Search - Parliament :: Clones of Dr Funkenstein

FUNK ME BABY!

Mr. EL | stl | 07/28/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I didnt become a p.funk fan until 1993 (1'm only 25 years old). I had already collected MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION, FUNKENTELECHY VS THE PLACEBO SYNDROME, CHOCOLATE CITY, and MOTOR BOOTY AFFAIR and with these goodies already doin it in my earhole, i was all but ready to get funked when i picked this one up in '95. I must say out of all the parliament albums i've picked up (i have since collected them all), this is the one that i listen to the most, although i don't consider it their best because actually their all good in their own funky way. Musically, and vocally this album is good from beginning to end. From the Prelude and the keyboard intro of Gamin on Ya to glen goins' ever a'funkin vocals on the Funkin' for Fun fadeout, i can never get enough of hearing this one! Of course standouts are the hits Do that Stuff and Dr. Funkenstein, but the jam on this album (to agree with some other reviewers) has got to be I've Been Wathching You Move Your Sexy Body! Man, I swear this jam features the greatest vocal contribution to p-funk ever captured on record by glen goins! Only Bop Gun comes a close second! It's timeless! Overall the horn and vocal arrangements on this album are also more superior on this album, than any other pfunk album. Some feel this one was the more commercial (by p-funk standards that is) of the p-funk releases at that time but in my opinion this one is probably the more underground of all of parliament albums. Oldies stations rarely play any of the songs, including the hits off this album and it's certainly not as well known as MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION or FUNKENTELECHY VS. THE PLACEBO SYNDOME, but its still every bit as funky and essential as those albums! Oh, another good kick is the cover of this album, probably the best of all of parliaments' album covers! Dont'sleep on it, get this one now if you don't have it, if you have it already, then buy it again! This funk is somethin' you can never get enough of!



"

Maybe not totally deep, but still super-funky

08/16/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

""The Clones of Dr Funkenstein" was Parliament's move towards the more commercial. But don't let that stop you - the funk is still here in spades. It's just that it's not a flat-out dance album. The horn section is more present and it's very singable. And there are a bunch of great songs on this record. "Dr Funkenstein" is lyrically hilarious. "Children of Productions" furthers the concept - check out the band's playing on this one and how they orient themselves on the beat in relation to the singers. "Gettin' to Know You" is an uncharacteristic groove but one of the best songs on the album. The vocals are great and the song keeps your interest. The other songs more than keep up the pace and round out a great funk effort from Parliament. One standout: "Funkin' for Fun," which will get you up and dancing. While it's not as pure dance as "Funkentelechy" and the concept isn't as everpresent as on "Motor Booty," this record is a fine example of P-Funk at the height of its power. Definitely go for it."

Not Their Best, But Still Funkier Than Non-Funk

Uncle Jam | Washington DC | 04/25/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After MOTHERSHIP CONNECTION, these guys couldn't be stopped. The outerspace theme really struck a chord with the public, and they tried to duplicate that success here with CLONES OF DR. FUNKENSTEIN. It is a creative concept, having Dr. Funkenstein be the mentor of Starchild and producing a bunch of clones to spread the funk, but this album lacks in some areas. This really was George's attempt to be more commercial, and it is not bad at all. But the reason why this lp is not as well known as MOTHERSHIP or FUNKENTELECHY is because it wasn't as original on the musical end. MOTHERSHIP invented the P. Funk concept, and FUNKENTELECHY showcased the bass synth and straight musical nastiness. CLONES wasn't a trailblazer, but it is still killer funk. The Prelude sets the stage for the album and "Gamin on Ya" gives the Horny Horns a full work-out. "Dr. Funkenstein" is good, but is a prime example of the commercial factor. "Children of Productions" is a great track with a nice horn section along with a pounding bassline, probably by Bootsy. "Gettin to Know You" is the gem of this lp. This is my favorite song off the album with Garry Shider's vocals going along nicely with another great horn riff and bass. "Do That Stuff" is a good song, with the most commercial appeal of the whole album. It has the same rythm as Funkadelic's "You Can't Miss What You Don't Measure" off of the album COSMIC SLOP. "Everything is on the One" is a nice track, but is probably the weakest on the whole album. "Ive Been Watchin You..." has some great vocals by Glen Goins, who would tragically pass away about a year after this album was released. He is one of the best singers I have ever heard and should be better known, just like the rest of the P. Funk staff should be. The final track, "Funkin for Fun" is exactly that. It is real funk that is fun and is similar to some of Parliament's earlier jams. Glen once again comes through with a great vocal performance. (These last two songs would be not nearly as good if it weren't for Glen) This album is, overall, good, but it suffers from the fact that it is basically a sequel to MOTHERSHIP. The album name was actually supposed to be MOTHERSHIP II until George decided that it would be better to be a little more creative. Any P. Funk fan needs to have this, but it can probably wait until you have some of their more essential lp's. (Both by Funkadelic and Parliament)



Funk On."