The Force (Kool & the Gang album)

The Force
Studio album by
Kool & the Gang
ReleasedDecember 1977
StudioDe-Lite, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
GenreFunk
Length35:47
LabelDe-Lite
ProducerKool and the Gang
Kool & the Gang chronology
Open Sesame
(1976) 		The Force
(1977) 		Everybody's Dancin'
(1978)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]
The New Rolling Stone Record Guide[3]

The Force is the ninth studio album by the funk band Kool & the Gang, released in 1977 on De-Lite Records. The album peaked at No. 33 on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[4][5]

Critical reception

The Globe and Mail wrote that "it's strange that to this day, black soul musicians are trying to say it better than Sly [Stone] did a decade ago and failing miserably."[6] The Bay State Banner wrote that the album "lacked the excellent jive vocals, hot horn lines and boogie beat arrangements Kool made famous."[7]

Singles

Slick Superchick peaked at No. 19 on the US Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[8]

Track listing

Side 1
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Place in Space"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang4:49
2."Slick Superchick"George Brown, Kool & the Gang4:05
3."Just Be True"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang4:21
4."The Force"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang4:26
Side 2
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mighty, Mighty High"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang6:51
2."Oasis"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang6:06
3."Life's a Song"Claydes Smith, Kool & the Gang2:58
4."Free"Ronald Bell, Kool & the Gang2:11

Personnel

  • Ronald Bell – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, ARP synthesizer, percussion, alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone, alto flute
  • Kevin Lassiter – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, Minimoog, percussion
  • George Brown – vocals, keyboards, clavinet, drums, percussion
  • Dennis Thomas – vocals, keyboards, congas, percussion, alto saxophone
  • Claydes Smith – vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, percussion
  • Robert "Kool" Bell – vocals, bass guitar, percussion
  • Otha Nash – vocals, valve and slide trombones, tuba, percussion
  • Robert Mickens – vocals, trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion
Additional Personnel
  • Jimmy J. Jordan – special effects
  • Donald Boyce – voice (1, 4)
  • Cynthia Huggins – lead vocals (6)
  • Female vocals – Renee Connel, Cynthia Huggins, Joan Motley and Beverly Owens
  • Arthur Capehart – trumpet (7)
  • Strings on 6 & 7 – MFSB; arranged by John Davis

Production

  • Producer – K&G Productions
  • Arrangements – Kool and The Gang
  • Co-Producer – George Brown
  • Executive Producers – Ronald Bell and Claydes Smith
  • Engineers – Terry Rosiello and Nils Salminen
  • Mixing – Ronald Bell, Terry Rosiello and Nils Salminen.
  • Recorded at De-Lite Recorded Sound Studio (Philadelphia, PA).
  • Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).
  • Cover Painting – DeEs Schwertberger

Charts

Chart (1977) Peak
position
US Billboard Top Soul Albums 33
US Billboard 200 142

References

  1. ^ Hamilton, Andrew. "Kool & the Gang: The Force" at AllMusic. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 5. MUZE. p. 8.
  3. ^ The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. Random House. 1983. p. 283.
  4. ^ Kool & the Gang: The Force. De-Lite Records. 1977.
  5. ^ "Kool & the Gang: Top Soul Albums". Billboard.
  6. ^ McGrath, Paul (April 5, 1978). "Kool and the Gang". The Globe and Mail. p. F2.
  7. ^ Wynn, Ron (November 1, 1979). "Shades of Blue". Bay State Banner. p. 19.
  8. ^ "Kool & the Gang - Hot Soul Songs". Billboard.
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