Universal Robot Band, "Thyme" (YSI link)
Universal Robot Band, "Disco Boogie Woman" (YSI link)
Universal Robot Band, "Space Disco" (YSI link)
Okay, I got all that white boy blues out of my system, time to get back to the dancefloor. Not just any dancefloor, but a weirdo, space-y one in the late 70s, our favorite time. Universal Robot Band aren't just one of the best named bands ever, they also put out some rad disco music for a short stretch of two years. They began as a rock band called Pipeline, became the URB in 1976 and would drop two LPs and a handful of singles before taking on the Kleer name.
I mean, this is EXACTLY what the doctor ordered. Week's been shitty, weather's getting colder, essays won't write themselves, I ain't gonna be eating for 24 hours. Throw on any song from this LP, Dance and Shake Your Tambourine, and all of that will melt away a few notes in. The titles alone convey what a beautiful world the Universal Robot Band conjure up - "Making Love," "Doesn't It Feel Good," "Love and Understanding" and "Sunshine". I love it! Yeah! Pessimism and darkness be gone!
This LP is a classic piece of soulful funk, complete with duets, space out jams and obviously some hot tambourine action. While I love the lyrics and vocals, the real heat here is the music, which was written and produced by the legendary trio of Greg Carmichael, Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess. It's everything you could want - danceable, stretched out, grooving. Check the unstoppable "Disco Boogie Woman," which features great horn work, a tight rhythm section and precise writing. Or "Space Disco," a nearly 12-minute freakout, where the female vocalists intone that "We are going to spaaaacee" and the band tries to get us there. There's so much great stuff I had a hard time picking a few songs to upload.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Disco saved my life, let it save yours. It's what the world needs now. We'll back at sundown tomorrow, with a full belly of bagels. Be rad until then everyone.
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