Customer Reviews

Right on Time

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the Bros' second offering and it's a bit of a smoother ride then the first time around,but that's only a
relative term.When the Johnson's are smooth they've OVERHEATED
and the funk is sooooo deep it almost burns!That's exactly what
happens on the instrumental "Q"-it starts off as a quint little
pop-jazz instrumental fit for an elevator THEN breaks into a
full blast of funky heat when these guys come on the bass and
guitar-bopping and riffing away!"Runnin' From Your Lovin" finds
a nice soulful middle ground in the affair even as they make
a total killing on Shuggie Otis's "Strawberry Letter 23" and
frankly wipe the floor with his version-a Johnson classic to be
sure."Brother Man" offers up a maddeningly funky instrumental
and the title song only adds vocals for a rhythm that changes nothing!Sometimes 'Right On Time' feels very glossy and
polished but it's sudtle too,making it work in both ways!So
it really IS okay to like this-when even an album's soft spots
punch you out (ie Graham Central Station) then your not faking
the funk!And these brothers never did!So pick this up and it'll
go great with the other three Quincy Jones produced Brothers
Johnson CD's in print-they're all soooo excellent!

One of the more underrated releases of the 1970s - Brothers Johnson, and this disc in particular - have aged very, very well, which is more than you can say about 95% of their contemporaries. At the time, I know everyone noticed how great of a funk/r&b album it was - I had the album as a kid, and the magnificent cover of Shuggie Otis' "Strawberry Letter 23" was one of THE car radio hits of '77.

But I don't know if everyone noticed how THOUGHTFUL this stuff is, and the subtle sonic diversity underneath the grooves: fluid shifts from jazzy to danceable to folk/pastoral on the last tune, and through this broad musical range, the sense of rhythm and melody never fails. To pull this off and not come across as trendy, or pretentious is quite an accomplishment. These guys talent is never in question, but their musical and imaginative sense of adventure, combined with a genuine charm and sense of really enjoying what they were doing is what makes this disc sound fresh going on 30 years after it's original release.

It should be noted how specific the lyrical imagery is as well - at the time this disc was being made, times were getting a little weird, and the rather precise romanticism that emerges in the words here was - I think - another calculated move (and a good one): what might have seemed a little hippy-dippy in 1970 was a statement of calm, quiet defiance seven years later, at a time when cynicism or nihilism would have been the easier or more expected path to take - witness punk and disco - two contemporary musical movements that both produced some very interesting stuff, but also often got very soulless. All around - in words, music, groove and ambition, RIGHT ON TIME is a definite, late classic of the kind of West Coast r&b pioneered by Shuggie, Sly and Graham Central Station.

I don't know if Brothers Johnson's other releases quite hit the heights of this one, but with this release, they still accomplished far more than most.

-David Alston

This cd still holds up I'm happy to say. I give 5 stars to Strawberry Letter 23 and the whole cd is strong. Compares to Earth Wind and Fire. Quincy Jones produced this album and it shows. It's like jumping into a timemachine back to the late 70's, early 80's. If you like smooth, funky R&B then you should check this out. Unfortunately, they didn't do a lot more. They have one other release of new material and then a greatest hits package. Too bad. These guys seemed to have a lot of potential. Great fun. Buy and enjoy.

What can I say about 'em? They're my favorite funk/R&B groups of all-time since Kool and the Gang. I enjoy lovin' their music since the day I listen to 'em. The most songs that interest me from the album are "Runnin' for Your Lovin'", "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Q" of course. This would go on in a lifetime, you know what I mean? A must-have.

The album is good. "Strawberry Letter 23" however, blows everything else away! For once, I'm rating a entire disc on one song! Five stars...

P.S., I didn't know that the song "Strawberry Letter 23" was a cover. The song was originally done by someone named "Shuggie Otis?" I've gotta find the original and check that out for myself!

8 tracks, 32 minutes and no filler in sight. This funk/soul/pop gem was released at the height of the disco era but doesn't sound dated, trite or embarrassing as so many LP's from that period do. Quincy Jones' pristine production along with top-notch studio players ensure consistent quality and some of the deepest, funkiest grooves on record. The incomparable Louis Johnson never ceases to amaze the listener with his brilliant bass playing (the dominant instrument here) and the Shuggie Otis classic, "Strawberry Letter 23" is remade here in a sublime, jazzy fashion with a fine vocal by George Johnson and a classic guitar break by Lee Ritenour. This is the second in a string of essential LP's The Brothers released in the 70's and is a testament to thier lasting popularity and influence. Essential.

I remember as a kid playing my Brothers Johnson LP until I just about wore out the vinyl on the platter. The digitally remastered CD is a must-have for those who lived through that era (who remembers watching "James at 16" listening to "Strawberry Letter 23" on TV) as well as those from younger generations.

The Brother Johnson's sophomore effort follow's up with funky/pop classisc such as "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Right On Time." It also delivers great old-school send-ups like the instrumental "Brother Man" (not available on any compilation), Get this album!

Its a shame only Strawberry Letter 23 got released as a single from this album. Louis and George had it going on with songs such as Q and right on time.

The Brothers Johnson's "Right on Time" consists of some of the best proto-typical funk-soul grooves from the late 70s. The album is produced by Quincy Jones and his contributions no doubt ensure the high quality of the instrumental arrangements and general glossiness of the audio production. Several of the tracks are as good as anything Michael Jackson or Earth Wind and Fire would've produced around this time, particularly "Runnin' for Your Lovin'", "Strawberry Letter 23" and "Never leave you Lonely". There are also two fantastic instrumentals, "Q" and "Brother Man" that are both irrepressibly funky, with Louis Johnson's supertight bass providing the solid rhythmic foundation he is famous for. Fusion fans will be familiar with several of the backing musicians: Harvey Mason, Dave Grusin and Lee Ritenour to name a few.
For me the only real downside of the album is its rather brief duration at around 32 minutes) and the fact that time has not been kind to some of the synthesiser effects employed here (check out "Free yourself, Be yourself" to see exactly what I mean!).
Having got those those gripes out of the way, "Right on Time" is an otherwise brilliant RnB-funk-soul-jazz concoction and well worth the price on offer here!