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Shugie Otis - Inspiration Information |
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ALBUM REVIEWSPick of the Chick: Our Favorite Releases, 1999-Present |
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Shugie Otis is one of those unsung heroes of music history. Long before Prince hit the scene, Otis was skillfully combining rock with soul and funk to create the potent blend that is so common in pop music today. Otis, whose father is R&B band-leader Johnny Otis, was a guitar virtuoso who did session work with Zappa and Al Kooper before recording a pair of solo records in the early '70s. Otis's second record, entitled Inspiration Information, was originally released in 1974 and has just been reissued by Luaka Bop Records. On Inspiration Information, Otis's voice brings to mind the Neville Brothers, but his music is funkier and trippier--more akin to Sly and the Family Stone. "Island Letter," for example, features the electronic drum sounds common in Sly's records, but the music is more gentle--it's a delicate love song that Sly never would have been able to pull off. And don't let the phrase "electronic drum sounds" scare you. Otis was one of the early pioneers of the drum machine, and his use of the instrument is ten times more effective than the '80s bums who gave it such a bad name. One of Inspiration Information's highlights is the title track, which is a brilliant slab of funk-pop. On top of this track's funky groove, Otis lays down mellow-sounding, psychedelic vocals. These psychedelic flourishes are common throughout the album. Other standout tracks on the record include "Aht Uh Mi Hed" and the gentle instrumentals "Rainy Day" and "Pling." If the reissue of Inspiration Information alone wasn't enough, the folks at Luaka Bop also include four tracks from Otis's 1971 Freedom Flight album. The highlight is "Strawberry Letter 23," which was later covered by the Brothers Johnson. Although Otis never hit it big, one indication of his commercial potential was the fact that his version of "Strawberry Letter 23" didn't sound that much different than the Brothers Johnson's Top 10 remake. PIGEONHOLE: Pioneering and soulful funk-rock with
a side of psychedelia.
Andrew Helminger |
SHUGIE OTIS
