Osmium

by Parliament

Overview

The first Parliament album as such was a mixed-up mess of an affair -- but would anyone expect anything less? The overall sound is much more Funkadelic than later Parliament, if with a somewhat more accessible feel. Things get going with an appropriately leering start, thanks to "I Call My Baby Pussycat," which makes something like "What's New, Pussycat?" seem like innocent, chaste conversation. After a stripped-down start, things explode into a full-on funk strut with heavy-duty guitar and slamming drums setting the way, while the singers sound like they're tripping without losing the soul -- sudden music dropouts, vocal cut-ins, volume level tweaks, and more add to the off-kilter feeling. Osmium's sound progresses from there -- it's funk's fire combined with a studio freedom that feels like a blueprint for the future. Bernie Worrell's keyboard abilities are already clear, whether he's trying for hotel lounge jams or full freakiness; similarly, Eddie Hazel is clearly finding his own epic stoned zone to peel out some amazing solos at the drop of a hat. As for the subject matter and end results -- who else but this crew could have come up with the trash-talking, yodeling twang of "Little Ole Country Boy" in 1970 and still made it funky with all the steel guitar? Other fun times include the piano and vocal-into-full-band goofy romantic romp of "My Automobile" and "Funky Woman," where over a heavy groove (and goofy Worrell break) the titular character lives with the consequence of her stank: "She hung them in the air/The air said this ain't fair!" Amidst all the nuttiness, there are some perhaps surprising depths -- consider "Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer," which might almost be too pretty for its own good (Worrell's harpsichord almost verges on the sickly sweet) but still has some lovely gospel choir singing and heartfelt lyrics. ~ Ned Raggett

Product Details

Release Date:	02/01/2019
Label:	Demon Records
UPC:	5014797898493

Tracks

1. I Call My Baby Pussycat
2. Put Love in Your Life
3. Little Ole Country Boy
4. Moonshine Heather
5. Oh Lord, Why Lord/Prayer
6. My Automobile
7. Nothing Before Me But Thang
8. Funky Woman
9. Livin' the Life
10. The Silent Boatman

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Parliament   Primary Artist
Bernie Worrell   Keyboards
Raymond Davis   Vocals
Billy "Bass" Nelson   Guitar (Bass)
Tyrone Lampkin   Drums
Eddie Hazel   Guitar
Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins   Vocals
George Clinton   Vocals
Calvin Simon   Vocals
Ramon Tiki Fulwood   Drums
Garry Shider   Guitar (Rhythm)
Grady Thomas   Vocals
Lucius Tawl Ross   Guitar (Rhythm)

Technical Credits

Bernie Worrell   Composer
Billy "Bass" Nelson   Composer
Parliament   Composer
Eddie Hazel   Composer
Clyde Wilson   Composer
Eddie Harris   Composer
Ruth Copeland   Composer
Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins   Composer
Leon Ware   Composer
George Clinton   Composer
William Nelson   Composer
Harold Beane   Composer
Vivian Lewis   Composer
Phil Trim   Composer