Customer Reviews

Cosmic Slop

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Between 1970 and 1975 Funkadelic released seven albums on the Westbound record label. All of them are essential. The fifth album, 1973's "Cosmic Slop", is as strong, soulful and funky as any other from this seminal period.

That "Cosmic Slop" didn't end up a cosmic flop is a testament to George Clinton's unparalleled skill as a producer. In 1972, after the release of "America Eats Its Young", things were falling apart for Funkadelic. Ace lead guitarist Eddie Hazel was incarcerated for drug possession and assault, bassist Billy Nelson quit and rhythm guitarist Lucius Ross overdosed on LSD and speed, leaving him incapacitated. Funkadelic essentially lost three of its founding members right before recording for "Cosmic Slop" began.

Funkadelic, though technically a group, was essentially a George Clinton "thang." Determined to make "Cosmic Slop" Clinton reincarnated the band. Nelson and Ross, though founding members, proved dispensable. Hazel was missed (but will return on later albums.) Gary Shider, a guitar virtuoso in his own right, takes his lead, contributing incredible, soulful vocals as well. And keyboardist Bernie Worrell comes into his own. In fact, a cobbled together Funkadelic proved as solid and formidable as any previous incarnation.

"Cosmic Slop" is brimming with classic P-funk essentials. "Nappy Dugout", replete with whistles and duck calls, starts the album in typical Funkadelic style. "You Can't Miss..." sounds like a lost "Maggot Brain" single (a good thing.) "March to the Witch's Castle" is, in my opinion, the saddest, darkest, most honest song ever written about the Vietnam War. (A masterpiece maybe?) "Let's Make It Last" is transcendent and soulful. "Cosmic Slop" is a classic, 'nuff said. "No Compute" sounds like, well, country-funk. The raunchy lyrics about a one-night stand are hilarious. "This Broken Heart" is a heartfelt cover of an old doo-wop number with a hysterical interlude. "Trash A-Go-Go" is a funked-out guitar jam, possibly the funkiest moment on the album. "Can't Stand the Strain" is a joyful Motownish number... Joyful, that is, until the lyrics sink in.

Lyrically "Cosmic Slop" tends to be a sad, bluesy album. Half of the songs are traditional soul tunes about love and heartache. The others deal with war, prostitution and drugs. Even though at times the lyrics are funny, there's a tragic quality to them overall.

Musically it's a soulful, funky, yet brazenly psychedelic album. Funkadelic stands for psychedelic funk, which is what you get on "Cosmic Slop." This album has little in common with late-70s disco-influenced Parliament and Funkadelic albums, like P's "The Mothership Connection" or F's "One Nation Under a Groove." Rather, think Sly Stone and Jimi Hendrix on acid and you're close.

Hope this helped. Funk on.

When I look back at much I've spent on Funkadelic CDs and LPs, I have to say that this is most likely the best investment.
"Cosmic Slop" album released that was supposedly remastered. Yeah. Right. I picked up this one, played it, and was amazed at the the clarity, sharpness, and God knows what else. As a consumer I want quality and I got it. Whoever took this album and the songs, cleaned them up thoroughly then put them back down again deserves a day off. I heard instruments that I did not hear before. To whomever, I say "Thanks"!

This has to be one of the most underated Funkadelic albums never gained any real chart status when was released in '73.. but this is still one of the most interesting albums they have put out dealing with such issues drug addiction ( Trash - A- GO-GO) a brutual rock track.. the very eerie vibe of March to the Witch Castle a recount of Viet War.. to the 70's soul of You cant miss what you measure.. To the slice of life every day hustle of Comsic Slop.. this is a great album.. Have to put this on the list of their best albums.. PICK IT UP REAL FUNK FANS

Beeware, newcomers to the Funk...the tracks listed above for "Cosmic Slop" are actually the tracks on 1972's "America Eats its Young," a delectable and somewhat more acid-rocky/Sly-ly influenced double album adventure typical of earlier Funkadelic jaunts. There is much sharp positivity and cunning linguistal social commentary on "America," as one might guess from its title. I'd give it four and a half stars. Minus one half for continuity, but plus four-and-one-half for brilliant power to move the mind and hips.
"Cosmic Slop" itself is one of the bestestt and most funksome albums of the heretofor mentioned funketeer troupe known as Funnnkadelic. It marks the premier of Pedro Bell's crazy cover antics, as well as Funkadelic's finding its signature sound which streched throughout its mid-seventies galacto-sloppcontinuum. This album has a pace of lightness and humor, save for the beautiful and more tragic "Cosmic Slop" anthem itself as well as the dark narration of "March to the Witches CAstle". Tracks tend to be short and insidious in their funkfection. An excellent purchase for any funkateer to be, or even the casual funk cruiser.

This was the bridge between the early, acid-crazed version of Funkadelic and the later, more pop-friendly ("One Nation") incarnation. It may be more song-oriented than earlier albums, but it sure ain't a sellout-the shortest, hookiest songs are about a mother prostituting herself for her children (the title track) and a man pimping his girlfriend for drugs ("Trash-A-Go-Go"). And even though the sound may be cleaner and brighter, it still has plenty of bite-the guitars still snarl, the bass still thunders, the grooves are still brutal and danceable. Not as famous as their later works, but it may be their best.

