AMG Review of Under a Groove

Greg Prato
All Music Guide

If the Clash was the only punk band that mattered during the late '70s, than the only funk band that mattered was Parliament/Funkadelic. The George Clinton-led troupe always appeared to be a step ahead of the competition -- utilizing a prop-heavy stage show and costumes (on par only with Kiss), and issuing a string of albums and singles that made many a rump shake on the dance floor (and later sampled by countless subsequent rap acts). While Funkadelic started out in the late '60s as a psychedelic rock band, by the late '70s, they were all about the funk, as evidenced by such standout releases as Hardcore Jollies, One Nation Under a Groove, Uncle Jam Wants You, and Electric Spanking of War Babies, all of which are included in their entirety on the 2004 three-CD set Under a Groove. If you want a sampling of some of the era's finest funk, look no further than such tracks as "Smokey," "One Nation Under a Groove," "(Not Just) Knee Deep," and "Freak of the Week" (as well as re-recordings of such early Funkadelic classics as "Cosmic Slop" and "Maggot Brain") amongst countless others. If you want to acquire a healthy portion of Funkadelic in one fell swoop, then Under a Groove is an excellent selection.