What up people,

I've been trying to dig into some more political "black music albums" from the late 60s and early, mid 70's. I'm finding it increasingly hard though to find albums that flow through with a consistent subject matter throughout the album.

For instance, I can find a pretty obscure album by a random black funk band that has some great political subject matter, black panther movement etc, but in the middle of it all the album can also have some really cheesy love/girl songs which kind of ruins it for me.

Point being, I wonder if y'all can hip me to some albums similar to There's A Riot Goin' On / What's Goin On type of subject matter and flavor that's great in content and production, and flows through nicely. I always appreciate unknown gems so hit me up with that if you know what vibe I might dig.

Also I'd love it if someone has more recommendations with bands similar to Death, Purple Image, Black Merda. Meaning Black Rock bands that might have been forgotten or maybe even a popular one that I missed out on that had some really great albums.

Would appreciate some recommendations, hope y'all understand what I'm looking for. Peace.

check that album out."Whitey on the moon" alone is the straight up truth.

stevie wonder innervisions a concept there.

the lost poets you gotta check them out.

Gil Scott Heron and The Last Poets are good for a start.

~Austin

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It's instrumental, but it's the funk in the same vein as Black Merda, which you said you dug. Really, really that album.

the free-jazz movement was probably the best example of your
description, with albums by John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Sonny
Sharrock, etc. or on labels like BYG, Strata East, ESP-DISK, etc.
being all about black power, love, peace, spirituality, and whatnot
(even if they were mostly instrumental).

As far as the "black rock" sound from that era: I'd put Betty Davis
in that category, as well as Funkadelic, especially the early
Westbound albums.

Undisputed Truth put out an album called COSMIC TRUTH in '75 that you
should definitely hear; the political content is limited to a line
here and there, but musically it's a departure for them: very
psychedelic, lots of rocking guitar and spaciness, imitations of
Bootsy, P-Funk, Rare Earth, etc.

http://www.funkmysoul.gr/?p=131

Seek out the CHAINS AND BLACK EXHAUST compilation; some of the most
obscure, nasty, dirty black-funk-fuzz-rock 45s yet to be dug up.
Amazing. Make sure the copy you find has "Showstopper" by Iron
Knowledge, one of the best tracks; not all of them do. This link
claims to have it:

http://out-sounds.blogspot.com/2011/02/various-artists-chains-and-black.html

A jazz keyboardist named Bayete (aka Bayete Umbra Zindiko) made two
solo albums back then, one of which (SEEKING OTHER BEAUTY) has some
truly wild hairy fuzz-wah craziness mixed in with the psychedelic
spiritual jazz. A must-hear.

http://orgyinrhythm.blogspot.com/2007/08/bayete-umbra-zindiko-seeking-other.html

A couple years later, Bayete formed a group called Automatic Man,
whose 1st album (with the blue cover) is one of my favorites.
Imagine if Hendrix had lived and gotten into synths and sci-fi. (The
second album, with the pick cover, is eh.) Can't find a decent link
right now...

Edwin Birdsong's SUPERNATURAL LP (1973) definitely fits the bill, too.

And that Purple Image album is my shit.

~Austin

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