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The Politicians - Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic (1972)

Track listing:
  1. Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic 3:50
  2. The World We Live In 4:23
  3. Church 3:17
  4. Free Your Mind 2:52
  5. Everything Good Is Bad 4:17
  6. A Song For You 4:36
  7. Speak On It 5:42
  8. Funky Toes 4:06
  9. Politicians Theme 3:01
  10. Close Your Big Mouth 3:11
  11. Love Machine - Vocal 2:52
  12. Love Machine - Instrumental 2:35

Notes

More goodies again from Sequel who once again have issued another batch of rare CD's from Holland Dozier & Holland's label pairing of Hot Wax/Invictus. This time the rare CD from the Politicians gets a timely UK release. Fronted by McKinley Jackson this set could easily be fit into the current blaxploitation category with its early 70's wah wah style of guitar playing so reminiscent of the soundtracks of Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield of the day. Best example check out the superb guitar playing on the track entitled 'Church'.

The Politicians were the house band for Hotwax/Invictus and their style of playing is so evident of the big hits of the label by the likes of Chairmen of the Board/Freda Payne/Honeycone/Laura Lee etc. Not an album for dancing, mind you it does include the instrumental version of 'Love Machine' which back in 1971 was my top floor filler at Manchester's Jilly's nightclub in Gore Street, where nothing could topple it from being the most requested single for almost three months. The vocal version featuring Jackson is here too.

If you prefer your music a little gentler then check out the gorgeously arranged 'A Song For You' which could match Isaac Hayes' 'Ellie's Love Theme' any day of the week. A truly amazing arrangement and must surely rank as one of the best tunes on the set.

The 'Politicians Theme' takes you on an instrumental journey again and another tune that could have been another 'Across 110th Street' for example. Classic blaxploitation at it's best. If your looking for a Hot wax CD full of dance hits then you will be disappointed, however if you want a really class album that gives the listener the best of what was on offer at the time from these now famous labels then this is a must purchase. Worth the price alone for Love Machine in it's instrumental form.

This is one of those albums you have to walk into. I had never heard of this band, nor of McKinley Jackson. But I am glad I bought it waaay back in 1999. This is pure, unadulterated hard heavy funk in the style of early Funkadelic, early Ohio Players and those sadly underrated soul bands out of the Invictus stable (100 Proof Aged in Soul, Flaming Ember).

The Politicians were in fact the Invictus house band and trombonist McKinley Jackson was in practice its head. This album, originally released under the title "The Politicians featuring McKinley Jackson" in 1972, came into being after Jackson's contact with Funkadelic - he can be heard on Funkadelic's 1971 tune "Back In Our Minds". Impressed with George Clinton's entire Thang, he wrote and recorded "Psycha-Soula-Funkadelic", a heavy funk track washed in psychedelic gimmicks.

But it are the lesser known instrumentals that really appealed to me. "Church", for example, is gutbucket funk at its best, with the uplifting leit motif and fatback horns.

The most wonderful piece here, in my opinion, is the terrific "Free Your Mind", with the superb funky drumming (Zachary Slater) and a guitar line that is so nasty it hurts. Incidentially, "Free Your Mind" was in fact a R&B Top 30 hit for the Politicians.

But each track is a revelation. There's a hint of Sly Stone in "Speak Your Mind", a touch of fuzzed-up Motown with "Love Machine" and hardcore James Brown FONK with the stupendous "Big Mouth"... the horninfested outro is pure gold.

Get this while it is still in print. If you're into early '70s heavy funk, you will want to give the Politicians a try! (Reviewer: Deyna.K "deyna70" (Netherlands)