Kevin Warwick, Reader associate editor
The Counts, Funk Pump This 1974 funk record sits right in the sweet spot of the decade, when a band could be cosmic enough to levitate but not shoot off into outer space with George Clinton and company—and prior to the late-70s disco deluge, when every album had at minimum two tracks of glitzy symphonic decadence. The Counts relocated from Detroit to Atlanta (and Aware Records) after hometown label Westbound, which released their debut, went all-in on Funkadelic and the Ohio Players. Funk Pump‘s deepest cut: “Magic Ride.”
Miranda Winters, Melkbelly guitarist and vocalist
Sparks, Kimono My House Even when it’s 362 days away, I like to think about who my band will be for Halloween, and lately the answer has been Sparks. Right now I’m in love with their third album, 1974’s Kimono My House, because Russell Mael has a lyrical cadence to die for. Getting tongue-tied along with this complex pop record is one of the more satisfying parts of my day.
William Keihn As a visual artist, I get incredibly excited by other artists who produce unique experiences through visuals and layering. Southern California-based William Keihn has done a lot of work for bands, but I’m most fascinated by his Hate Expo series—taking ordinary show info and flipping it to create a dialogue that I feel is necessary in the frustrating “music and art” world. Humor and irony in art is crucial.
