The debut album by New York septet B.T. Express stylishly dwells at the intersection of funk and disco. With the title track, these hip dudes and dudette cut one of the definitive dance-club bangers of that grooviest of decades, the 1970s. No wonder it’s been sampled at least 292 times and covered 13 times. Not only does “Do It (‘Til You’re Satisfied)” dispense good advice (as long as it’s legal and ethical!) in a soothing, deep male voice, it captures that cherished sensation of bonking while on a train as you’re amped on the cleanest speed in creation and urged along by blaxploitation-flick chicken-squawk guitar filigrees. I mean, what more do you want?
Of course, there are more delights on this bad boy. The opening track, “Express,” is just an incredible slab of orchestral, chugging disco-funk, augmented by crucial triangle accents, Carlos Ward’s gorgeously serene flute, and Rich Thompson’s subtly psychedelic wah-wah guitar. It’s a perfect soundtrack for swift transit across vast expanses—let’s call it a Black American counterpart to Kraftwerk’s “Autobahn.” The superfly funk of “If It Don’t Turn You On (You Oughta’ Leave It Alone)” is as subtly groovy as the best Curtis Mayfield classics. You can hear the sly rhythm sampled to glorious effect by EPMD for “So Wat Cha Sayin’” and on Das EFX’s “Mic Checka.”
The clap-enhanced funk bomb “Once You Get It” lays the foundation for George Clinton’s “Atomic Dog” and Zapp’s “More Bounce To The Ounce.” Yes, it’s that important. Barbara Joyce Lomas brandishes powerful, gospelized pipes on the swaggering disco blazer “Everything Good To You (Ain’t Always Good For You)”—a strong contrast to the ominous, orchestral “Mental Telepathy”’s serious “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone” vibes. (Let’s give a shout out here to Randy Muller and Trade Martin’s string arrangements.) “Do You Like It” is horn-blasted funk with a phenomenal, zig-zagging bass line that would sound ace seguing into KC & The Sunshine Band’s “Boogie Shoes.” “That’s What I Want For You Baby” is another loco-motion jam in the J.B.s vein, with superbly soulful vocals by Lomas. Ward’s cool flute motif meshes well with the strings.
Sure, the lyrics on these nine songs all revolve around matters of the heart and genitals—and not with much cleverness, to boot—but that’s excusable when the music slaps as hard as most of Do It does. Blessedly, no ballads mess with the flow. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in nearly six decades of music listening, it’s that 99% of funk groups’ ballads are skippable. Ultimately, B.T. Express would never top their first album, and it remains bargain-bin gold and DJ manna to this day. -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.
