Amnesty - Free Your Mind (1973)

"Fans of the exquisite, often never-before-released funk championed by Now Again Records are no stranger to Amnesty. Based in Indianapolis in the early 1970s, the group released only two obscure 45s in their recording career. Birthed from the same scene as the Ebony Rhythm Band (Soul Heart Transplant – NA 5011), Amnesty had a poltical edge similar to LA Carnival (Would Like To Pose A Question – NA 5009) and the hardest brass section since The Kashmere Stage Band (Texas Thunder Soul – NA 5023).

This previously unreleased anthology comes from the same sessions as “Free Your Mind”. In 1973 Amnesty recorded five hard, vocal funk numbers alongside some ballads and a handful of demos based around nothing more than guitar accompaniment. Only two songs were ever released; Amnesty’s biting, difficult-to-categorize prog/rock/soul/funk stretched far beyond Indianpolis’s bounds and the band didn’t have a label to take them to the next level.

Obviously influenced by, but by no means simply imitators of, the sound of early Parliament and Funkadelic, Amnesty also responds to the grooves of Earth Wind and Fire and Sly and The Family Stone in their own way. Finally made available thirty three years after they were recorded, these songs are funk arranged with dangerous complexity and performed with precision – arguably the most unique funk to originate from Naptown, and some of the best music of its kind."

http://www.nowagainrecords.com

Tracklisting

1. Amnesty - Can I Help You (7:41)
2. Amnesty - Love Fades (3:32)
3. Amnesty - Mister President (4:19)
4. Amnesty - Free Your Mind (5:51)
5. Amnesty - We Have Love (4:32)
6. Amnesty - Lord Help Me (3:38)
7. Amnesty - Three Cheers For My Baby (4:10)
8. Amnesty - Trouble Will Remain (2:34)
9. Amnesty - We've Come Along Way (1:54)
10. Amnesty - Liberty (2:40)

Amnesty - Love Fades

Various Artists - Rare Funk Liberation (Volume 1)

Tracklisting

1. Communicators - The Road (3:18)
2. The Blenders Ltd - You Got It All Aint No More (2:32)
3. The Soul chargers - Soul Charge Parts 1&2 (4:38)
4. Lee fields & The evils person - The Bull is coming (3:33)
5. Union - Strike (2:16)
6. Little Eva - The Wind (3:01)
7. Tommy Dark - Wobble legs (Instrumental) (2:11)
8. Lee Harris - I'm Gonna Get Your Thing (2:46)
9. Larry & the Zodiacs - Screwdriver (2:52)
10. Buseyґs Soulblenders - Soul Power Pt.2 (2:47)
11. Michael Jay - The Electric Twist (3:38)
12. Duralcha - Ghetto Funk (3:05)
13. Apollos Show Band - Peace Still Is With Us (3:10)
14. Yesterday Today & Tomorrow - D Minor vamp (3:39)
15. Joyce Williams - The First Thing I do In The Morning (2:50)
16. London Fog & The Continentals - Easy Mover (2:47)
17. Kim Tomango - Not by bread alone (2:42)
18. Pearl Dowell - Good things (2:42)

Union - Strike

16 Heavy Funk Rarities

Hi! Here is my little comp, folks. Hope you like it =)


Tracklisting

1. Fabulous Souls - Take Me (2:55)
2. Amnesty - Love Fades (3:32)
3. Dayton Sidewinders - Go Ahead On (2:30)
4. Soul Patrol - Don't knock the cop (2:28)
5. Little Curtis & The Blues - Soul Desire (3:39)
6. Fabulous Souls - Baby I've Got It (2:15)
7. Mary Jane Hooper - I've Got What You Need (2:43)
8. Soul Patrol - Peter Pan (2:49)
9. Seay, Frankie & The Soul Riders - Soul Food (3:18)
10. Apollo Commanders - [Untitled Track] (3:40)
11. Billy Larkin And The Delegates - Funky Fire (3:38)
12. Highlighters - Poppin' Popcorn (3:15)
13. Richard Marks - Funky Four Corners (Instrumental) (2:31)
14. Don Julian (and The Larks) - Shorty The Pimp Pt1 (5:22)
15. The Devils - The X-sorcist (3:22)
16. Dyke & The Blazers - You Are My Sunshine (2:27)


Apollo Commanders - [Untitled Track]

Isley Brothers - It's Our Thing (1969)

                        "A very important album for the Isley Brothers, 1969's It's Our Thing found Ronald, O'Kelly and Rudolph Isley reviving their T-Neck label and marked the beginning of their association with Buddah (where they would remain until moving T-Neck to Epic/CBS in 1973). Creatively, this excellent LP put the siblings in the driver's seat -- they did all of the producing and songwriting themselves -- and they enjoyed the type of artistic freedom that they could only dream about when they were with Tamla/Motown from 1965-1968. At Tamla/Motown, Berry Gordy's team of producers and songwriters called the shots, but at T-Neck/Buddah, the Isleys' own vision was allowed to flourish. And that creative freedom made It's Our Thing a commercial triumph as well as an artistic one. The funky title track soared to number two on the R&B charts, and equally invigorating gems like "Give the Women What They Want" and "I Know Who You Been Socking It To" also went down in history as soul classics. Nor are tough, gritty album tracks like "He's Got Your Love" and "I Must Be Losing My Touch" anything to complain about. It's Our Thing made it clear that Tamla/Motown's loss was Buddah's gain."

allmusic.com

Tracklisting

1. Isley Brothers - Don't Give It Away (2:44)
2. Isley Brothers - He's Got Your Love (1:59)
3. Isley Brothers - I Know Who You Been Socking It to (2:44)
4. Isley Brothers - Somebody Been Messin' (2:39)
5. Isley Brothers - Save Me (3:32)
6. Isley Brothers - I Must Be Losing My Touch (2:03)
7. Isley Brothers - Feel Like The World (3:27)
8. Isley Brothers - It's Your Thing (2:49)
9. Isley Brothers - Give The Women What They Want (2:19)
10. Isley Brothers - Love Is What You Make It (2:39)

Isley Brothers - I Know Who You Been Socking It to

Kool & The Gang - Kool & The Gang (1969)

"Kool & the Gang's funky debut was an unexpected hit, with a first single (self-titled) climbing both the pop and R&B charts. Subsequent singles -- "The Gang's Back Again," "Let the Music Take Your Mind," and "Funky Man," -- followed the first into the charts, and there were plenty of other standout tracks: "Raw Hamburger," "Chocolate Buttermilk," and "Kool's Back Again." Though barely over a half an hour long, Kool and the Gang is a blast of a record containing strong elements that would become the band's trademarks: smooth melodies, suave rhythms, and brassy horns. This is one of Kool & the Gang's jazzier albums and a strong debut worth checking out, though less accessible than any of their later pop recordings"

allmusic.com

Tracklisting

1. Kool & The Gang - Kool & The Gang (3:00)
2. Kool & The Gang - Breeze & Soul (5:33)
3. Kool & The Gang - Chocolate Buttermilk (2:18)
4. Kool & The Gang - Sea Of Tranquility (3:37)
5. Kool & The Gang - Give It Up (3:44)
6. Kool & The Gang - Since I Lost My Baby (2:11)
7. Kool & The Gang - Kool's Back Again (2:57)
8. Kool & The Gang - The Gang's Back Again (2:48)
9. Kool & The Gang - Raw Hamburger (3:41)
10. Kool & The Gang - Let The Music Take Your Mind (2:58)

Kool & The Gang - Kool & The Gang