An underrated little gem
Mel Bridgman | Your Room | 12/04/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
""Cosmic Slop" is an unusual moment in the band's history. While it has elements of the radical social commentary and acid-influenced psychedelia of the earliest Funkadelic records and certainly some of the more danceable fare that was just around the corner, it is really not a part of either phase. Indeed, this album at times sounds like a different band altogether, if not for the recognizable voices. While it is not considered a definitive or important Funkadelic album (unlike say "Maggot Brain", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On" and "One Nation Under A Groove", the three critically acknowledged essential albums) it is nonetheless an excellent one. The half-speed bounce of "Nappy Dugout" is a terrific head-bobbin opener and "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure" is both sweet and hard-rocking all at once ("Sting" Ray Davis's booming bass vocal is sure to elicit a grin from even the unfunkiest listeners)... Similar, surprisingly straight ahead soul songs are featured in the southern-tinged "Can't Stand The Strain" and a rare cover (the ballad "This Broken Heart", soulfully sung by Calvin Simon). While these songs are somewhat un-funkadelic, they are great tracks and they are performed with passion and played with unforced honesty, no irony or sarcasm. The title track is the only song from the album that was consistently played in later, more commercially successful times for the band. Gary Shider provides a sweet falsetto vocal to a song that recalls the band's earlier socio/political bent, dealing with a single mother forced to into prostitution by the lack of opportunities around her. It is a very moving song, complete with sighing, wailing guitars (courtesy of Shider and Ron Bykowski). "Let's Make It Last" is also a catchy song, though with a comparitively lighthearted subject matter (wanting more than just a one-night stand from relations) and the chorus sticks in your head like spilled orange juice on a countertop on a hot day... "March to the Witch's Castle", while lyrically significant, is to me a generally uninteresting track. Your viewpoint will depend on how much emphasis you place on lyrics, and how much patience you have. "No Compute" is the only outright DULL track on the album. While the opening riff is very catchy, it is wasted on George Clinton mostly mumbling/talking his way through it, it never goes anywhere. Overall, I think this is a really good record and I like it because it is so different. Those soulful numbers are reason enough to buy it. The band never sounded so unabashedly vulnerable before or after and it is a treat to hear how well they convey that feeling. And the more funkadelic-like numbers are terrific. Buy this one, you won't be sorry"
YOUR HONOR! I DIDN'T DO IT!!!!
Steven Majors | Washington Dc | 05/22/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Cosmic slop means to "dance with the devil to pay your bills". Do what you don't want to do but you have to do something to survive. Bottom line. The liner notes talk about prostitution and how pimps lure young women into selling themseles. Deep liner notes.
This 5th installment with Westbound records is an all time classic. No two Funkadelic albums are alike. The opening song "Nappy Dugout" is a nice slow jammin groove with a little taste of DC in there! "You Can't Miss What U Can't Measure" is actually a cover song. It was originally by thier alter ego "THe Parliament" from a song named "Heart Trouble". The opening line was a catchy one "Worryations got a hold on me". "Witches Castle" Is about not only the nightmare of the vietnam war, but the nightmare many of the fellas' came home too. For instance. You come home to your wife, but she had remarried becaue she was under the impression that he was dead. It's an overal great album. My favorite is "Trash a go go". Don't know why it has that title but it's a song of a pimp in court sayin "Your honor, I did not do it"...lol. As another writer put it. It's HOlland Dozier HOlland on some acid. Great album.
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Track Listings (10) - Disc #1