Week 3 (part 2): The Poets of Rhythm – What Goes Round (2002)
Country: Germany / Funk, Soul, R&B
When you think of funk, Germany is not at the front of one’s mind. Ever. Yet here come The Poets of Rhythm, a smooth octet of well-versed funkateers who recall the heyday of pre-disco soul and the undying spirit of P-Funk. All the requisite elements are there: scratchy guitars, massive horn section hooks, the garbled cat calls of hype men. So far, so James Brown. Even still some of these joints are infectious dance floor fillers. Try the guileless ‘Funky Train’, an excellent example of funk’s self obsession. Funksters love singing about funk in the same way that AC/DC appear to be their own favourite subject. Over the thirteen songs here the band rides on an even keel, never departing too far from their chosen wheelhouse. Still there are a few minor changes in pace. Perhaps the off-kilter reggae grooves of ‘Choking On A Piece Of Meat’ is more your speed, as the band heads further into jam band territory. A few slow numbers threaten to derail the funk express completely (like the tepid ‘What You Doing’). The Poets of Rhythm are not reinventing the wheel on What Comes Round. They are merely enjoying the ride.
Rating: C+
For fans of: James Brown, The Bamboos, The Mighty Imperials
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