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| Ubiquity Records has once again unearthed an unbelievably obscure funk recording that spins with genius quality from beginning to end. The Turner Brothers were no slick big-studio come on, some '74 pre-disco pseudo-funksters decked out in full blaxploitation regalia and grinning for the cameras. They were the real deal, straight out of the Deep South, serving up a fat sound drenched in the heavy grease accumulated through years of playing dive bars and barbecue joints on the legendary Chitlins Circuit. Act 1 was put out on the band's own label and was a huge regional success, helping them to secure tours with the likes of Rufus Thomas, The Chi-Lites, The Ohio Players, and other hard hitters. Here was a tight and experienced bunch of players brimming with talent and soul power. The band comes on strong, kicking the album off with the hypnotic rhythms of "Running In The Rain." The album continues with the raw and gritty vocals on "Every Time I'm Near You." Swirling keyboards, thick bass lines, break beats, and funky guitar all come together on the band's incandescent tribute to the zodiac, the instrumental "Sound Of The Taurus." The standout track, "Cause I Love You," sounds like the Jackson Five on funk steroids, throbbing with a groove fatter than anything little Michael ever sang back in the day. This song should have hit the charts, but without the backing of a major label, it slipped through the cracks. Rescued from oblivion, this album stands as one of the most unfairly obscure funk gems to be released before disco swept the land. ---John Ballon (email)
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