Was (Not Was)

You gotta love an album that starts with the line “Monday I was tryin’ ta get my freak on, with a coupla twins from Washington DC” with absolutely no shame.
This is the new album from the seminal Detroit funk collective – back out of semi-retirement since 1992 – Was (Not Was) also known as Don & David Was and it feels like they were never away.
Anyone who likes to dance should be here as well as anyone who ever liked soul or funk or politics.
As well as the two Was brothers the current incarnation includes Sweet Pea Atkinson and Sir Harry Bowens on lead vocals and they have managed to create an album of huge variety and quality – topped off by Kris Kristofferson performing ‘Green Pills In The Dresser’ which has to rank as one of the most unexpected numbers ever associated with him!
There are elements of Parliament here and The Meters and it is simply not possible to avoid funkin’ the place up – every number grabs yo’ ass and runs it ragged. ‘Crazy Water’ and ‘Your Luck Won’t Last’ come at you with Nawlins shot through them and ‘Needletooth’ has beat and beats and New Yawk poetry – Studio 54 meets The Loft! A ballad, ‘From The Head To The Heart’, shows that their political sensibilities are still in place and with ‘Mr Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’ they funk up the venerable Mr Dylan (they did produce his Under The Red Sky album mind).
This is good time music with a heart and a brain and it may well be one of THE dance albums of the year – git down!