James Brown

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh hot pants! Nobody but James Brown could make a great song about
hot pants. Thing is. James Brown could make a great song about mouthwash or high-heeled
shoes or sweet potato pie. Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh sweet'tato pie! Gotta have it/in the mornin'
uh/late at night/ain't it good to ya. Brown's lyrics are secondary to his Sound and their
force as words with literal (literary) meaning is negligible compared to their mor... More >

Is it rolling, James? The hit vamp (can't call it a tune, now can you?) "Escape-ism" was supposedly cut to kill time until Bobby Byrd arrived. The title track follows and it's a killer too, one of Brown's richest Afro-dances. "Blues and Pants" suggests that the title track is a mellowed down takeoff on "Sex Machine," which is good to know. And "Can't Stand It" is not to be confused with "I Can't Stand Myself." If you say so, James. Only he doesn't. I don't think he cares. And neither do I. (Grade: A-)