Search - Meters :: Funkify Your Life: Anthology

Open up for the meter men!!!

Campbell Roark | from under the floorboards and through the woods.. | 04/21/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Meter's were there from the start. They are funk (they still kick it out today, known as The Funky Meters, with 1/2 of the orignial band still doin it). If you want into the secrets of New Orleans Soul, look no further. Their style encapsulates, fathoms and transcends blues, soul, R&B and funk. This is band so tightly honed they make every jawbreaking funk break sound like an effortless display of catwalking sexiness... Leo Nocentelli's jangly and percussive guitar, Art Neville's fever-hot organ chops, George Porter's thick-ass porterhouse steak basslines- ever-fluid but omni-deep, and lest we forget the backbone- Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste's boom-boom-CRACK! The drums, tighter than hell, you will not believe what one man can conjure with a fairly simple drumkit. The breakdown on 'Chicken Strut' will make you mop your forehead. There is so much butter and cream on this comp it just makes me weak in the knees. Do yourself a favor and learn what hip hop producers have known for about a generation or so- The Meter's are rhythm incarnate! The first CD makes this worth it alone- you get damn near all The Meter's hits from the Josie years! Cd 1 has 26 tracks of their early material, all their top ten R&B hits from 1967- 69, and quite a few more. Look-ka-py py, Ease Back, Cissy Strut and Sophisticated Cissy among them. I mean c'mon- 26 tracks on THE FIRST CD ALONE!!!! CD 2 does less for me, but gives a good display of The meter's output for Warner/Reprise. This was a time period that saw the band go through some changes and also play as the opening band for The Rolling Stones' 1975-76 tours. On these tracks Cyril neville (Art's brother) replaces Zigaboo on drums and it shows, I think... The material here consists of longer cuts and more diverse styles, ultimately I prefer the Josie material, but you should check it all out and make up your own mind... Over 45 tracks of the kind of funk usually reserved for immortals and denizens of the lower planes of funky good times. For about 30 bucks that's like 66 cents per cut. Brother please. If you buy 1 'Best Of,' retrospective set this year- make it this one. Then go get the JB's 'Funky Good Time.' Now you've got a party."

Groove Chunks to die for

Mike Stone | 06/28/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Disc 1 is pure heaven. Each song is a two-to-three minute groove burst, perfectly executed. For anyone in search of a definition for 'the pocket' in music, here it is. Prodigious chucka-chucka guitar work, simple yet funky bass lines, ethereal organ parts, and damn rock solid drumming. I can't say enough about Zig Modeliste (he mans the drumkit). The man seems to have eight independent limbs, and all of them are itching to dance. The man just spooks me he is so good.My favourites are... well... I don't know the names of my favourites. I usually just put the disc in, press random on my CD players, and lay back with the groove.In the interest of full disclosure, I'll say this. I very rarely listen to the second disc. That's not to say that the songs with vox aren't worthwhile, they're just not nearly as visceral as the instrumental jams."

Love it. Wow.

Mike Stone | 06/20/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Unbelievable collection of songs, great funk music. I'll never get tired of these cd's. I highly recommend getting this as its much better than the single disc greatest hits, this really covers everything. The Meters are definitely one of the most influential funk acts, if you aren't into funk, you will be after hearing this. Wow."