BrianKoller's Full Review: Star Time [Box] by James Brown
In 1991, Polydor released a five hour, four CD box set of the best of James Brown. It's too much music, and too important an artist, for one review. So, I've written four reviews, one for each CD.
The final disc in the set picks up where CD #3 left off. James Brown is still a legend, and still a good artist. But his days of greatness are behind him. Commercial success would continue, at least through 1974. After that, his singles tended to peak in the middle of the R&B charts, with an occasional hit.
'There it is' was a slight improvement over the previous few singles. The rhythm guitar is funky, and the horns mix well with JB's ad libs. It's not classic James Brown, but it's still pretty good.
'Public Enemy #1' is a lesser follow up to his earlier hit, 'King Heroin'. The horns are subdued and sad. JB half sings, and half preaches. You can't dance to it, though.
'Get on the Good Foot' topped the R&B charts. The rhythm guitar is not only really repetitive, but a little mindless as well. The horns are good, at least.
'I've Got a Bag of My Own' has the typical James Brown energy. But it sounds like a pale imitation of his past hits.
'Doing it to Death' repeats the same guitar hook throughout the entire five minute song. Doing it to death indeed. It's a party song without real lyrics. Everyone is having a great time, though. JB ad libs with his band, commanding them to do their little bit. Just like the old days, except it isn't nearly as good.
'The Payback', then, comes as a big surprise. It's easily the best JB song since 1971, three years before. It's slower, tighter, and more serious. JB gets angry: "Sold me out for chicken change!" "I don't know karate, but I know karazy!" The sudden improvement caused an improvement in sales. It was his first R&B #1 in two years, and his next two singles also topped the R&B charts.
Recorded the same month as 'Payback', 'Papa Don't Take No Mess' was also a solid effort. It was his final R&B #1 hit. The guitar hook is repetitive as always, but sly, and with a different sound. James Brown remembers his childhood: "Papa didn't cuss, didn't raise a whole lotta fuss, but when we did wrong, Papa beat the hell out of us!" Too bad the CD only includes the A side of the two part single.
JB's career improvement was short-lived. 'Stoned to the Bone' is tired funk. 'My Thing' is very catchy, but repetitive a little annoying. 'Funky President' would be his last R&B top ten hit for a couple of years. James Brown was probably the only person who thought that Gerald Ford was funky.
'Hot' rips off David Bowie's contemporary hit, 'Fame'. The sneaky, funky hook that is all over 'Fame' is stolen, note for note. But even when he steals, he's still not that good anymore.
'Get up Offa That Thing' was a small comeback for JB. It was his first big hit for a couple of years. He still has a lot of energy. The horns are okay, but the rhythm section is so lame compared to its past glory.
'Body Heat' has JB trying to adapt to the disco era. Like his singles from the past few years, it is by no means bad. But it isn't particularly good, either.
'It's Too Funky in Here' was another short-lived chart comeback for James Brown. The rhythm tracks are pretty good. They're also produced by somebody else, Brad Shapiro.
'Rapp Payback' has JB reviving his best post-1971 song. This time, the tempo is much faster, and there's a steady disco beat. Technically, it was his best song in six years. But it is still a pale echo of what James Brown was in his prime.
'Unity' caused some noise in critical circles in 1984. It's a duet with rapper Afrika Bambaataa. James Brown proves that he remembers the hook from 'Soul Power'. Bambaataa produced, and JB is out of his element.
The box set doesn't include JB's big comeback hit from 1985, "Living in America". JB has since had many legal problems. Channel flipping caught him on the Jerry Springer show in the early 1990s, where I remember him giving a great concert. His battery is always fully charged.
Here's the breakdown by song:
74 There it is
69 Public Enemy #1
68 Get on the Good Foot
66 I Got a Bag of My Own
71 Doing it to Death
85 The Payback
79 Papa Don't Take No Mess
68 Stoned to the Bone
67 My Thang
64 Funky President
69 Hot
67 Get Up Offa That Thing
66 Body Heat
73 It's Too Funky in Here
75 Rapp Payback
67 Unity (with Afrika Bambaataa)
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