Soul Syndrome

James Brown | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 15, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Henry Stone Music
• ASIN: B001BE571Q
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #654,615 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars marred by some blatant filler, but it's still James Brown, and it's a heck of a lot of fun, December 14, 2007

By 

Dave "missing person" (United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Soul Syndrome (Audio CD)

Released in late 1980, "Soul Syndrome" is not generally considered a James Brown classic, and it's no mystery as to why. This is one of those albums that sounds like it was cranked out over the course of one long afternoon by a band that had barely any material on hand to record. This does become a big problem, particularly on the excessive, tediously repetitive, knuckleheaded swing number "Mashed Potatoes" which is a rehash of the 1960 Brown single "(Do The) Mashed Potatoes, Pt. 1", and a piece of blatant filler if there ever was one. The near-instrumental "Honky Tonk", which closes the main-album potion, is certainly less egregious, but it still reeks of filler.

Make no mistake about it though, James has a hell of a great band behind him on this album. Additionally, James took back the production reins; the two previous studio albums, "The Original Disco Man" and "People", had been produced by Brad Shapiro.

Discounting the two aforementioned pieces of filler, this album is loads of fun. The opening "Rapp Payback (Where Iz Moses?)" ingeniously reprises the Brown classic "The Payback", and despite all the derivativeness of his own work, it's a blast that never loses steam for the duration of its 14 uptempo minutes. "Funky Men" is an insanely fun uptempo groover with a big relentless bass line. "Smokin' & Drinkin'" is a great funk number with vintage James Brown-style horn charts. Even the surprisingly pop-rock styled "Stay With Me" proves a winner.

If your taste leans more towards the smooth disco end of things as opposed to hard funk, "Soul Syndrome" might be the ideal place to start a James Brown collection. That's not to say this album isn't funky, or that it lacks energy, but there is an undeniable late '70s/ early '80s smoothness to the sound. Either way, "Soul Syndrome" is about 75% great, and no James Brown fan should be without it.

5.0 out of 5 stars A standout JB album, March 27, 2011

By 

Phil S. (USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Soul Syndrome (Audio CD)

First post-Polydor effort and it's one of his very best. Has two remakes, Honky Tonk and Mashed Potatoes, nothing to take the place of the originals, but a pleasant and pulsating listen.

Rapp Payback, a traditional funky dancer, and Stay With Me, a sweet beat ballad, engaging a toned down, melodious lead vocal, made a little noise, chart-wise in '80/'81 - two classic examples of shoulda-beenz Top 20 Pop.

A nice entry in a trio including NONSTOP! and BRING IT ON! - BRING IT ON! They came at a time when Brown captured the attention of small club owners and patrons, to great success - I saw him play in smaller venues in Greenwich Village in 1980, and he still Did It To Death every time.

Highly recommended! (People, it's badd!!!).