Track Listing

1. Bop Fun
2. Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk
3. Wizard Of Finance
4. Funkentelechy
5. Flashlight
6. Placebo Syndrome

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #71857 in Music
• Released on: 1994-07-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .20 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
On this follow-up to Mothership Connection, George Clinton uncharacteristically sticks to the same funk-disco formula. Unlike most sequels, however, this 1977 work is nearly as compelling as the original. Check your brain at the door while Clinton feeds you infectious dance rhythms and irreverent lyrics that fuse anthemic chants with bizarre fairy tales and stream-of-consciousness ramblings. On "Wizard of Finance", Parliament returns to melodic 1960s soul while Clinton's hysterical lyrics are backed by soulful doowop-style vocals. "Flash Light" became a huge dance-floor hit but actually pales in comparison to the rest of the grooves. With talents including Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker, and Fred Wesley on board, it's no wonder the profunk forces defeat the antifunk contingent. --Marc Greilsamer

CD Description
Though the dark, psychedelic element that characterised thegroup's early '70s output has been replaced with an emphasis on rump-shakin' dance anthems, the superior musicianship, creativity, and unabashed weirdness of the Funk Mob's members is no less in evidence. The songwriting team of frontman George Clinton, bassist Bootsy Collins, and--perhaps most notably--keyboardist Bernie Worrell concocted the #1 smash "Flashlight". An ecstatic, amorphous journey through chugging, liquid basslines (the unbelievably fat, quadruple bass sound here was created on Worrell's synthesizer), chaotic guitar, percussive embellishments, and chant-like vocal phrases, "Flashlight" coalesces into one of the greatest dance songs of all time.
Other highlights include the Glenn Goins showcase of "Bop Gun" and the loose and groovy "Funkentelechy". Often dismissed as a party band, Parliament's edgy experimentalism and loose, textured structures move the mind as well asthe ass. Their albums clearly motivated the New York avant-garde dance movement of the early '80s, influencing such artists as Liquid Liquid, Bill Laswell, and Talking Heads. FUNKENTELECHY is a seminal and immensely enjoyable album.

Customer Reviews

The 3rd greatest album of all time.
OK for a start, this is not the follow up to Mothership Connection - The Clones of Dr Funkenstein was. Clones is actually a better album than both this and Mothership Connection in terms of continuity and is this reveiwers favourite album in the known universe, but this comes pretty close.

Clinton does not 'uncharacteristically' stick to the same disco funk formula at all. Parliament's fluid but loony r'n'b style is consistent throughout all their recorded output. And Clinton was one of the first and loudest protestors against the whole disco revolution, believing that it was a watered down version of funk for a mass audience. The very title of this album makes reference to that phenomenon. Funkentelechy is what you achieve when you get down and shake your booty to some p-funk. The placebo syndrome is the effect that disco has on it's listeners - people think they're getting their funk fix, but it's not really the P-funk, the bomb.

You can see what he was getting at too, when you hear the songs themselves. 'Bop Gun' makes even suckaz wanna dance - shoot 'em with the bop gun (i.e. some p-funk) and they can't fail to shake it loose! 'Flashlight' has one of the earliest examples of the Moog synthesizer as a bass (now a staple of dance music) and can't fail to make you tear up the dance floor. The best of them all though has to be 'Sir Nose D'voidoffunk'. Sir Nose is the arch enemy of our funky hero, Star Child, throughout this loose concept album and on all subsequent Parliament albums. The sucka just does not wanna dance or 'give up the funk'. The song that introduces him is one grinding slab of relentless funk, with so many hooks you could catch a whole ocean of fish. They take a little bit of the three blind mice nursery rhyme (silly/serious was always Clinton's ideal) and turn it onto one of the most powerful and anthemic chants ever heard in popular music. A true delight to the senses (and that includes yo' booty!)

After The Clones of Dr Funkenstein and Funkadelic's self-titled debut, this really is the greatest album!! You will not be disappointed.

All time favourite
This is one of my favourite albums of all time. I only have a single cassette tape, bought in 1981 in Phoenix, which is now almost worn out. Now I put it on and my 10 year old son and myself make complete fools of ourselves!

All you gotta do is call on 'The Funk'.
This album is easily equal to the 'Mothership Connection'. Just as halirious and insightful and of course downright funky. Like the 'Mothership Connection' the album's message is crystal clear. The main concept of the album is about how the drugs people take are a form of social control. Parliament's message is simple you don't need drugs to enjoy yourself, just call on 'The Funk'. Basically all this means is do what ever you like and don't worry about whether it's cool or not. Musically this album is less Jazzy and a bit more dance floor orientated, although the horns are there adding colour and energy to the songs. There's some great rhythm guitar on this album, and the bass is incredible too, slithering and sliding all over the place. I can't reccomend this album enough.