Search - Larry Graham & Graham Central Station :: Star Walk

GCS Find The Disco-Funk Vibe

Andre S. Grindle | Brewer Maine | 04/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After late 70's albums such as Now Do U Wanna Dance showed that GCS intended to stay firm to their strenghs during the days of disco this album finds them at last embracing the genre. Basically sometimes it works,sometimes it could've been better. "(You're A) Foxy Lady","Scream","The Entertainer" and "Sneaky Freak" make it clear that Larry intends to keep the funk intact with some excellent grooves and basswork. The same goes for "Tonight" but there are those disco strings and a stronger melody which might raise the eyebrows of hardcore discophobes. One that really will do that is the title track with it's 4 on the floor beat,eurodisco synthesizers and overly repetitive chorus. Overall this is a great dance album,although more dance-funk then out and out disco;it's doubtful Larry & company were truly able to make the full transition to the disco sound and that might be a big reason why GCS were one of the classic funk bands to hold out against the disco sound for so long. Even on the two tracks with the heaviest disco influence here Larry is just too inclined to remain on the funk side then have much appeal under the mirrored ball. This is not an album I'd recommend as a starting point to GCS but once you'd hear a few of their classics such as Release Yourself or Mirror for example then this might be something good to explore."