This compilation of choice cuts from Detroit's Westbound Records catalogue has been curated by the staff of various Record stores who participate in record store day, they have managed to find some amazing deep funk and soul cuts.
The album opens with Funkadelic's monumentally funky I Bet You in this case the full 6.24 edit, that's fuelled by a super low down and dirty bassline, vocals soaring, seemingly ad lib over the guitar and percussion, adding textures and flavour to this soul stew, that guitar would rip through a great rock song, let alone a funky tune like this one, its genius.
Rhythm Changes is the first tune by a band I'm not familiar with, in this case The Counts whose conscious deep funk is in praise for the changing times, hoping for that better day when all the suffering is over, a full-on horn section battles with the organ, this should have you grooving on the dancefloor, as the lead vocalist reminds me a lot of Edwin Starr.
Hung Up, Strung Out by Denise LaSalle is a magnificent horn led heartbroken song of love, lust with a side order of betrayal, how no matter how badly he treats her, she still keeps coming back for more, like a sorrowfully addicted addict. Heartbreak was rarely as deeply funky as this, how could he treat her so badly.
Do Me Right by The Detroit Emeralds who want some sweet sweet loving, they know how to beg plead and make an irresistible case, with the harmony backing, with the horn section making clear, they are the best men you'll ever have, how can you resist
Donald Austin then let's all the ladies know just what a Hot Rooster he is, over the funky guitar break intro, I picture him slowly seductively walking across the room towards the object of his desire, throwing some super-hot moves and inviting her to come do the boogaloo with him, without once uttering a word.
The Fantastic Four then tell us the tale of Alvin Stone (The Birth And Death Of A Gangster) an epic blaxploitation string led funk, full of advice to avoid Alvin as he's a Gangster, as the action unfurls within the strings and brass no one can stop Alvin, here's hoping more people can heed the advice of what you doing with a gun in your hand, don't you know you'll go to jail, I can't believe I didn't know this tune, it should be a total classic, as the gunfight with the FBI brings this song towards its messy conclusion, a perfect slice of gangsta funk.
The B-side opens with Funky Worm by Ohio Players, a band who gave me the chills as a kid, when I was given one of the bands albums as a Christmas present in the mid 70's, I was far too young to get material like this, especially some of the lyrics, as this veers between being comedy funk, while the guitar and bass are peerless like they are jamming on the one, just freestyling over the top, this makes me want to find that Ohio Players album I was given and give it another more mature spin.
Fuzzy Haskins wants to turn the world Tangarine Green as he tells us she won't know what he means, the strutting street funk wants you to take a look at yourself, go on find a mirror before you make this scene, they'll make it true.
Shake Your Head is what Spanky Wilson advises you to do when some fool comes onto you and your already taken, as Spanky's sultry vocals make everything clear, her contempt at all the things men offer women like her, as the string and brass led deep soul stew are perfect to shake your thang to on the dancefloor, hoping to change her mind.
Live Wire by Dennis Coffey will have you jiving like a real live wire on that dancefloor, following the instructions to get off your ass and dance, if you resist, they will make you pay as their feet are on fire and yours should be too.
The Album closes with Devils Gun by C.J. & Co. that has a classic blaxploitation funk intro, almost like this is the title sequence to a film called Devils Gun that moves across a very down at heel neighbourhood in the ghetto, before the vocals come in to explain just how sorry a tale is being told about gun crime in inner city America, it's such a shame that the lyrics of this song are possibly more on point now than in the mid 70's, as gun crime has only got worse. The impact of the lyrics is helped by just what a great tune this is, the album has the full 7 minute plus version rather than the short version on the attached video.
Find out more at https://orgmusic.com/blogs/news/record-store-day-2024-the-list
