PARLIMENT
Mothership Connection (Mercury)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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Every funk collection should include this CD. Serious funk collections need it because they should include everything from the George Clinton school of funk, and the most casual funk collection should have it simply because it is, without a doubt, one of the most important and best funk albums ever recorded. The band, which had always been get-down nasty, picked up a few free agents for this album. Not just any players, mind you, but James Brown band refugees Maceo Parker (sax) and Fred Wesley (trombone), two of the most seasoned funksters on the planet. The resulting album, Mothership Collection, is just spectacular, as all the fine players were obviously inspired by the presence of Maceo and Fred. The album includes the classics "P Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)," "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Of The Sucker)" and the less often remembered but deeply groovy "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication." There are two versions of "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" on this re-release - the LP version and the "promo radio version." If that title didn't trigger your memory, it might help to know that many people think it's called "Me and the Boys," which is repeated over and over in the chorus. A handful of Parliment's albums are being re-released right now. This is the one to snag first.

© 2003 - DJ Johnson