Search - Mother's Finest :: Meta-Funk N Physical

More like "meta-funkin'-digital"

firebird phil | 05/20/2004

(2 out of 5 stars)

"This one and "Looks could kill" are two albums by the Mothers that I don't like much. Instead of physical, organic funk you get drum-machines, studio-effects and synthesized guitar sounds.
This album is not a group-effort. Bits and pieces have been taken from previous projects ( see discography on their website ) and two songs are new versions of "Like a negro" and "Give you all the love". There are sixteen or some different musicians playing / programming on this record. Among them there's Omar Hakim doing a guest-appearance on REAL drums on "If 6 was 9" and when you listen to that you just want to smash every drum-machine on the planet ! Sorry, but this album is nothing more than a compilation of demo's to me ... give us the real thing next time !"

A welcome return - Long live the Mother's!

John Mckinnon Jackman | Los Angeles | 09/18/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mother's Finest is one of the greatest bands of all time for two reasons. First, they're at their best when they're live...the MF stage show never disappoints. Second, their goal has always been to Rock with Funk, and they're not afraid to explore funk in all its glorious manifestations. Whether its straight-ahead rock (Another Mother Further), R&B (Mother Factor), Dance (Looks Could Kill, their most oft-dismissed work - and probably the only time they fell pray to marketing execs) or Bum-kicking hard rock (the glorious and immortal Iron Age, and to a slightly lesser extent the more recent Black Radio Won't Play This Record), the Mothers deliver solid songs, great guitar work (nobody does ya like the Wyzard and Moses Mo), and phenomenal vocals. Joyce Kennedy is one of the most talented rock vocalists ever...her raw power, sharp intonation, highest highs and deepest lows send shivers up the spine. Add to that the sing-n-shout-n-get-up-off-yo-bum style of Glenn Murdock, and you've got a rock vocal sound rarely heard these days. Happily, in this outing, both of them are sounding as strong as ever.I think this is a great album.. This has never been a band interested in following styles...it's always been about trying stuff, a solid delivery, and never forgetting the funk. Meta-Funk'n-Physical picks up where Black Radio left off. The rawness of Black Radio is toned down in places, the tracks are slicker, and they're having fun with the voices and the mixing and the special effects, but the crunch, the bass and the voices are sounding better than ever. "Flat on my Back" and "I Believe" blast out of the gate...the rawness is replaced with a razor-sharp calculated focus, and they rock! The third track, "Set you Free" is a gorgeous showcase for Ms. Kennedy's exquisite vocal ability - few vocalists shift so effortlessly from a roar to a whisper the way Kennedy does. Backing vocals from her sister Johnetta sweeten the pot even more. "Crazy Side" sounds like classic Rufus and Chaka Khan from the "Rags to Rufus" era. Funk-a-Wild is sexy fun, with a clever and delightful vocal ode to George Clinton. Interestingly, MF covers two of their own songs on this album. "Inside of Me" comes from their second self-titled album, and this cover explores the message of the song in a uniquely different setting from the original. Granted, I prefer the original (one of the best examples of the Kennedy soul-roar), but this take is fun. "N-Groove" is a re-interpretation of Black Radio's opener "Like a Negro". Where "Negro" was angry, "N-Groove" is more analytical in its message. The rock is different, but it's still there in abundance.I've been waiting for a new MF album for a long time, and Meta-Funk'n-Physical is well worth it. I'm ready to see the Mother's perform live again too...they're just the greatest band around. Period."

Ignore the doubters - MF at their finest

Philip Lewis | 02/27/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"After reading many of the other reviews of this CD, I was doubtful as to whether i should make the purchase. The main thing that kept me positive about buying was that my favorite MF album is not "Iron Age" or "Black Radio......", but "Another Mother Further" from 1977.



What makes Mother's Finest truly unique is their ability to seamlessly blend rock, funk and soul influences to make something compleley thier own. And Meta-Funk N Physical sees them doing that more sucessfully than at any point since their live album from 1979. Since then, they have veered (in my opinion) a little too far in one direction or the other - "Looks Could Kill" being one extreme and "Black Radio...." being the other, although both albums have their redeeming features.



The return of Moses Mo on some tracks is an absolute pleasure, and his unique feel and phrasing makes you realise just how much MF missed him when making "Black Radio....".



Overall, the songs merge funk, soul and metal with a modern edge - this could almost be a new band in their twentysomthings rather than a veteran group. They really sound like they've had a lot of fun making this album.



The much maligned drum machine doesn't get in the way of enjoying this CD. In fact, I felt it added to the blending of the various influences and contributed to the album's very modern feel - as most album's with any kind of dance oriented feel use a drum machine in these days of Pro-tools saturation.



My favorite tracks include "I Believe" (a great blend of the distinct guitar styles of Moses Mo and John Hayes with a fantastic updating of the traditional MF sound), "Funk A Wild" (Baby Jean sounds soooooo very sexy when she coos "You wanna make it with me?" on the intro), "Bring It" (a great little rocker in true MF tradition), "N-Groove" (ifting the best parts of "Like A Negro" but this time they bring the funk in a way that only MF can) and "What Happens When We Die?" (something a little bit different, which shows that you can teach an old dog new tricks after all).



So why not five stars? Well, whilst the good songs are VERY good there are a few too many listless songs. I'm really not sure what the point of "Inside of Me" is - how can you improve on the original version "Give You All The Love (Inside Of Me)"? "Sun on the Inside" doesn't really convince in it's mock-psychedilca "Set You Free" is terribly listless, MF balladry at it's worst and a little out of tune in parts of the verse and "If 6 Was 9" seems a bit out of place to me.



But in spite of those minor shortcomings, "Meta-Funk N Physical" is, in my opinion, the best MF album since the 1970's, and certainly much better than I had any right to expect from a band 25 years into their career.



Long may they continue to bring the funk and rock the house!!!"