Sunbear: "Sunbear"

I looked for this record for a long time, and when I finally was able to add it to the collection it did not disappoint.  I suppose it falls under the somewhat loose tag of “modern soul,” but what sets it apart from a lot of the other LP’s in that genre is that it retains the feel of a small band session.  The disco/boogie/modern soul era was not a great one for capturing a live studio feel, but this album sits right in that sweet spot where the grooves have been updated but the production doesn’t overwhelm the listener, and doesn’t lose the strength and presence of the individual musicians and singers in the process.  My favorite track is the sublime, spacy “Let Love Flow For Peace,” but there are lots of great tunes throughout, including the heavy funk-fusion opener “Erika,” the Tower Of Power-esque “I Heard The Voice Of Music Say,” and the three-part, jazzy “Mood” bookending different sections of the album.  So, the music is incredible, and then as an added bonus, there’s a giant, blinged-out bear (“Sunbear,” get it?) on the cover, with angels, humans and centaurs worshipping, dancing, even copulating beneath it.  Basically the best LP cover ever, containing within it an unheralded set of musical genius.