Kleeer - Seeekret

Today Marks The 40th Anniversary of Kleeer’s 7th Studio Album “Seeekret” Originally Released on August 3, 1985.

“Seeekret” is the seventh and final studio album by American New York City Soul, funk band Kleeer released in 1985 on Atlantic Records.

The album failed to chart in the United States, but reached #96 on the UK Album chart.

The song "Take Your Heart Away" was released as a single from the album, it reached #62 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Black Singles chart. The also reached #86 on the UK singles chart.

After the album Seeekret, the band disappeared for unknown reasons. Most of the musicians continued working with other projects. In the 1990s, however, the group re-formed as Kleeer at some occasions.

Track-listing

1. Take Your Heart Away

2. You Got Me Rockin'

3. Lay Ya Down Ez

4. Seeekret

5. Do Not Lie To Me

6. Never Cry Again

7. Call My Name

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology

George Clinton - The Cinderella Theory

Today Marks The 36th Anniversary of George Clinton’s 5th Studio Album “The Cinderella Theory” Originally Released on August 2, 1989.

“The Cinderella Theory” is the fifth studio album by American funk musician George Clinton, released August 2, 1989, on Paisley Park Records.

The album reached #75 on the U.S. Billboard Top Black Albums chart and at #192 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Two songs were released from the album "Why Should I Dog You Out?" and "Tweakin'" both songs failed to reach the Billboard charts.

The album was released three years after his previous studio effort, R&B Skeletons in the Closet, which was his last album for Capitol Records.

The Cinderella Theory represented a comeback of sorts for Clinton, who had been largely absent from the pop music scene since his last album for Capitol.

The album was produced by Clinton for Baby Clinton Inc.

Track-listing

1. Airbound

2. Tweakin

3. Cinderella Theory

4. Why Should I Dog U Out?

5. Serious Slammin'

6. There I Go Again

7. (She Got It) Goin' On

8. Banana Boat Song

9. French Kiss

10. Rita Bewitched

11. Kredit Kard

12. Airbound (Reprise)

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology

Funk, Inc. - Chicken Lickin’

Today Marks The 53rd Anniversary of Funk, Inc’s 2nd Studio Album “Chicken Lickin'” Originally Released on August 1, 1972.

“Chicken Lickin'” is second studio album by American jazz funk/soul jazz group Funk, Inc. released in 1972 by Prestige Records.

 

The album reached #27 on the U.S. Billboard Jazz Album chart.

 

Track-listing

 

1. Chicken Lickin'

2. Running Away

3. They Trying To Get Me

4. The Better Half

5. Let's Make Peace And Stop The War

6. Jung Bungo

 

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology

The Blackbyrds - Action

Today Marks The 48th Anniversary of The Blackbyrds’ 5th Studio Album “Action” Originally Released on September 1, 1977.

“Action” is the fifth studio album by American R&B/jazz-fusion band the Blackbyrds, released in 1977 on Fantasy Records.

The album peaked at #8 on the U.S. Billboard Top Soul LPs chart, and at #43 43 on the U.S. Billboard Top Pop LPs chart.

Three songs were released as singles from the album, "Street Games", "Soft and Easy", and "Supernatural Feeling".

"Street Games" was released as the album’s first single it failed to chart on the Billboard charts.

"Soft and Easy" reached #30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.

"Supernatural Feeling" reached #19 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.

The album “Action” has also been certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

Track-listing

1. Supernatural Feeling

2. Lookin' Ahead

3. Mysterious Vibes

4. Something Special

5. Street Games

6. Soft and Easy

7. Dreaming About You

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology

Kool & the Gang - Spirit of the Boogie

Today Mark's The 50th Anniversary of Kool & The Gang's 6th Studio Album "Spirit of the Boogie" Originally Released on August 1, 1975.

"Spirit of the Boogie" is the sixth studio album by Kool & the Gang, released in 1975 on De-Lite Records.

The Album peaked at #48 on Billboard's Top LPs & Tapes chart, #5 on Billboard's Top R&B Albums chart and at #18 on Billboard's Top Jazz LPs chart.

