It’s our twenty eighth Day of Fonk’n in our 51 Days of P-Funk, a mostly-chronological groove via the discography of the Mob and, Oh Boy Gorl it’s now 1979 and our favourite spin-off, the Rubber Band, dropped their fourth and ultimate album is as a few years: This Boot Is Made For Fonk’n.

For the streamers within the crowd you’ll discover we entered a rocky interval for rights and whatnot, so entry is gonna be rocky. Apologies. It’s a disgrace that it’s this stretch too, like 78 – 80. You lose some bangers within the dialog, like Uncle Jam (that’s quickly) and this one, however it’s additionally the albums the place you catch, like this one, Bootsy making an attempt out a brand new, constrained sorta fashion. Much less motion within the bass, rather less wiggle, and just a little extra restrained on the kind of tongue-in-cheek, goofy stuff. You catch a name again to “Phone Invoice” right here, just a little “America the Lovely” for no motive there, however it’s tighter. A psychedelic house exploration is assigned its house and that’s it.

Bootsy’s sonic pursuits are extra diversified by now, I feel. He pulls double-duty on each observe on Fonk’n. He’s obtained an actual slick groove as a drummer, too, just a little lazy virtually? Catch it in “Oh Boy Gorl.” Much more on “Jam Fan.” That “Sir Nostril” lean. It’s simply behind the One. It struts. And these tracks are all Bootsy apart from the horns, just about, and apart from stuff like Maceo jammin within the background of “Jam Fan” there’s not a ton that jumps out at me on the brass entrance. That groove is thick although. I really feel like burnin’

Props to Joel Johnson on the keys for the Rubber Band, by the way in which. Dude’s been across the Mob for a second, principally with Rubber Band, however I haven’t stated his title but. His tracks and his information are rather less free on the synth than a Bernie Worrell jam. Nah, with this iteration of Bootsy—kind of questioning the psychedelic stuff and questioning if a bit extra of a gradual groove would hit—you get “Chug-A-Lug.” Pointing proper again to the cyclical groove on the middle of the Funk and enjoying near it. Now don’t get me improper—loads of wah, loads of pluck—however it’s extra predictable on the bass and the keys. It’s just a little extra tied to the handclap. This isn’t what Rubber Band has been about to date, you understand?

I imply, look, it’s a strong album, a very good one even, however within the wake of every part we’ve heard to date it’s underwhelming. It simply is. It doesn’t rock like Bootsy used to. It’s just a little quieter. Bootsy’s labored out some cool, proto-G-Funk grooves and all. I imply “Beneath The Affect” is pure west coast. That little synth lick and the kick drum on “Gorl,” and that observe is the warmth for me on this album, in truth, fwiw. However you’ll be able to’t actually dial down the Bootsy on a Bootsy album and count on a lot to be hearth. The solo stuff from him within the 80s will eclipse it in every week or so too, taking the electro sound to the identical sonic scale he took the bass earlier than. This one will get misplaced within the combine is all.

Doesn’t assist that ya can’t stream it. Ya know? To be truthful.

Fuck man I obtained a case of The Blahs. Possibly it’s going again to work after the lengthy weekend? Assist me out. What’s subsequent? Uncle Jam, after all!

‘Til then, Boys and Gorls. Skip to the john my darrrrrrlin’!