Artist: Funkadelic Album: Funkadelic

Year: 1970
Duration: 46:48

A Groovy Rift: A Review of Funkadelic's Self-Titled Album

Funkadelic’s self-titled album was released in 1970, showcasing a groundbreaking and heavily influential work of funk rock music. The collective genius of the band that includes George Clinton, William “Bootsy” Collins, and Eddie Hazel among others, has scarred rock and soul music into a new alleyway of grooviness, psychedelic dance, and colorful soundscapes. In this blog post, we will have a critical review of the album: Funkadelic, with a brief history of the artist, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critic to the album.

Funkadelic was a musical collective born out of the ashes of The Parliaments. Combining soul harmonics and psychedelic experiments, they created a genre that kept on building ever since. Funkadelic’s early work was heavily influenced by Jimi Hendrix, but the inclusion of Bootsy Collins's bass and Bernie Worrell’s keyboard playing made them a new voice in rock music. The album’s opening track, Mommy What's A Funkadelic, establishes the crucial variable on the album: it’s a mind-bending ride grounded on an unyielding funk groove. Each track is an adventure in its own right, with its rhythms, horns, and guitar playing leading you through it all.

One of the most outstanding tracks on the album is the classic, I Bet You. The song's simple yet marvelous composition and Eddie’s blistering guitar riff pave a new road for funk music. The song has an extra dimension with the chant from the female backup vocals which adds up to the already irresistible groove of the song. Another great track is Good Old Music. The pure funk feeling comes forward with a banging bongo beat, clavinet interludes, and a thunderous bass track. The track's group vocals are also worth noting, as each voice takes you on a call and response journey that leaves you smiling and singing along.

The album's versatility and innovation stand out from different parts of the record. The Sonic Attack sequence is a prime example of the album's wild experimentation. It is a haunting sequence with an eerie voice speaking about an impending threat, with synthesizer sounds evoking an intergalactic war. The sequence is then perfectly integrated with Let's Take It to the Stage, creating an audacious transition that makes you feel like you’re riding through a wormhole.

The album's centerpiece song, Maggot Brain, deserves a standalone discussion for so many reasons. The song's suite stretches for over ten minutes, beginning with a soul-stirring monologue from Eddie Hazel, and diving into a chilling guitar solo. The track transcends what conventionally passes for a rock guitar solo, as it reaches an almost spiritual level of transcendence. The song was revered so highly by Jimi Hendrix that he expressed his wish to work with Funkadelic.

The Funkadelic self-titled album is a masterpiece and a gift that keeps on giving. The album's seamless fusion of funk, rock, and psychedelic elements captures a unique moment in music history and continues to transfix new generations of listeners almost 50 years later. Funkadelic's self-titled album is a perfect example of an album that changed the trajectory of popular music. From its production to the musicianship to the songwriting, it is a timeless classic that will always have a place in the collections of serious music listeners. The album's legacy is of a group of musicians who were committed to expanding the boundaries of what was possible in music, and this they did with creativity, vision, and unlimited soul.