Bootsy's Rubber Band
Bootsy? Player of the Year

THE REVIEW

Objective: to move, to entertain.     Achieved: yes.

Further discussions might also be superfluous for "Player of the Year", but for the love of description and chat, I'll add a few words to tell a bit more.

The first thought, the most obvious: Parliafunkadelicment. IT IS NOT the same thing.  Although the Rubber Band was born from that group (?) crew...family formed by the members of P. and F., it must be said that the sound of Bootsy's records does not possess the freshness of the "older brothers" (purely functional definition...a capisse, in short). A point against it, undoubtedly. However, it does not prove decisive for the success of the album; "Player of the Year" works, it has groove, beautiful melodies, arrangements not revolutionary but effective, screeching voices, and improbable quotes integrated in an intelligent way. These are the most important strengths of the Bootsy Band.

Its strength is being able to drag you into the groove without being flashy. Such phrases seem blasphemous when referring to His Majesty the Flashiness, Bootsy Collins [see cover]. But here the crazy star-shaped bassist creates the whirlpool without the fullness of Parliament and the distortion of Funkadelic.  That he remains full of himself, pompous, and egocentric is more of a problem for his woman than for us.

"Bootsy? Player Of The Year"  (1978) does not engage the brain+buttocks as George Clinton always does, not so far from the plausible when he screams that in the beginning there was funk. No, here only the buttocks move. But the objective is achieved, the rest is just philosophy, animism, and reflection, all stuff far removed from this album.

1. Bootsy What's The Name Of This Town

2. May The Force Be With You

3. Very Yes

4. Bootzilla

5. Hollywood Squares

6. Roto-Rooter

7. As In "I Love You"