JAMES BROWN — It's A Mother (review)

Album · 1969 · Funk

4.5/5 · 2012-01-29
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“It’s a Mother” is rarely mentioned when it comes to talk about James Brown’s best records. Surely at the time of its release this LP seemed like a bunch of tunes from here and there hastily thrown together so an LP supporting the hit “Mother Popcorn” could be released, but none of that matters. This all came about at a time when James Brown and his band were nearing their creative peak and all you had to do was just turn on the tape deck and let them jam and you would be recording pure gold almost every time.

James and his band make it clear from the start that this is a whole new bag. The album opens hard with the harsh modernistic minimal syncopated lines of “Mother Popcorn”, James enters quickly with multi-phonic screams that echo John Coltrane. Don’t think that the Coltrane connection is an accident as witness James’ exhortations to saxophonist Maceo to “blow me some Trane”. This funk was a whole new style of music based on a strong melodic independent bass line surrounded by interlocking syncopated rhythms on the other instruments. This bass driven style has gone on to be a huge influence on modern music, possibly only the Beatles have had a stronger impact on the post-Lil Richard/Elvis world of pop music than James. As the 90s approached, Brown’s stamp on modern music increased with the advent of hip-hop, break beat, acid jazz and drumnbass.

Although the opening sounds of “Mother Popcorn” may have been shocking to many, elsewhere on this album James still plays in his older more familiar RnB style, but now with a little more funk influence. This album represents James at the crossroads with some elements from his old music, but even more elements from his new style. There are many gems on here, “Popcorn with a Feeling” is groovy acid jazz with a heavy blaxploitation soundtrack vibe featuring congas, flute and B3, it’s a must have for rare groove DJs. “You’re still out of Sight” has an infectious horn riff that would go on to make one of the best hip-hop rhythm loops of all time. “Any Day Now“ features a classic James Brown ADHD band arrangement that has his band battling rapid style changes that go from ballad, to big band buildup to high energy funk in a matter of seconds while James delivers an incredible high range melodic vocal performance. “The Little Groove Maker Me” features the band live showing what this new music was all about. The band lays down a wicked one chord groove while James interacts with the audience and his band members creating a participatory musical event in which the band is able to read the audience and keep them out on the floor while also making the audience feel they are part of what is happening on stage.

Very few bands have played with the hot energy and creativity that is featured here. Sure this album is a slapped together mess of b-sides, live tracks and styles from all over the map, but the rough hewn flow of this album just adds to its appeal.