Track Listing:
Something Dumb {Lafayette Stone, G Clinton, Dewayne Jesse} 5:24
I Knock The Bottom Outta Mine {Lige Curry, G Clinton} 6:17
Ice Melting {G Clinton, Vivian Lewis} 3:11
You And Your Folks
{G Clinton, B Worrell, William Nelson, Clarence Haskins} 4:46
Shout {O'Kelly Isley, Ronald Isley, Rudolph Isley} 4:39
Function At The Junction {Frederick Long, Edward Holland, Jr.} 5:36
I Wanna Testify {G Clinton, Deron Taylor} 4:09
Who's Making Love
{Homer Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Raymond Jackson, Don Davis} 3:25
Shamalamma Ding Dong {Mark Davis} 3:42
Personnel:
Producer: George Clinton
Otis Day and The Knights are: Dewayne Jesse, Amelia Jesse, Greg Hanley
No further information concerning musicians found on the LP.
Rating: **
Comments:CK: This featured their version of the Isley Brothers' song (title track) as performed in the film Animal House. It also includes "Something Dumb" and "Knock The Bottom Out Of Mine" (two new Clinton tracks) and cover versions of old Clinton songs ("You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks", "Ice Melting", "Testify") which are sort of intriguingly synthesized.
RC: As with all 80's Clinton productions, this album has its moments but it's limited musically because of the dominance of drum and synth programming that gives every song a hollow feel. "Something Dumb" is actually a pretty good song lyrically, attacking those who preach and then 'turn around and do something dumb'. Musically, it's a basic synth track. "Knock The Bottom..." is a well-sung track that uses the 'Put a hump in your back' line from "Ride On"; it's more of the same musically. "Ice Melting" is a cover of an old Clinton-written song. It's sugary-sweet but well sung, with the electronic percussion adding to it in some strange way. Still, not for all tastes. "You And Your Folks" is a cover of the Funkadelic classic, which isn't badly done. Good singing and an interesting electronic interpretation that actually sounds lean. "Shout" covers the Isley Bros. classic, that 'Otis Day & The Knights' did in the film. It's more of the same, a classic soul cut with an electronic feel musically but sung like the original; it's remarkably straightforward otherwise. "Function At The Junction" is also much the same, although this doesn't work as well as the other covers. "Testify" is one of the funkiest cuts, with a nice synth bass line. The tinny percussion doesn't help, but it's allayed by the good vocals and the use of the 'Whoa ha ha' chant. Sounds much more like the original version of "Testify" than the version that appeared on Up For The Down Stroke. "Who's Making Love" is one of the weaker tracks on the album, with the musical arrangement being completely bland. "Shamalama..." is another too-sugary arrangement, with the doo-wopping being a nice thought, but the wailing synth and drum machines just being too out of place.
Worth a listen if you can get it cheap, but not worth worrying about for the most part.