Funk Or Walk

Much like Prince in the 1980s, George Clinton had a long list of disciples in the late '70s. Clinton's p-funk empire wasn't only Parliament/Funkadelic, it also included Bootsy's Rubber Band, Fred Wesley & the Horny Horns, and two female groups: Parlet and the Brides of Funkenstein. The latter recorded two albums in the late '70s, the first of which is the good to excellent Funk or Walk. In addition to producing or co-producing everything on the LP, Clinton co-wrote most of the material. So not surprisingly, Funk or Walk tends to be very Clinton-flavored. But the record is surprisingly diverse, and Clinton keeps things unpredictable. "Birdie," "Amorous," and the infectious opener "Disco to Go" (which Clinton wrote and produced with Bootsy Collins) are all very Parliament-like, but the jazz-influenced "Nappy" isn't unlike something Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band would have done. The melancholy "Just Like You" is a conventional soul ballad, and the glossy "When You're Gone" would have been appropriate for a Silver Convention album. On Funk or Walk, the Brides' two-woman lineup consists of Dawn Silva and Lynn Mabry, both demonstrating that they have no problem handling the variety of things that Clinton sends their way. ~ Alex Henderson