Two singles were released of the album, The title track "Spirit of the Boogie" peaked at #35 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and at #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart.

The second single released of the album "Caribbean Festival" peaked at #35 on the Billboard Hot 100 and at #6 on Billboard's Hot R&B Songs chart.

"Spirit of the Boogie" can be seen as a follow-up to their Wild and Peaceful (1973); the instrumental "Jungle Jazz" uses the same basic rhythm track heard in "Jungle Boogie", but lets the players improvise on their instruments (saxophone, trumpet and flute).

References to earlier works can be noticed ("Ancestral Ceremony" contains the line: "making merry music...", which was the name of a song from their 1972 album, Good Times).

"Spirit of the Boogie" features Donald Boyce, who was rapping on "Jungle Boogie". Some African influence can be felt, and the band even play in a West-Indian style on "Caribbean Festival", another instrumental track, with once more room for improvisation.

Tracklisting:

1. Spirit Of The Boogie

2. Ride The Rhythm

3. Jungle Jazz

4. Sunshine And Love

5. Ancestral Ceremony

6. Mother Earth

7. Winter Sadness

8. Caribbean Festival

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology

Chic - Risqué

Today Marks The 46th Anniversary of Chic's 3rd Studio Album “Risqué” Originally Released on July 30, 1979.

“Risqué” is the third studio album by New York City, disco-funk band Chic released in 1979 on Atlantic Records.

The album peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Soul charts, and at #5 on the U.S. Billboard Top LPs & Tapes chart.

Three songs were released from the album as singles, "Good Times", "My Forbidden Lover" and "My Feet Keep Dancing".

"Good Times" peaked #1 on both of Billboard’s Hot Soul Singles and Hot 100 charts. The song also peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.

"My Forbidden Lover" peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. The song also reached #15 on the UK singles chart

"My Feet Keep Dancing" peaked at #3 on the U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. The song failed to enter US Billboard R&B chart Top 40 reaching #42. on the chart.

"Good Times" has been extensively sampled in other artists' works, most notably in the first top 40 rap single, "Rapper's Delight" by Sugarhill Gang, that same year. "Will You Cry" was sampled in "Just a Moment" by Nas from the 2004 album Street's Disciple.

The album went platinum in the United States selling over one million units.

Risqué became one of the records that defined the disco era, The album became highly influential not only within the movement, but also in other genres such as hip hop, art rock and new wave.

In 2020, Rolling Stone ranked the album at number 414 on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

The album was produced by band leaders Nile Rodgers and Bernard

Track-listing

1. Good Times

2. A Warm Summer Night

3. My Feet Keep Dancing

4. My Forbidden Lover

5. Can't Stand to Love You

6. Will You Cry (When You Hear This Song)

7. What About Me?

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology.

Zapp - Zapp

Today Marks The 45th Anniversary of Zapp’s Debut Self-Titled Album “Zapp” Originally Released on July 30, 1980.

Zapp is the debut studio album by Dayton, Ohio funk band Zapp, released in 1980 on Warner Bros. Records.

The album peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart and reached #20 on the U.S. Billboard 200.

Two songs were released as singles from the album, "More Bounce to the Ounce" and "Be Alright".

"More Bounce to the Ounce" peaked at #2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, #19 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart, and at #86 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

"Be Alright" reached #26 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.

The album was certified gold in the United States by the RIAA.

The album has been cited as one of the definitive albums of early 1980s electro funk and partially influenced the creation of the G-funk sound of hip hop music genre which became popular on the West Coast of the United States during the early and mid 1990s.

“More Bounce to the Ounce” is featured in the films Boyz n the Hood, Mi Vida Loca, Losing Isaiah, Hate, Any Given Sunday, Blue Hill Avenue and Straight Outta Compton, the 2002 Rockstar video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, and the 2018 South Park episode "A Boy and a Priest". It was also in an episode of "New Girl" (Season 4, episode 20).

Track-listing

All songs written by Roger Troutman.

1. More Bounce to the Ounce

2. Freedom

3. Brand New Player

4. Funky Bounce

5. Be Alright

6. Coming Home

By Romie Rome for Musique Funkology