Search - Various Artists :: Cold Heat: Heavy Funk Rarities 1: 1968-1974

If this ain't funky enough for you...

Eddie Landsberg | Tokyo, Japan | 02/02/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If this 80 minute power house of rare and raw late 60s early 70s funk doesn't do something for you, something is wrong... It is the type of stuff that some funk searching DJs wet their pants for and do nothing but dream of... that one rare obscure ultra funky find that NO ONE ELSE has. Well, now this label has reissued it... can't say how long it will remain in print, but I can tell you this, unless you happen to be an expert of expert collector on EXTREMELY rare funk, odds are this collection is going to be a gem that will remind you that no, you haven't heard it all... and maybe more juice like this is hiding in yet other vaults waiting to surface!!!



Begining in the nasty James Brown "Mother Popcorn" era, the groups also reflect the influences of other funky soul powerhouses from the era including Archie Bell and The Drells, Dyke and the Blazers - - and of course the JBs themselves and the emerging Memphis sound. "Down Home" Funky drumming, driving bass, biting bluesy syncopated rhythm guitar and yes, quite a few Hammond organs epitomize the sound. Tunes range from horn driven instrumentals to hard core soul shouting.



Surprises include a funky James Brown Apollo melody as well as super funky version of War's SLIPPING INTO DARKNESS that actually outfunks the original ! My favorite includes the Lyn Collins sounding ultra bumpin' masterpiece DON'T GO, by the Aristocrats long before they were a really dirty joke...There's also a bit of ultra funky psychadelic soul in the form of the Ebony Rhythm Band and The Soul Seven. Finally its topped off with a real cool wa wa driven/early Kool and the Gang sounding STREET SCENE and a nice slick sounding version of SCORPIO.



All in all this is some ultra rare groove juice from the vaults that you definitely don't want to let pass you by !"

So, so hot

Nguyen Van Truc | Asia | 04/27/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A HUGE thank you to the people who rated this album. It is gold.

For non-funk-o-philes, which I am, all I can say is: imagine all of your favourite 70s shows and then amplify the theme songs by about 1000, and you'll get close to where this little beauty will take you.

I have bought a fair bit of stuff off Amazon, and this is the first CD that I really reckoned everyone else should know about.

Whoever it was that wrote that "if you want to pay a fistfull of bucks for funk" list knows what they are about. I have played this thing thrice over and it just gets better.

Do yourself a favour, buy it, whack it on your headphones and wander the city Shaft-style ... people will puzzle about your slightly odd head gyrations while you're cruising the vege aisle, but that's because they don't know better yet.

Don't ask me to describe the choons, I can't, all you need to know is that your life is lesser without them."

Too cold - and a bit overrated

Hilton Royale | Norway | 09/12/2008

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I`ve been looking forward gettin` my hands on this compilation for a looong time. I`m a HUGE fan of James Brown and Fela, and hoped for some real nasty funk, but even though the tail on this alligator is moving a lot, the musicians just doesn`t lock in on the groove. I think they are a little too eager to please, and their butter ain`t hot enough to melt the cheese! I think "Go for your self" by Kenny Smith & The Loveliters is the standout track here. Fantastic! Man, I like those rolling drums! 3 stars is maybe a bit harsh, you will find some funky drummers and tight bassplayers here, but compared to first rate compilations like "New Orleans Funk", "King Funk"; "Texas Funk" and the box set "What it is" this just doesn`t measure up. The sound quality is also rather poor on some cuts."