Big Boss Man – Humanize
Reviewed by Sadie O., 2/2/07
British retro soul/funk, running the gamut from 60’s twist-o-rama to 70’s AWB-style funk, with side trips to Rio. Sickeningly good – the last time England was this groovy we all wore Beatles wigs or go-go boots in its honor. FUN! Don’t play this if you’re depressed – it’ll make you happy and you won’t be able to wallow properly, and it’ll only piss you off…
No FCCs – only 4 and 7 have much in the way of lyrics. All tracks absolutely KILL, but I like 11 and 7 best.
1. 3:51 ***It’s a soul twist party! Wah wah guitar and Hammond organ rock it baby! Almost no vocals. False ending, then slow coda.
2. 3:22 ***gnarly electronics intro, then funky soul strut, Louie Louie progression. Lots of echoes on the vocals, fuzz guitar, bongos…
3. 4:28 ***way funky bongos and Hammond, a bit uptempo, soul instrumental strut.
4. 3:20 ***intro sound of money falling into something, then very uptempo funky jump. Fun, inconsequential lyrics.
5. 3:29 ***uptempo instrumental butt shaker with handclaps, dueling Hammonds.
6. 0:43 ***slow fade in, midtempo with wah wah on everything, then fade out.
7. 4:05 ****bit of Beatles-y psychedelia, then midtempo groovy organ-based 60’s soul-rock with zoopy noises and fun lyrics. Ends early, then psychedelic coda.
8. 3:41 ***like a 60’s spy movie soundtrack set on a jungle riverboat. Action! Adventure! Twisting with the Bond girls!
9. 3:37 ***somewhat uptempo keyboard-based, very Green Onions-y.
10. 4:09 ***bongos and bells, downtempo and relaxed, baby Jane’s in Acupulco, uh huh!
11. 4:46 *****big drum intro, then some serious limbo music. SO FUCKING GREAT!!!! Another false ending and few seconds of take out counter chat.
12. 2:56 ***groovy mod strut down Carnaby Street