for the MP3 that I'm unhappy about). I won't be buying the rumored vinyl release though. If it really is coming out it would have to be 6 records and as cool as the Pedro Bell (Yes!! Pedro's back!!) artwork would be at 12", I'm sure it'll be expensive.

Bottom line: I like about half of it, and strongly dislike about half. But, that still leaves plenty of awesome.

Still reading the book. Loving it!!

Upon replay, I'd say I love a third, like a third, not digging a third. That's pretty good in my book! I'll pick up the CD version next month for sure.

On another note, everyone should check out the digital b-side to The Naz single on iTunes: Nuclear Dog.
7+MIN of Blackbyrd McKnight soloing overtop the Atomic Dog loops. No rapping. No vocals at all. Love it!!

djThunderfunk said:

djThunderfunk said:

SuperSoulFighter said:

djThunderfunk said:

I'd say I love a third, like a third, not digging a third.

So we need to go through 2 CDs of bad-to-mediocre music to find 1 CD of good music? That's not good in my book! And since I'm not as much into the P as I used to be, I think I'll give this one a miss. But thanks to everybody for the reviews!

No, actually I'm saying it's 2/3 good, 1/3 not so much... for me, that's a good enough ratio, especially from my 2nd favorite artist of all time. If that's not enough for you, then, yeah, you should skip it.

novabrkr said:

babynoz said:

I'm wondering if George and Sly simply need money? George now owns pretty much none of his work and neither does Sly last I heard.

So perhaps they have to play the game by other people's rules to get paid now?

George probably needs money. Otherwise he wouldn't have been touring like crazy recently (it's crazy for someone of his age and the poor health he's been in).

However, this record is released by some small label / distributor. I doubt they've even financed the recording of most of the tracks. I don't think anyone is expecting this record to generate a lot of money.

Sly? I don't know about him. He's said to have been broke for ages. I think George wanted to have him on the record due to respect and they still seem to be friends.

I dunno if Sly is still living in his van but he doesn't own his music. it seems like he has been semi lucid for a while now and he sounds weird on the cd but I guess he and George are helping each other.

It's kinda breaking my heart to see both of them in diminished capacity.

rebelenterprise said:

mrwiggles said

Where da CDs?

The songs that work "musically" the best to my ears seem to have strong involvement by someone called Robert Mandell. Apparently he's a hiphop producer that's worked with the likes of Drake, but I think he "gets" P-Funk rather well. I see many of the tracks he's worked on here as a fine continuation of the P-Funk sound of the 80s, at the very least.

I should give shoutouts to the synth players as their work on stuff like "Pole Power" is a pleasure to listen to. And whoever did the horn arrangement for "You Can't Unring The Bell" did really good work. The vocals on that one don't sound too good, but the music behind them is true art. In general, I think George himself shouldn't have sung leads anymore, just some chants and shorter parts.

mrwiggles said:

Trickology said:

Not to be mean to the guests, but I don't see this as Hip Hop influence on this cd. If you go to Cdbaby & go to the rap section, that's what is influenced by this. Everything is so thrown together, I promise you if you listen to this album, everytime someone rhymes you will say "SHUT the FUCCCCK UP, let someone play in the band!!!"

There is something about rappers on funk records, 99.999999 percent show a lack of caring about their presentation or lyrics. If you think Tony M is bad, wait til you hear "Nuclear Dog Pt. II" the first 2 minutes

Nobody even think of buying this on Vinyl unless you plan on reselling it after World War III when there is no more vinyl left except this album.

Are you feeling any of the tracks that don't feature the rap element? Radio Friendly, The Naz, Old Fool, Catchin Boogie Fever, In da Kar, Talking to the Wall, Where Would I Go?, You Can't Unring The Bell, Mathematics, As In, Jolene, Roller Rink, Yesterdejavu, etc? Dirty Queen, Pole Power, Boom Ther You Go, Bernadette, Yellow Light. You not feeling any of this music? Just nothing? [Edited 11/29/14 9:38am]

Some of it has some energy to it. As far as Bernadette, I think it is okay but it doesn't strike me as Funkadelic. It seems to be a outtake from the seventies mixed w/ a programmed drum rhythm, same w/ the Jessica cleaves outtake. I think a lot of people are going to have a problem w/ the loops & I think we can safely say a lot of music collectors who appreciate the band would have a problem paying a lump sum on Vinyl. I just don't think this is what the people want or have been waiting for.

I think people crave the band sound, now what sound they want Funkadelic to come back w/? That's a tough balancing act for sure. But I don't think a lot of people are going to enjoy this album. I would bet money if you talked to Funkadelic family off the record, you would hear similar sentiments.

If you think this is harsh or I'm being unfair, just wait til the reviews of all the Funkadelic fans who are in the media world. That's where you are going to hear the brutal criticisms. I'm just being honest what I hear off this album.

And you know, I think a lot of bands inspired by Funkadelic are going to be quiet out of respect to George & the band. You can tell when someone is phoning it in, there's a lot of this album we can point to that demonstrates this to a TEE.

