From Parliament to Jimmy Castor, these 10 albums offer the ultimate funk experience. Listen to timeless masterpieces.
Parliament – Mothership Connection
Let’s kick off this list with a killer P-Funk album! Mothership Connection is a groovy masterpiece and the first George Clinton album to feature Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley, who had recently departed from James Brown’s backing band, The J.B.’s. Widely regarded as one of Parliament’s best, Mothership Connection introduced the P-Funk mythology, with fictional characters and themes that would become central to George Clinton’s work for the next decade. The album title and cover are spot-on as George Clinton launches the mothership, establishes his iconic space-funk persona, and propels the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act. The grooves are still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you’ll ever hear, even after all these years.
The South Side Movement – The South Side Movement
This is definitely a funk gem! Released in 1973 on the small independent label Wand. I think the whole album is fantastic this is really funk the way I like to hear it. My 2 favourites tracks are I’ve Been Watching You (which became a breakbeat classic) and Love Turned Me Loose. Comprised of vocalist Melvin Moore, guitarist Bobby Pionter, keyboardist Morris Beeks, bassist Ronald Simmons, drummer Willie Hayes, alto saxophonist Milton Johnson, trumpeter Stephen Hawkins and trombonist Bill McFarland, the group began as the backing band for the soul duo Simtec & Wylie. The Southside Movement disband in 1975 unfortunately.
Mandrill – Just Outside Of Town
Mandrill’s album is an outstanding funky classic, building on the sound of *Composite Truth*. It features delightful twists, blending diverse elements in fresh ways. The music is tight yet unique, possibly surpassing their more popular peers. With plenty of jazz touches and varied percussion styles, the album stays captivating. Fun fact: Ivy always thinks someone is at the door when the first song starts!
Brick – Brick
Brick’s classic work shines through in this self-titled second album. The group found surprising success in the 70s with their hot Atlanta mix of funky soul and up-tempo club grooves. This album showcases a style that LA funk bands, especially those on the Solar label, would embrace a few years later. Brick’s approach of refining funky licks into a tight, compressed sound was a big hit with the youth of their time.
Lyn Collins – Think (About It)
This record was on my wish list way to long. I was lucky to find it at the big record fair last year. This woman has a beautiful and raw voice. Her nickname is the female preacher and you can hear that immediately on the intro of the funky track Think. The recording was produced by James Brown (who also wrote the song) and features instrumental backing from his band The J.B’s. Released on James Brown’s people records in 1972. A favorite among hiphop, R&B and dance music producers for decades, Collins is by far the most sampled female artist of all time!
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain
Amazing stuff possibly the best early Funkadelic album ever! This set goes beyond the simple fuzzy style of their debut and the overly-stoned sound of Free Your Mind. It launches into a bold funk style with clever social commentary and a dark vision of the future. The highlight is the mind-blowing title track “Maggot Brain” starting with a chilling spoken intro and building up with layers of post-Hendrix guitar. This track leads into shorter, funkier songs that are some of the group’s best, using lively energy to convey a sense of alienation and horror at the world. The whole album is brilliant not just a soul classic, but one of the greatest rock albums of all time!
Sly & The Family Stone – There’s A Riot Goin’ On
A wonderful album from Sly and his band, moving beyond the straight funk style of earlier records into a complex crossover soul sound full of warmth and righteousness. Despite the political tone suggested by the “riot” in the title and the American flag on the cover, the album’s greatest strength is its warmth and personal soul message.
Ohio Players – Pleasure
Truly a gem, one of Ohio Players’ best albums, showcasing their exceptional groove! This landmark effort from the early 70s blends jazz with their signature guitar-driven funk, resulting in a sophisticated sound. Despite its darkness, the album’s jazz influences bring depth and redemption to the groove. Psychedelic elements are used effectively, notably in the classic “Funky Worm”, sampled by numerous hip-hop artists over the years.
James Brown – Hell
A dynamite double-length album from James Brown – a sizzling collection that holds its own alongside classics like Get On The Good Foot and Payback! While it differs slightly from the latter, with shorter tracks and some mellower cuts. The album culminates in the epic 13-minute rendition of “Papa Don’t Take No Mess”, rivaling anything from the JBs’ own albums. And of course, Fred Wesley and the rest of the group are there, backing up James.
The Jimmy Castor Bunch – It’s Just Begun
Incredibly groovy funk! Jimmy Castor explored various styles in the 70s, but the one showcased on this album remains his finest. It could be considered his ultimate testament to funky brilliance! The album is packed with non-stop, guitar-driven classic funk tracks, including the electrifying “It’s Just Begun”, the delightfully goofy “Troglodyte”, and other standout moments like “Bad”, “LTD”, “I Promise To Remember”, and “Psychee”. Fuzzy guitar blends with heavy drums and some of the most outrageous lyrics ever heard on a mainstream funk album! Jimmy always delivers, but he truly shines on this monumental classic.
