FUNKADELIC — Maggot Brain (review)

FUNKADELIC — Maggot Brain album cover Album · 1971 · Jazz Related Rock Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
js
After two bizarre experimental psychedelic blues rock records on which professional production values took a back seat to spontaneous creativity, George Clinton and crew buckle down on “Maggot Brain” and go for that big heavy rock sound that was growing in popularity, but barely give an inch when it comes to their trademark bizarre and eclectic musical vision. This is probably the heaviest most rockin Funkadelic album as after this one they will be headed towards ‘the one’ and a long career as P-funksters. Critics often point out the influence of Hendrix and Sly Stone on early Funkadelic, but you can also hear the bluesier art rock crowd such as Deep Purple, Frank Zappa and latter day Beatles, as well as early 70s theatrical rockers like David Bowie and Clinton’s art-punk gig mates, Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop. There is quite a smorgasbord of influences on here, but once combined, it all carries the trademark sound of Clinton and his creative vocal arrangements, psychedelic guitar guru Eddie Hazel and multi-keyboardist prog-rock classico supremo Bernie Worrell.

This is one of those early 70s albums that has aged very well, creative without being pretentious, this album is about reality, not fantasy. George Clinton’s biting humor and social insights have given this very witty album infinite shelf life. This one is highly recommended for fans of early 70s artsy heavy rock from David Bowie to Jimi Hendrix.

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