The Commodores: Hot On The Tracks - 1976
Want more funk? Coming right up. Let's get a bit smoochy too. The group were not all about funk, were they?
The Commodores' fourth album gets underway with the lively brassy funk-pop of Let's Get Started. They were quite innovative with this funk-pop stuff, before Kool & The Gang became more poppy. In contrast to the previous album, though, it is not now funk all the way as we immediately go into late-night soul ballad territory with Girl I Think The World About You. While this track still a bit of punch about it, the next one, High On Sunshine, is a classic smoocher, full of romantic after dark grooves and a delicious vocal. Now, ease yourself over on that couch next to me, baby....
The funk has really deserted us now as we get the extended version of the hit single Just To Be Close To You, which is the attractive sibling of the previous album's Sweet Love. Just cop yourself an earful of Lionel's opening spoken part - so soulful, so beautiful. I love this. the old Panther has always been a softie. This is just gorgeous. When the song bit kicks in after two and a half minutes it is once again simply sumptuous. Commodores soul of the best vintage. Yes sir. You better believe it.
Over to side two now and the funk is back with another popular cut in Fancy Dancer, a track that often turns up on "best of" compilations or playlists. Come Inside continues in that by now very recognisable Commodores funk style.
From its title, you can surmise that Thumpin' Music would be a copper-bottomed funker and you would be right. It is a brassy tale of a funked-up party. The "you can feel it all over" line pre-dates Stevie Wonder's very similar one on the same year's Sir Duke. Had he been listening to this? Or had they been checking out Stevie? Not sure. Anyway, more funk now hits us on the Funkadelic-style groove of Captain Quickdraw. There's room for one more serving of funk on the slow cookin' Can't Let You Tease Me. This whole side has been a veritable funk-a-thon.
This was a nice showcase for both the funk and the late-night love sides of The Commodores' music.
