I first became aware of the Violinaires through
their insanely funky classic “Groovin’ With Jesus,” something that caused me to
immediately try and locate an OG copy of their identically titled Checker LP,
which basically got me started on my whole gospel-funk sub-genre record
obsession, a passion of mine that continues to this day. This album finds the group five years on from
their “Groovin’” days, yet their penchant for hard, unrelenting gospel-funk
remains prominent, and, it being 1976, they incorporate some subtle modern soul
touches into the mix. The title track is
a funk tour-de-force, starting out a
bit deceptively with a major-key organ melody intro, but then quickly settling
into an all-out slow-funk-gospel grind, with the lead singer (Robert Blair?)
testifying himself hoarse above it all.
Wild. Other high points are the
eternally optimistic “Sunshine,” the lightly stepping “I Don’t Know What This
World Is Coming To,” the ridiculously gritty, elevating, guitar-focused “He’s
Alive.” The soulful preaching The
Violinaires emanate from the pulpit is enough to make a gospel-funk convert out
of anybody.
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