“Funkentelechy Vs. The Placebo Syndrome” by Parliament - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1977Album Chart of the Decade: 1970s

TJR says

My uneasy relationship with Parliament continues on their sixth long-player, probably best illustrated via the great “Flash Light”, the good “Funkentelechy” and the dire “Placebo Syndrome”. The eleven minute epic “Funkentelechy” plays on Aristotle's concept of entelechy; this is the whole funk, the complete funk and nothing but the funk. Key to the album's concept, lines such as the McDonald's-aping “You deserve a break today - Have it your way” strike out against consumerism. There will be no shiny disco boogie compromise from Parliament. This, according to group leader George Clinton is the definition of the “Placebo Syndrome”. It takes a helluva song to sell me a synth bass, but album closer “Flash Light” manages it effortlessly; it's just such a cool party jam, packed to the hilt with their secret funkalicious ingredients, giving them a massive pop hit, climbing to #16 in the Billboard 100. The album did exceedingly well too, peaking at #13. Their mainstream success came with their hard-funk principles still intact; this was a job well done.

The Jukebox Rebel
25–Mar–2011

Tracklist
A1 [08:31] 5.9.png Parliament - Bop Gun (Endangered Species) (George Clinton, Garry Shider, William Collins) Disco / Funk
A2 [10:04] 3.6.png Parliament - Sir Nose D’Voidoffunk (George Clinton, William Collins, Bernie Worrell) Disco / Funk
A3 [04:23] 4.1.png Parliament - Wizard Of Finance (George Clinton, Ron Ford, Glen Goins) Pop
B1 [10:56] 6.5.png Parliament - Funkentelechy (George Clinton, William Collins) Disco / Funk
B2 [04:20] 2.7.png Parliament - Placebo Syndrome (George Clinton, Billy Nelson) R n B
B3 [05:46] 7.5.png Parliament - Flash Light (George Clinton, William Collins, Bernie Worrell) Disco / Funk

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