Album Review: Funkadelic – Funkadelic

Hearing it today, it’s easy to think of Funkadelic as part of a deep funk tradition. But the thing is, in 1970 when George Clinton’s group released its debut, there was little precedent for their brand of psychedelic funk. Certainly, the music on Funkadelic is built on a foundation created by James Brown, Jimi Hendrix and Sly Stone, but it’s less the product of those influences than a fully formed work that both owes a debt and stands on its own.

The music is often constructed around a single riff, a solitary groove, a simple melodic line. But in the hands of these players, that’s more than enough. The music is irresistibly sexy and hypnotic. The eight cuts on Funkadelic don’t all even qualify as songs-proper; they’re grooves. The album’s production aesthetic is gauzy and unfocused, and that’s exactly as it should be. The music is equal parts careful construction and free-wheeling jam.

“Mommy, Whats a Funkadelic?” establishes the musical approach, with a rubbery bass line that anchors nine minutes of funkification. Chanted vocal harmonies back Clinton’s spoken-word come-on. “I Bet You,” on the other hand, is in fact a song, and a fine one, too. Co-composed by Clinton’s pal Sidney Barnes, the tune is a fantastic blend of super-clever lyrics and an indelible melodic line. The song was memorably covered by Dennis Coffey on his superb self-titled 2011 album.

Eddie Hazel’s (or possibly Coffey’s) guitar work on “Music for My Mother” is sublime and alluring. Bill Nelson’s bass is the track’s center of gravity. The track splits the difference between the groove- and song-based approach of the first two tracks. The album’s shortest cut, “I Got a Thing, You Got a Thing, Everybody’s Got a Thing” is a head-nodding guitar groove freakout with chants; it proves yet again that in the right hands, a tune doesn’t need more than one chord.

Side Two of this new vinyl reissue from Org Music opens with “Good Old Music.” It feels like the soundtrack to whatever cool stuff would have been happening in ‘70, gritty and urban-style. “Qualify and Satisfy” somewhat unexpectedly serves up the blues. Its deliberate pace emphasizes the beat, and it’s heavier than Cream or similarly blues-oriented rock acts of the era. The album wraps with “What is Soul,” a track that conjures thoughts of Sun Ra. Spacey synth textures and spoken-word passages characterize the tune, as does humor: “Soul is the ring around your bathtub,” we are told.

Funkadelic introduced the world to George Clinton’s unique musical worldview; it would usher in a landmark era of psychedelicized funk-soul. Lots of great music followed in its wake, but for listeners who want to hear where the aesthetic first bloomed, Funkadelic is where their minds and ears should go. (And you ass will follow.)

Org Music’s clear vinyl with multicolor splatters is super-cool, too.