Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It

Performer: Graham Central Station
Engineer: Mallory Earl
Producer: Larry Graham
Distributor: Gotham Distributing Corp.

Notes: Graham Central Station: Larry Graham, Chocolate, Hershall Happiness, Butch, David Dynamite, The Deacon. Graham Central Station: David Vega (vocals, guitar); Hershall Kennedy (vocals, Clavinet); Larry Graham (vocals, clavichord, organ, synthesizer, bass guitar, drums, timpani); Patryce Banks (vocals); Robert "Butch" Sam (piano, organ, background vocals); The Deacon (drums). On their third album, Graham Central Station created an album full of trademark infectious pop-soul grooves, but one that lacked the consistently strong work that defines a true classic. However, that doesn't mean that Ain't No 'bout-A-Doubt It is less than listenable: in fact, it contains some of the group's finest songs. The album's all-time funk classic is the opening track "The Jam," a "Dance to the Music"-styled funk workout that intersperses a dazzling group groove with individual solos for each player. "Water" is another strong funk tune, an insistently rhythmic song that blends thump-popping basslines with backwards tape loops to create an intriguing blend of funk and psychedelia. Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It also produced a number one R&B smash in "Your Love," which marries the group's talent for funky grooves to an old-fashioned love song with a melody that harkens back to doo wop. However, not everything on Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It is as strong as these highlights: "It Ain't Nothing but a Warner Bros. Party" is a lightweight jam with throwaway lyrics, and the group's rote version of the Ann Peebles classic "I Can't Stand the Rain" fails to add anything memorable to the song. All in all, Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It lacks the strong material to make it memorable, but its high points make it a worthwhile listen for funk enthusiasts. ~ Donald A. Guarisco

Graham Central Station was the 1970s brainchild of ex-Sly and the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham. The group's sound mined a funk/pop fusion vein similar to that of Graham's former group, and showcased the leader's highly influential "thumping and popping" bass guitar technique.

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