Emergency - Kool & The Gang

Advantages: Great Live recording and excellent tracks
Disadvantages: Final song fades out too soon

...now I just love the album, I hadn't heard of "emergency" and "victory" before buying this album but they are now firm favourites of mine and of course combined with "get down on it" "fresh" "ooh la la la" and all the rest you have a thoroughly enjoyable album. Rarely do you find a CD that you can play from start to finish without kipping once but for me this album achieves just that, I even go back for second helpings once it's finished. My only complaint and it's a small one is that the end track "fresh" ends before it should, fading out as no doubt there were a lot of instrument solos, crowd noise etc as a result of it being live, "fresh" is my absolute favourite Kool & The Gang track and I would have loved to hear the whole song, still it's only a minor problem and makes no real difference to my enjoyment of the CD. I can highly... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Many famous songs
Disadvantages: Many of their best missed out

...This best of covers the period after Kool and the Gang changed their style drastically. Commercially, this meant higher sales, but musically they suffered. This album includes some of their most well known songs such as 'Celebration' , 'Tonight' and songs of a similar ilk to this. These songs sold extremly well and made kool & the gang a lot of money. However, they were one of the finnest funk groups of the early 1970's before they sold out. The sound of the music on here is very over produced and managed. Guitar sounds are trimmed and everything sounds like its been through a machine. All the raw quality has been lost. Previously, they made albums with a lot more punch, albums that could truely be called FUNK. This music was made to be popular and to sell. Its just a shame that what they had before, didn't do as well. Check out... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Fabulous baselines and storytellling lyrics
Disadvantages: Parental Advisory

...Quite simply the best hip-hop/rap album I have ever purchased. There really aren't many weak links on this double album, with full on lyrics from the start and quality beats and base lines this is funky from start to finish. A tale of ten years of Gang Starr, this goes through a range of tracks which gel together well, "Step Into the Arena" is a classic and "Just to get a rep" is a classic story telling track which just has to be heard. Guru's lyrics are polished, and backed by the mighty DJ Premier the quality of tunes they pumped out over a decade at the top of their game. This really is one album you should add to your collection. Forget the new rubbsish currently hitting the charts and go for something a little more classy.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful