Funkadelic
America Eats Its Young

THE REVIEW

It's 1972 and the Funkadelic release their fourth album, the double "America Eats Its Young".

An album usually considered transitional, as it is squeezed alongside the subsequent Cosmic Slop between two heavyweights like Maggot Brain and Standing on the Verge of Getting it On. An atypical album in more than one aspect, starting with the cover, which is decidedly less disturbing than the average George Clinton has accustomed us to.

It is not, first of all, one of those funk albums where the guitar arrogantly prevails, nor are there too many traces of hallucinogens in the grooves as so often happens with these listens. It's an hallucinated album yes, but more dazing than hallucinogenic, at certain points it seems that the weak distinction between Parliament and Funkadelic is lacking, fading into a whirlwind of bright colors.

One should not, therefore, think of either the more groove and arrogant funk nor the Hendrix-style psychedelia. The album in question actually shows a particular inclination towards catchiness and brightness, without, however, distorting the peculiar characteristics of Parlafunkadelicity. Fourteen tracks of good quality, with more than a few standing out from the others: "If you Don’t Like the Effects, Don’t Produce the Cause", a chorus for the anthology and a potential chart-topping single in a better world; "Everybody is Going to Make it this Time", which would not look out of place in a musical together with "Let the Sun Shine" by the 5th Dimension, with much less epicness and much more irony; "We Hurt Too" and "America Eats Its Young", so seemingly harmless and sweet.

The instruments work well and the songs are stuffed with female choirs, keyboards, and horns, as the healthy '70s tradition demands. The lyrics are also noteworthy, wavering between love and sex ("I call my baby pussycat", "That was my girl") and phenomenal invectives on the whole human race, on the will to change and how social change is often difficult, with all of the aforementioned "If you Don’t Like..." and "Everybody is Going...".

A good album, therefore, which deserves to be listened to by those who appreciate the genre although it is not usually considered among the highlight chapters of the extensive Parlafunkadelic discography.

Good lyrics, good inventiveness, and good music do not disappoint. Enjoy your listening.