Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
This promising 1973 album represents bass wizard Larry Graham's first post-Sly and the Family Stone work. Much like his previous band, Graham Central Station was a multiracial unit that blended soul grooves and pop hooks to create an exuberant hybrid. However, Graham Central Station gives Graham's bass work a more upfront role in the sound and adds further layers of rhythms with drum machines and rhythmic-sounding keyboards like the clavinet. The result is a disc that is equal parts pop-soul ("Ain't No Fun to Me") and funk ("We Be Gettin' Down"). The blend isn't as seamless as one might hope, which means some songs are stronger on groove then they are on melody: "Tell Me What It Is" has a great groove built on a seamless mix of thumping bass and throbbing drum machine, but lacks the melodic hooks necessary to make it a truly memorable song. Another problem is that the lyrics are underdeveloped in places: "People" rails against injustice but fails to point the finger at a specific cause, and "Why?" treads on too-familiar love lament territory. Despite these problems, Graham Central Station remains an engaging listen thanks to fine musicianship; even when the songs are lacking in hooks, there is an abundance of cool riffs and stellar vocal harmonies that will make funk fans smile. When this musicianship is applied to the right songs, the results are pure magic: "Hair" wraps a clever lyric about tolerance around a huge groove driven by one of Graham's serpentine basslines, and "Can You Handle It?" effectively fuses a pop melody built on a sing-along chorus to a propulsive bass/keyboard groove (it also became the group's first chart hit). In short, casual listeners may want to pick up this album's highlights on a compilation, but funk lovers will find plenty to enjoy on Graham Central Station.
© Donald A. Guarisco /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From 12.49€/month
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Lyricist, Producer, Arranger - Jerry Weaver, Writer - Posie Knight, Writer - Russ Titelman, Producer - Graham Central Station, Ensemble, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Al Green, Composer - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Arranger, Writer - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Writer, Horns Arranger - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Writer, Horns Arranger - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Arranger, Writer - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Writer, Horns Arranger - Freddie Stone, Writer - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Larry Graham, Writer - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Clarence McDonald, String Arranger - Larry Graham, Arranger, Writer - Graham Central Station, MainArtist
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc.
Album review
This promising 1973 album represents bass wizard Larry Graham's first post-Sly and the Family Stone work. Much like his previous band, Graham Central Station was a multiracial unit that blended soul grooves and pop hooks to create an exuberant hybrid. However, Graham Central Station gives Graham's bass work a more upfront role in the sound and adds further layers of rhythms with drum machines and rhythmic-sounding keyboards like the clavinet. The result is a disc that is equal parts pop-soul ("Ain't No Fun to Me") and funk ("We Be Gettin' Down"). The blend isn't as seamless as one might hope, which means some songs are stronger on groove then they are on melody: "Tell Me What It Is" has a great groove built on a seamless mix of thumping bass and throbbing drum machine, but lacks the melodic hooks necessary to make it a truly memorable song. Another problem is that the lyrics are underdeveloped in places: "People" rails against injustice but fails to point the finger at a specific cause, and "Why?" treads on too-familiar love lament territory. Despite these problems, Graham Central Station remains an engaging listen thanks to fine musicianship; even when the songs are lacking in hooks, there is an abundance of cool riffs and stellar vocal harmonies that will make funk fans smile. When this musicianship is applied to the right songs, the results are pure magic: "Hair" wraps a clever lyric about tolerance around a huge groove driven by one of Graham's serpentine basslines, and "Can You Handle It?" effectively fuses a pop melody built on a sing-along chorus to a propulsive bass/keyboard groove (it also became the group's first chart hit). In short, casual listeners may want to pick up this album's highlights on a compilation, but funk lovers will find plenty to enjoy on Graham Central Station.
© Donald A. Guarisco /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 9 track(s)
- Total length: 00:38:21
- Main artists: Larry Graham & Graham Central Station
- Composer: Al Green
- Label: Rhino - Warner Records
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Funk
© 1974 Warner Records Inc. ℗ 1974 Warner Records Inc. Marketed Rhino Entertainment Company, a Warner Music Group Company.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.