Mandrill - Solid (CD)

Solid is the sixth album by the band Mandrill. Even in the days of War and Santana where the psychedelic stew and different latin styles were all merging together......this particular band was a standout. Mainly due to the heavy rootedness of their music. Throughout this 1975 album the band serve up a set of tunes that blend rather forboding,dark funk with surreal strings,harmonies and wah-wahs such as on the compelling Wind On Horseback,Yucca Jump and the title song. They really rock hard in a funky place (best term I could use-thanks Prince) on Tee Vee,a song whose message and almost proto hip-hop groove predates the Disposable Heroes Of Hisprocrisy's Television by about fifteen years. There are also some hardcore grooves such as Peck Ya Neck and Stop & Go. The final song Slick is pretty much an instrumental that takes on some very dynamic influences:from the cinematic soul popular with Isaac Hayes to this sort of afro cuban jazz sound. This is all a very potent reminder of the cross cultural politnation,from jazz to soul to pop that the golden age of funk represented.