Wild And Peaceful

Kool & the Gang's fourth studio album was the band's commercial breakout, landing three singles on the Top 40 charts. While two of those tunes, "Funky Stuff" and "Hollywood Swinging", may be best remembered by hardcore fans of old-school funk, the third was the immortal "Jungle Boogie". One of the canonical 1970s funk singles, up there with the best work by Parliament and Barry White, "Jungle Boogie" is a horn-led, jazz-tinged workout with an irresistible beat and a joyous party atmosphere. The rest of the album is nearly as good, culminating in the extended title track, an almost-10-minute hard-fusion jam that will surprise listeners who only know Kool & the Gang's later, more pop-oriented hits. WILD AND PEACEFUL is the balance point between the chart-savvy "Ladies Night" era and Kool & the Gang's wilder early days.

Q (8/96, p.137)
- 4 Stars - Excellent - "...their 70's masterpiece, home of the rightly ubiquitous `Funky Stuff'...and `Jungle Boogie'..."