Thermonuclear Sweat is an album by the American musical group Defunkt.[2][3] It was released in 1982 via Hannibal Records.[4][5] The group broke up after the release of the album, reforming in 1986.[6]
| Thermonuclear Sweat | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1982 | |||
| Studio | Olympic Studios, London; Vanguard and Electric Lady, NYC | |||
| Genre | Jazz, funk, punk[1] | |||
| Label | Hannibal | |||
| Producer | Joe Boyd | |||
| Defunkt chronology | ||||
| ||||
Production
editThe album was produced by Joe Boyd.[7] Aside from the leader and trombonist Joseph Bowie, the guitar player Kelvyn Bell was the only other member who had played on the debut.[8] Vernon Reid played guitar on six of the album's tracks.[9] "Big Bird (Au Private)" is a tribute to Charlie Parker.[10]
Critical reception
edit| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [11] |
| Robert Christgau | B+[12] |
| The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | [4] |
| MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide | [9] |
The Washington Post wrote: "As a dance band, Defunkt is best at break-neck rhythms—'Illusion', the tongue-in- cheek, feet-firmly-in-the-groove 'Avoid the Funk', and the boppish escapade and tribute to Charlie Parker, 'Big Bird (Au Private)' on which the band's jazz roots are well displayed."[1] Trouser Press called the album "sweeter-sounding and jazzier" than the group's debut.[13]
Robert Christgau lamented that the group's cover of "For the Love of Money" "sounds like slumming, especially from a guy who couldn't outsing Kenny Gamble in the shower."[12] The New York Times thought that "when this band plays funk, it plays hard, dance-floor funk, with a cavalier disregard for the pop sweetening most funk bands add to their records in order to get radio play and hits."[8]
Reviewing the reissue that paired Thermonuclear Sweat with the debut, The Independent called the albums "groundbreaking" and among the 1980s' "alternative essentials."[6]
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Illusion" | 5:33 |
| 2. | "I Tried to Live Alone" | 5:08 |
| 3. | "Cocktail Hour (Blue Bossa)" | 3:26 |
| 4. | "Ooh Baby" | 6:05 |
| 5. | "Avoid the Funk" | 4:26 |
| 6. | "Big Bird (Au Private)" | 2:07 |
| 7. | "For the Love of Money" | 5:54 |
| 8. | "Believing in Love" | 7:14 |
References
edit- ^ a b "The Defunkt Power Trip". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ "Defunkt Biography & History". AllMusic.
- ^ Vincent, Rickey (November 4, 2014). Funk: The Music, The People, and The Rhythm of The One. St. Martin's Publishing Group. ISBN 9781466884526.
- ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 2. MUZE. pp. 828–829.
- ^ Thompson, Dave (August 7, 2001). Funk. Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 9780879306298.
- ^ a b "Cult Classics". Books. The Independent. 30 Nov 2007. p. 12.
- ^ The Encyclopedia of Record Producers. Billboard Books. 1999. p. 84.
- ^ a b Palmer, Robert (22 Sep 1982). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. p. C21.
- ^ a b MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 159.
- ^ Denselow, Robin (11 Jun 1982). "Dancing man". Arts. The Guardian. p. 10.
- ^ "Thermonuclear Sweat". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Defunkt". Robert Christgau.
- ^ "Defunkt". Trouser Press. Retrieved 7 August 2021.