Reviewed For TheFunkStore.com..By/Noted P-Funk Scholar&Los Angeles CA. Writer~Clyde"CM"Talley
1.It's On
FUNK KIN – Funk-Kin – J-Bird Records 6 1746 80351-2. Produced by Nowell Haskins and FUNK-KIN.
FUNK-KIN is a musical collective formed by some of the direct descendants of the original founders of the ParliaFunkadelicment Thang. Co-leader and drummer, Nowell Haskins is the son of vocalist/guitarist Clarence “Fuzzy” Haskins) and keyboardist/vocalist Tim Shider is the brother of long time Funkadelic and P-Funk All-Star guitarist and vocalist extraordinaire, Gary Shider. The band also include Tim’s brother Nate Shider also on guitars and vocals and guitarist/vocalist Gene Thomas and percussionist/vocalist Keith Thomas, both are sons of Parliament vocalist Grady Thomas. On bass is Derrick Davis, son of vocalist Ray Davis.
A version of this band backed up the elder Parliaments, who have formed as “ORIGINAL PARLIAMENT” (sans Head Maggot Overlord George Clinton who maintains the Mothership with PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC’s tours). “OP”, as they are known, recorded last year’s underground funk classic “WHAT’S DAT SHAKIN?” http://www.Thefunkstore.com/originalpCD.html.
Now with this disc, they ready to step out on their own. The entire lexicon of funk is what they are kin to.
The disc kicks off with “It’s On”, led by a slinky hip-hop beat where the linkage to the PFUNK legacy is clearly stated and the past acrimonious misdeeds are to be left behind in the past
“See we got a class in session
PFUNK’s givin’ up lessons
There ain’t no sense in you stressin’
That Mothership thang was a blessing
Blood is thicker than mud
You see we got it in our bloodlines”.
A clever technique employed throughout the disc is the quoting the harmony of classic funk and rock tunes for use as vocal fills. This is typically done with sampling tracks and vocalizing over the track. FUNK-KIN uses their tight harmonizing skills and axemanship to accomplish this. This tune alone employs phrases from the Beatles’ “Come Together”, and Funkadelic’s “Freak of the Week”. The repetition of “It’s on” as chanted by the background vocal syncs in with the guitars churning and twisting as the drums and bass propel the tune on.
Next up is “Off The Hook”. This is a tight bit of urban commentary that keeps its tongue cleverly in cheek. The subject is the street corner where folks just hang out all day with no objective except the hustle of the day. Vocals are layered around the hook “Why y’all hanging ‘round with your pants hangin’ off ya ass?” Interlaced with a hypnotic keyboard figure that makes it flat out hilarious. It’s all about generations in the ‘hood being in conflict: What’s offensive to the elders is harmless to the youngsters.
The third track “U Don’t Have To Cry” points to the sweeter stickier kind of funk favored by the smooth R&B crowd. Nice melodious flow of voices keeps this solidly in Babyface territory. Radio-friendly with “hit” written all over it, though it may not reflect the group’s originality.
The follow-up, “Crazy Crush”, puts an Isleys stank on the sweetness and just funks everything up. There’s a piercing Ernie Isley guitar screaming off the keyboard riffs. The harmonies are as tight as anything Kelly and Rudolph would do and the lead crooning is straight out of Ron. This could be a very effective 2nd or 3rd single.
“Funk Done Gone Hip-Hop” makes a strong case for bringing Funk and Hip-Hop together, except it’s a few years too late. Bringing in a harmony quote from Kool & the Gang’s “Get Down On It” and Funkadelic’s “(not just) Knee Deep”. Nowell drops a sharp snare figure to keep everything on the one and the vocals are tight and harmonious.
“Lude” drops the FUNK-KIN motto in a brief looping track (that also shows up at disc’s end “End Lude”
‘We’re bringing it back to the streets
Something old, it’s back and it’s new
It’s funkin’ it’s Funk-Kin
Here’s a funky stick-up
and you know we’re gonna funk you some more
We’re ’just funkin', we’re Funk-Kin’
We get a taste of reggae with “Know ‘bout the Funk” which bemoans the total absence of funk on the radio despite the prevalence of hip-hop beats all over the scene. A fat bass line dances among quotes from Bootsy, Parliament and Funkadelic classics, plus more tight vocal harmonies. Clearly, as the background chants, when funk is on it must also be pump, pump, pump, pumped up.
Clearly, the funniest track is “Tight Shit” and it’s meant to be cranked. A tribute to all the righteous packed babes who wear their clothes a size too small to better showcase their shapeliness. The refrain is a classic piece of wit:
“Give your little sister her clothes back
Everybody knows that”
The bridge evokes the guitar break of Ohio Players “Fire” while the harmony chants
“The bigger the bust
the shorter the cut
the lower I go
down on you”
“Rump Shaker” is probably the best choice for a lead-off single. Drums lead into a reprise of OP’s track “What’s Dat Shakin?”. A great party track that should crowd every dance floor. The call & response of the refrain engages the crowd and there’s a great harmony quote from “Undisco Kidd”. Horns kick in to keep things lively.
“Sucker For U” kicks the funk back into the sweet and sticky side of things. This is a very effective slow dance grinder with the great vocal harmonies.
“’Til She comes ‘Round” is the “deep cut delight” of this album. It showcases Gary “Diaper Man” Shider on the lead and effectively evokes the interplanetary funksmanship of Parliament’s Casablanca years. Shider sings of being in an abandoned ship on a planet called “Plutaurus” where the inhabitants always shake their hips, never missing a beat. They even “part their hair on the other side”. Seems he’s stranded and will simply wait for Scot to bring the Mothership back around and beam him up. There’s a vocal reprise of “One Nation” and an effective echo of Ohio Players “baby, baby, baby, baby “falsetto cry on “Fire” and the whole thing stems form “Comin’ Round the Mountain”
2.Off The Hook~ListenNow
3.U Don't Have To Cry
4.Crazy Crush
5.Funk Done Gone Hip-Hop
6.Lude #1
7.Know 'Bout T