One Nation Under a Groove

One Nation Under a Groove 不仅是 Funkadelic 达到音乐巔峰时的产物,同时也是他们最受欢迎的专辑,这张专辑带给他们史无前例的突破,例如登上白金畅销之列,与专辑同名歌曲 One Nation Under a Groove 也获得 R&B 排行榜冠军。若由所谓的『black rock』的角度来看,这是张指标性专辑,从专辑里的一首 Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?! 就可以得知原因,再者,专辑的高完成度, Jimi Hendrix 般的吉他身手,甚至说这张专辑的音乐能被摆在舞池里也不为过。对 Funkadelic 来说,也许这不是张新概念专辑,不过却是他们所要表达的意念中最清晰的。此外,除了 George Clinton 个人发行的许多概念性专辑外,认真来说, One Nation Under a Groove 是他对政治意识表达的顶峰。无论是将社会,性别或音乐画分界线的行为,在这张专辑里都是不允许的,或许是当时令人忧虑的社会啟发他们的创作灵感,所以这张专辑具有积极地建设性,而不是好战的。所以里面的 funk 音乐,讲的是社区,自由和独立,你可以在每首歌中都感受得到 (即使是怪诞无理又骯脏下流的『P。E。 Squad』也是一样)。与专辑同名的歌曲 One Nation Under a Groove 绝对是 funk 音乐中的经典,而『Groovallegiance』与『Cholly』也与之相互辉映,『Into You』是他们少数成功的慢歌。 这张专辑在滚石杂志选出的500张历代最强专辑中排名第177位。 One Nation Under a Groove was not only Funkadelic's greatest moment, it was their most popular album, bringing them an unprecedented commercial breakthrough by going platinum and spawning a number one R&B smash in the title track. It was a landmark LP for the so-called "black rock" movement, best-typified in the statement of purpose "Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!"; more than that, though, the whole album is full of fuzzed-out, Hendrix-style guitar licks, even when the music is clearly meant for the dancefloor. This may not have been a new concept for Funkadelic, but it's executed here with the greatest clarity and accessibility in their catalog. Furthermore, out of George Clinton's many conceptual albums (serious and otherwise), One Nation Under a Groove is the pinnacle of his political consciousness. It's unified by a refusal to acknowledge boundaries -- social, sexual, or musical -- and, by extension, the uptight society that created them. The tone is positive, not militant -- this funk is about community, freedom, and independence, and you can hear it in every cut (even the bizarre, outrageously scatological "P.E. Squad"). The title cut is one of funk's greatest anthems, and "Groovallegiance" and the terrific "Cholly" both dovetail nicely with its concerns. The aforementioned "Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?!" is a seamless hybrid that perfectly encapsulates the band's musical agenda, while "Into You" is one of their few truly successful slow numbers. The original LP included a three-song bonus EP featuring the heavy riff rock of "Lunchmeataphobia," an unnecessary instrumental version of "P.E. Squad," and a live "Maggot Brain"; these tracks were appended to the CD reissue. In any form, One Nation Under a Groove is the best realization of Funkadelic's ambitions, and one of the best funk albums ever released.