Of all of Funkadelic's Westbound albums, this one, in my opinion, was the most R&B sounding. The concept, on the other hand, was as deep as any of Funkadelic's LP's. It was like Holland/Dozier/Holland on acid. The title cut was one of the most tragic songs in music history: A mother having to sell her body to feed her children. Deep. I agree with one of the previous reviewers that this album, despite a couple of up-beat tunes, was probably the most disturbing and sorrowful album that Funkadelic ever put out. The gritty, urban realism of 'Cosmic Slop' pre-dates the realism of modern Rap music by over 20 years.
George Clinton and his crew were way, way ahead of their time.

"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

'Cosmic Slop' was the first Funkadelic CD I ever purchased.I was 16 and well aclimated to Parliamnt and George Clinton's solo album 'You Should'nt've Bit Fish'.The minute I laid eyes on this artwork I knew I was in for a funky good time.But was I ever underestimating things.The minute I started this up in my old Sony portable disk player 'Nappy Dugout' blew me away with it's raw,rhythmic funkiness.This album in particular (and the opener) owes alot of 'Payback'-period James Brown and the first school of funk-with Clinton's acid rock twists.Especially on "Trash A Go Go' Funkadelic give creedence to their name as one of the first all African American rock band.But funk is a premium and they never EVER water it down.One the rocking title cut and "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure' the band push forward with honesty and great social insights into how the black community feels internaly.Kind of like James Brown and Sly Stone blended together for the black power movement.Those with an open mind to raw honesty and wisdom will not only be able to get this music but can boogie to it too.On "March Of The Witches Castle" George Clinton delivers one of his patended elder wiseman dialogs he is so good at.And Eddie Hazel is a GENIOUS on guitar-only recently accepted as such in the rock world next to Hendrix,Santana,Tommy Bolin and all other acid-rock funk guitar gods.The reality of life for African American's living in urban area's circa 1973 could be very unpleasant and these guys aren't about to lie about it but the story will be told on the booty shaking funky dancefloor if they had anything to do with it.After hearing this and coming to this realization I dug up all the other Funkadelic CD's-all of which are excellent.Even my own dad (from that generation and the man who introduced me to George Clinton) found the music terrific and the lyrics...well in his case drolly humorous however I took every word they said as honest (if sometimes twisted) truth and can be one of the few Funkadelic listeners who get the point of not only the music but the liberating concept.

I lOVE THIS ALBUM THE MORE I LISTEN TO IT,IT IS THE MOST R&B SOUNDING OF ALL OF THEIR ALBUMS BUT STILL WITH THE WACKY PSYCHDELIA AND HUMOR. TO THE JAM -ORIENTED "NAPPY DUGOUT" THE MOTOWN -LIKE HAROMNIES OF YOU "CAN'T MISS WHAT YOU CAN'T MEASURE"
THE MOURNFUL PRAYER OF THE WITCHES CASTLE (COMBAT IN VIETNAM"ENDED"(WINK,WINK) IN 1973) TO THE FUNK BALLARD OF MAKE IT LAST WITH A STEADY SOLO BY EDDIE HAZEL AND THOSE HARMONIES AGAIN. AND THE ROCKING TITLE TRACK TO THE TYPICAL HUMOR OF "NO COMPUTE " ONE OF MY FAVORITE P-FUNK SONGS ABOUT A GUY ON THE PROWL IN THE SINGLES BAR GOING TO BED WITH SOMEONE WHO MAY BE A TRANSVESTITE. TO THE SOUTHERN LIKE SOUL OF "THIS BROKEN HEART" AND THEN THE PUNK-FUNK OF "TRASH A GO GO" TO THE LAST VOCAL BEAUTY OF CAN'T STAND THE STRAIN WITH IT'S FADE OUT. THIS IS THE LAST PURE FUNK ALBUM THAT BANDS LIKE FUNKADELIC, THE OHIO PLAYERS AND WAR DID BEFORE IN PARTICULAR P-FUNK ALL GOT A LITTLE MORE SOPHISCATED WITH THE ARRANGMENTS. (NOT A BAD THING REALLY) GET THIS ALBUM FOR WAHT AN AOR R&B SOUNDED LIKE WHEN PEOPLE CARED ABOUT THE MUSIC.

One thing I've noticed in some reviews of P-Funk's albums is a lot of over-analysis. "George and The Gang" were on a mission, and it was not to win a Grammy! These guys were all about experimentation, loosening our booties and freeing our minds! What many folks who discovered Parliament/Funkadelic late in the game don't get is that a lot of the songs and performances were done tongue-in-cheek, even poking fun at their own earlier work (listen to Parliament's "I Misjudged You"). With that off my chest, I'd just like to say that Cosmic Slop was one of my favorite albums growing up. My brother exposed me (unintentionally) to a steady dose of Funkadelic in the early 70's. It was the ulitimate "high without getting high". I loved every aspect of the album, not the least of which is Pedro Bell's sleazy "ghetto Dali" artwork and the acid sermon on "pimpatation". I won't go into too much detail, except to say that, with Garry's intense "Funkadelican" vocal attack, George's irreverant lyrics and vocal experimentation and the stratospheric (or is it COSMIC?) lead guitar of Garry and Ron Bykowski- combined with the aforementioned "Maggot Funkagraphix" - this album made for a new and unforgettable experience.