Customer Reviews

Dust Yourself Off & Accept No Substitutes

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

 

 

Wow, someone FINALLY had the wisdom to reissue "Accept No Substitutes" on CD! This is unquestionably the BEST Pleasure album of all. (Although the Joyus album is a very close second) From the first note of the classic (and much sampled) Let's Dance this album is the BomB. I've been looking for and waiting for this one on CD for years. The list of great songs on this album just goes on and on "We have so much, I'm mad, Pleasure for your pleasure, Ghettos of the mind, Love of my life". This is some real good funky yet smooth music, end of story. If you are at all a fan of 70s era music....Go get this one!

Pleasure's 1st 2 albums on 1 CD. The music on the 1st is a mix of Funk, Jazz & Rock. The 2nd is experimental & more Jazzy for my liking hence 4 stars. All in all is a must purchase

This two for one deal represents about an hour and 15 minutes of something you can't go wrong on...
The mid-70s FANTASY Jazz sound... and TOP influenced West Coast fun... Expect an album with a band that's ultra-tight... that's hip to disco soul, yet can cut loose in any direction, whether its East Bay Funk or even a bit of straight ahead (but expect more disco/funk than Jazz.)

As for the band... everything is tight... the horns, the bass, the guitar, the vocals... but as far as I'm concerned, its late great drummer Bruce Carter (who was barely 20 at the time and has since passed on) who steals the show... When you listen, you can tell he was real hip to Garibaldi, but whereas the snare was Garibaldi's best friend (and kick/snare guys like Purdie and Stubblefield) like Gadd, this guy was ridiculously tight on the high hat... expect some wicked beats.

Other influences of the group seem to include Instant Funk, Rose Royce and Early Kool and the Gang... - - Don't expect a second rate version of these groups though... expect a ridiculously underrated band that drives and is over the top energy wise...

Incidentally, if you have a lot of funk compilations in your collection GHETTOES OF THE MIND will probably ring a bell...
BOUNCY BOUNCY LADY also has disgustingly tight and greasy pocket over a great sax solo... cursed be bass player Nathaniel Phillips, who's not only tight, but throughout the album very stylistically versatile... - - The tune has a second killer vamp and fades out on a break that you may have heard before...

I'm embarrassed to admit that I only discovered (well, paid attention to) this group recently (read my reviews and you'll see that I'm no funk novice), however, listen to this album and you'll realize that it really don't get any better than this. This album is now up there with Roy Ayer's MYSTIC VOYAGE, my all time favorite in the mid '70s funk/Jazz genre.
Dig it too ! ! !

I had the pleasure of being back stage at San Jose State Campus in Cali, when this band opened up for Roy Ayers. Let me tell you folks, they were smoking that night. I became a fan instantly. My roomate was lucky enough to have them on the campus radio station for an interview prior to that night's happening. And, it was a happening let me tell you. Marlon Mclain put on such a show, well the whole band did actually.

Now let's get into this disc. The cover of "Midnight at the Oasis" is still fresh as ever.
"Plastic People" a social commentary on the times was clearly relevant. "Bouncy Lady", "What is slick" and "Pleasure for your Pleasure" rocked the campus that night but, the Cream de la crem was "Joyous" and the slow tip "the Love of my Life" sealed the deal that night. I still remember how people talked about the show for the next few months.


Now, if I could only get the next three albums on disc and Marlon Maclain's first solo LP before he join either Pat Metheny"s group or was it Jeff Lorber Band. I'd walk forty miles in the pouring rain for these disc's. I am serious folks. It's too bad their company is too dumb to release the complete collection of Pleasure, anyway. Every member of the band contributed to the music industry over the next twenty plus years. I miss their sound.

PS. If any of the band reads these reviews I want all the other LP"S and Marlon's First Solo Lp on Cd. Please I am trying hard to complete my Old school collection before I go back on the radio, and must have these in the Haberdashiery contact me. milesdeadahead@yahoo.com