Funkadelic - Maggot Brain. 1971 USA-New Jersey

Maggot Brain is the 3rd album from Funkadelic, and is often cited as their masterpiece. No argument from me, though it is quite a departure from their ordinary sound. The title track has to be the darnedest opening to a funk rock album that has ever been. Sounding like a cosmic Krautrock piece, Eddie Hazel conjures up something like My Solid Ground on 'Dirty Yellow Mist' playing the music of Dom's Edge of Time. I will never tire of music such as this. Can you imagine if Eddie Hazel was the guitarist for Del Jones? Well there would be no point in owning any other albums then.... 

I'm not particularly fond of the more traditional soul funk tracks here such as 'Can You Get to That' or 'Back in Our Minds'. The hard hitting psychedelic funk of 'Hit It and Quit It' and 'Super Stupid' are Funkadelic at their energetic best. And 'Wars of Armageddon' closes in great fashion with more heavy guitar and some experimental collage work. Yep, I'm standing in line for this one. 

Ownership: CD: 199? Westbound (UK).  Purchased online in 1998. This version of the CD is really basic, though it does replicate the incoherent rant from the original LP. Not sure there are any CDs that do the album justice, though it appears later versions have bonus tracks.

1//15; 12/20/19 (new entry)