Search - Funkadelic :: By Way of the Drum (Spkg)

I guess it's about time

Robby Raeford | Greensboro, NC United States | 04/25/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Well, I guess after digging deep into the vaults, this was bound to be released at some point. "By way of the Drum" is a pretty lackluster effort from the once glorious Funkadelic. What made this album so desireable was its unavailability. I was fortunate enough to come across a low generation copy of this album a few years back. I suppose the most essentail track is the "Sunshine of your Love" with vocals. An instrumental version of this track has been available for some time on George Clinton's collection of rarities released sporatically.



The album pretty much sucks, due to overproduction and lackluster songwriting, but it is still something of interest to anyone who obsesses over the funkmob's output like I do."

Some "P" from the closet, and it do smell...

d.nice | richmond,va | 09/29/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Not a bad P-Funk album (I usually call any Funkadelic album made after their Westbound period a "P-Funk" record due too the fact that their commercial success at Warner Bros. evolved their sound where it was more akin to their Parliament alter-ego more so than that original rock/funk early to mid 70's Funkadelic sound of "Cosmic Slop" or "Red Hot Mama" etc..) The biggest issue I have with it (besides the fact that some brainiac at MCA could'nt figure out that shelving this project could'nt be an answer to fixing whatever production quirks their were or were'nt.)

is that their are no Bass and Drum musicians, but computer programming similiar to George Clinton's earlier "Atomic Dog" period. Historically speaking the P-Funk mob has always been known for thrilling masterful Bass&Drum musicians..Billy"Bass"Nelson,Bootsy Collins,Dennis Chambers,Jerome"Bigfoot"Brailey etc..,why not here? The tracks are very well written and it's still a great addition to the Clinton catalog but the Bass and Drums should have been handled by someone who was Funktafied not Synthasized!"

A sorry exercise, even for its time

Scott Woods | Columbus, Ohio United States | 12/31/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Even if we excused that this record is hitting most people's radars 20 years after its originally intended release (1988), this record would still be mostly fodder for collectors.



That the rhythm core of this sprawling band has been replaced here with drum machines and synths does not excuse songs that are essentially hopeless under any arrangement. The songs are mostly boring riffs that sound like a poor cover band, and not even a P-Funk cover band. These tracks come off mostly as exercises in trying to sound contemporary (again, for the time) but aren't in any way engaging as songs. The music is too stock to dance to and mean it, it's too boring to rock at a party, and it's too bad to just bob your head to.



Clinton was never above putting out an uneven record, but this one doesn't even have a good song on it to consider purchasing unless you're simply a completist. Even fans should avoid this sorry effort to pay the rent."