Trickology said:

I'm gonna buy this album,but I'll wait for the physical CD to be released.

novabrkr said:

mrwiggles said:

novabrkr said:

The songs that work "musically" the best to my ears seem to have strong involvement by someone called Robert Mandell. Apparently he's a hiphop producer that's worked with the likes of Drake, but I think he "gets" P-Funk rather well. I see many of the tracks he's worked on here as a fine continuation of the P-Funk sound of the 80s, at the very least.

I should give shoutouts to the synth players as their work on stuff like "Pole Power" is a pleasure to listen to. And whoever did the horn arrangement for "You Can't Unring The Bell" did really good work. The vocals on that one don't sound too good, but the music behind them is true art. In general, I think George himself shouldn't have sung leads anymore, just some chants and shorter parts.

Interestingly enough, that horn chart on "Bell" dates back to an old JB's tune, although the name escapes me. Fred & Maceo revamped it for The Mothership Connection Live From Houston. It sounds like a sampling from that performance here.

Okay, thanks. Didn't realize that. I like that live release a lot and put it on every now and then, but I've failed to register this.

If they took the best ideas and crafted actual songs out of them, they could force it into a single cd, and it would sound GREAT. However I kinda feel like it's just a bunch of many cool and some not so cool ideas spread around on random places.

Eh, apparently there's also going to be a new Parliament album (as mentioned here)

Didn't know that. However, I wonder if this album's got horns, disco and EDM influences, and all the rappers then what's the "Parliament" album going to contain?

I had to wait until I had absolutely nothing else to do, so I could sit back and listen to it, uninterrupted from beginning to end. I'm doing that right now. I'll post my thoughts when I get through.

novabrkr said:

Gilles Peterson Exclusive:

Funkadelic & Soul Clap: Peep This

https://soundcloud.com/gillespetersonworldwide/funkadelic-soul-clap-peep-this-feat-nick-monaco-g-koop-greg-paulus

Seriously good track...

OperatingThetan said:

Gilles Peterson Exclusive:

Funkadelic & Soul Clap: Peep This

https://soundcloud.com/gillespetersonworldwide/funkadelic-soul-clap-peep-this-feat-nick-monaco-g-koop-greg-paulus

Seriously good track...

Nice one!

rebelenterprise said:

My favorite track off the new album, "Yesterdejavu".

love it. A very fun listen and exactly what I would expect from Funkadelic

Much the criticism earlier in this thread was valid for George Clinton's records in the last decade(s), especially How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent. That album was a crack-induced mess.

But GC got clean and focused and Shake The Gate is two or three solid Funkadelic albums in one - try Pole Power, Boom There We Go Again, Meow Meow, Catchin' Boogie Fever, Where Would I Go?, Yesterdejavu, etc. The personnel is a mix of old and new.

It feels like a new beginning, like 'America Eats Its Young' (1974). The original Funkadelic had fallen apart. GC got clean, went to Toronto and made an album with new recruits Garry Shider, Cordell Mosson, Ron Bykowski, Bootsy Collins on one track.

Bernie Worrell stepped up as co-producer, writer, arranger.

On Shake The Gate Robert 'G Koop' Mandell and Danny Bedrosian (on 19 tracks) take the role of Worrell. Garrett Shider and 2nd/3rd generation Clintons, Stones, Cowans, etc - some more talented than others... - make their debut.

There is a young talent called Bouvier Richardson on Fu*ked Up.

GC seems to have built a vibrant scene in Tallahassee, with an active home recording studio and diverse associated acts. I am very curious what they will come up with next - supposedly a Parliament album.

[Edited 12/8/14 3:29am]

modified said:

Much the criticism earlier in this thread was valid for George Clinton's records in the last decade(s), especially How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent. That album was a crack-induced mess.

But GC got clean and focused and Shake The Gate is two or three solid Funkadelic albums in one - try Pole Power, Boom There We Go Again, Meow Meow, Catchin' Boogie Fever, Where Would I Go?, Yesterdejavu, etc. The personnel is a mix of old and new.

It feels like a new beginning, like 'America Eats Its Young' (1974). The original Funkadelic had fallen apart. GC got clean, went to Toronto and made an album with new recruits Garry Shider, Cordell Mosson, Ron Bykowski, Bootsy Collins on one track.

Bernie Worrell stepped up as co-producer, writer, arranger.

On Shake The Gate Robert 'G Koop' Mandell and Danny Bedrosian (on 19 tracks) take the role of Worrell. Garrett Shider and 2nd/3rd generation Clintons, Stones, Cowans, etc - some more talented than others... - make their debut.

There is a young talent called Bouvier Richardson on Fu*ked Up.

GC seems to have built a vibrant scene in Tallahassee, with an active home recording studio and diverse associated acts. I am very curious what they will come up with next - supposedly a Parliament album.

[Edited 12/8/14 3:29am]

Agreed.

The good songs (Jolene, Yesterdeyjavu, Pole Power, The Wall, etc) are VERY good and some of the best George has produced in about two decades. So much so that it's easy to ignore the filler and (imo) poor sequencing and whittle it down into two tight, kick-ass discs of pure, reinvigorated Funkadelic.