Search - Bar-Kays :: House Party

(3.5 Stars) New School Bar-Kays

Charles L. Hubbert | Milwaukee, WI | 06/26/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The younger generation would probably look at you funny if you mentioned the name Bar-Kays. But for many seasoned soul fans, the name means a whole lot more. After enduring hardships and countless line-up changes, the Bar-Kays were among many musical groups who survived the 70s and much of the 80s but struggled to remain relevant through the late 80s and 90s with the changing landscape in music. Nevertheless, the Bar-Kays would eventually evolve to a new soul outfit led by the original bassist James Alexander and the band's first lead vocalist Larry Dodson. Alexander and Dodson have been leading the group for many years now, performing here and there and releasing a few albums since the early 90s. Their latest disc House Party continues their legacy of soul/funk but marries it with today's contemporary sound. The lead off single "Sho Nuff" featuring James Alexander's son Jazze Pha is the perfect example of this combination, along with the thumping "What Goes-N-Da-Club Stays N Da-Club." Fans of funk will be pleased with songs like groovy "Give Me My Heart Back" and the spellbinding "Hey Y'all" with the latter song infusing hip-hop elements into it as well. The band doesn't leave the ladies behind though, offering old school/new school fusions like "Superstar" and "My Everything." With this new incarnation of the Bar-Kays, House Party will surely be a welcome addition to an already extensive collection of hits."