Parliament “Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome” (Casablanca, 1977)

If you attended a hip party in the late 1970s, you likely heard tracks from Parliament‘s Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome at it. “Flash Light” was all over the radio in the Detroit area back then, and at my high school ca. 1977-78 it was our undisputed anthem. No wonder it’s been sampled 214 times over the decades, becoming one of the foundations of hip-hop and various styles of dance music. But Funkentelechy has many more delights than that transcendentally brilliant classic.

Before we get into the songs, though, it should be noted that Funkentelechy is a loose concept album about the pitfalls of consumerism and disco (aka “The Placebo Syndrome”), the latter representing the bastardization of true funk, according to bandleader George Clinton. Funkentelechy is basically a manifesto about funk’s liberating powers. But knowing this catalyzing source isn’t at all mandatory for enjoyment of the record.

By the mid ’70s, Clinton had amassed a massive, talented group that boasted members of Funkadelic (genius keyboardist Bernie Worrell, guitarist Michael Hampton, bassist Cordell Mosson) and James Brown alumni such as Maceo Parker, Bootsy and Phelps Collins, and Fred Wesley. Backing singers such as Lynn Mabry, Dawn Silva, and Mallia Franklin added crucial flavor to these funk and R&B bombs.

Opener “Bop Gun (Endangered Species)”—itself sampled 38 times, including multiple instances by Ice Cube— is a bulbous, bubbly funk/disco hybrid elevated by extraordinarily soulful vocals by the powerhouse Glenn Goins. Beneath the vocal fireworks, some wonderfully complex and funky filigrees happen with the guitar, bass, horns, and keyboards. A change of pace comes with oft-sampled “Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk (Pay Attention – B3M),” a leisurely funk epic with absurdist elements, including allusions to “Three Blind Mice” and “Ba Ba Black Sheep,” goofy backing vox, and Bootsy’s languid drawls. All that said, does “Bop Gun” need to be 10 minutes long? No. it’s followed by the LP’s only real dud, “Wizard Of Finance,” whose slick R&B balladry tilts into schmaltz, despite its lurid horn charts and rich, liquid synth bass.

If you want to hear where Chicago rockers Urge Overkill got their name, check out “Funkentelechy.” The song earns its 11-minute run time with jaunty, wiggle-worthy funk and phenomenal vocal arrangements. Littered with advertising catchphrases of the time (“You deserve a break today,” “Have it your way,” etc.), “Funkentelechy” testifies that funk is the cure for whatever ails ya. Call it a danceable self-fulfilling prophecy…

Now this view may be blasphemy to some, but “Placebo Syndrome” is low-key Funkentelechy‘s peak. It’s not so much funk as it is preternaturally euphoric psychedelic soul. Lead vocalist Silva (I think it’s her) just kills it with her silky tones, contrasting with Mosson’s gruff emoting. Bonus: Worrell gets off a serpentine, oddly tuned keyboard solo in this song that would segue well with a Rotary Connection joint. I’m totally obsessed with “Placebo Syndrome” and rank it near the summit of the P-Funk canon; at the least, it’s the most blissful, beautiful song they’d done since “The Silent Boatman” from 1970’s Osmium.

Last but certainly not least, “Flash Light” bestows an ultimate highlight reel of mid-’70s funkenstein-ian molecular activity. Worrell unleashes a surfeit of Moog bass thrills, a masterclass in groove dynamics and tonal thickness. The elite vocal calisthenics here would put many gospel choirs in the shade. (Trivia: This was the pinnacle of clap-enhanced beats until Zapp’s “More Bounce To The Ounce” and George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” entered the world in 1980 and 1982, respectively.) For “Flash Light”’s 5:46 duration, every blessed neuron in your body is firing at max capacity. True, “Everybody’s got a little light under the sun,” but in 1977, few shone brighter than Parliament’s. -Buckley Mayfield

Located in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood, Jive Time is always looking to buy your unwanted records (provided they are in good condition) or offer credit for trade. We also buy record collections.