The Commodores' debut album Machine Gun is what got me listening to funk music. A brilliant album it was - and it blew me away from the get-go. Of course, the song "Machine Gun" I have loved for a long time now (thank you Lionel Richie) - in fact, it's one of my all-time favorite instrumentals. But the rest of the album was a real eye-opener, and now if people ask me what album they should listen to that will blow their expectations, I point them straight in its direction. Another highly acclaimed funk record, Mothership Connection by Parliament, is also bloody good. Not as good as Machine Gun, but still mandatory listening for those getting into funk. Another great opening track too - "P-Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up)" will pry your ear canals wide open and leave you well and truly glued to your speakers (or headphones). "Unfunky UFO", "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (Bump the Bump)" "Night of the Thumpasorus Peoples", and my favorite, "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)" all float my boat, with their characteristic bass-heavy, uptempo, upbeat grooves and melodies, whilst "Mothership Connection (Star Child)" and "Handcuffs" aren't quite as funky, but worth a listen anyway, if you insist. Great stuff all around. A
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