Etta James Sings Funk (1970)

Etta James Sings Funk seems to be one of the least known of Miss James' records. Although recorded in Chicago, most of the LP breathes that Southern Soul vibe that graced 'Tell Mama'. ‘Tighten Up Your Own Thing’ has big-voiced Etta in a ferocious funk bag. A mildly political song, this horn riddled, busy “sock-it-to-me” workout is every bit the equal to James Brown's then current output. But despite the album's title, there are quite a few beautifully arranged, slow paced gems here as well. Case in point is the lamenting, heavenly cruising ‘Sweet Memories’. The funk returns with a vengeance on ‘Quick Reaction & Satisfaction’, a fatback vamp of Memphis-styled nitty gritty groove, layered in brass and propelled by an incessantly poppin' bass. Miss James heads South even deeper as she belts out the slow burnin' blues-drenched romp ‘Nothing From Nothing Leaves Nothing’, and really tears it up with ‘My Man Is Together’, a masterful slab of gutbucket, full-throttled Southern Soul. Closing side A is the exquisite ‘Are My Thoughts With You’, one of the most haunting tracks of the album. Greasy, well-oiled, brassy full-powered Soul opens the flipside, with Etta churning out another gospelfide vocal on ‘The Man I Love’, after which the more rock-oriented heavy tour de force, ‘Sound of Love’, follows. ‘When I Stop Dreaming’ is turned, through Etta’s raw vocals, into a gospelish Southern Soul belter that even the at times intrusive arrangements can't drown out. Things get far sweatier on the last two selections here: the bluesy, persistently slow grooving ‘What Fools We Mortals Be’ features a dazzling, horn heavy finale, while ‘Your Replacement’ closes the album in an apt Southern Soul-styled sermonizing vein. What's left to say: Etta James Sings Funk is an underrated, sadly forgotten masterpiece. http://rateyourmusic.com/