Rigid Alien Funk (1983)

I swear to god this is what disco would sound like produced by asexual robot aliens. It's actually kind of disturbing.

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Shalamar - Friends (1982)

They just duet and tag-team AND DUET and then they duet with a ROBOT on Playing to Win and it's just CRAZY 'cause there's no like virtuoso Kashif-ish sound-bending transcendence, mainly just real positive/lively duets and that weird ass sakata rattle drum, and inevitably, because such positive energy just can't be maintained for a whole record, sappy slow ones that either enhance the lively ones 'cause contrast/dynamics, or are sort of just a bummer. The point is though, life and feeling good:

Let me make you feel good, I can make you feel good (oh so good!)!

so the robot is just wow!

B+

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Rick James - Street Songs (1981)

The classic one- the cover's not as mesmerizing as Bustin' Out of L Seven which recalls The Ramones' big dumb 80s period, playing Street Fighter at an arcade machine at night, Escape From New York, and The Warriors. Nor as creepy as Throwin' Down which is the end of Poltergeist II meets Mad Max by way of a creepy sexual theme park ride or laser tag. Not as confusing as Garden of Love's surreal take on reggae artwork. BUT I LOVE THOSE BOOTS. OH THE CLASSIC ONE. There's no Mary Jane or epic heartfelt Hollywood! But that doesn't matter. There's a Ghetto Life, and if that's not good enough, a Super Freak. You know what? I'd be happy with even one of them. The fact that it opens with the lesser known (actually a single, whatever) but equally strong Give It to Me Baby just makes the record all the more confident: James is gonna come back from a critical lull (Garden of Love), grabbing the listener's attention and promising he won't let go 'til his 8 tracks are over. His grip weakens (now regretting this analogy) on Mr. Policeman- not because of the message but because it's not quite as good as the ones that come before and after. The final four are solid though. The only problem might've been the seven minute Fire and Desire, but it's crazy epic and touching in its hit those high notes when you've got no more words to sing wooooooooo sugar sugar sugar-ness. His songs don't always grab me (I try to forget about his and Prince's rivalry), but there's always enough chaotic funk and sexual ridiculousness to keep me listening and saying fuck yeah I love Rick James! Street Songs! Mary Jane! Hollywood!

A

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