First Thangs

First Thangs is a fascinating, dirt-under-the-fingernails look at Parliament before they became the polished, synth-heavy masters of the P-Funk universe. This is the sound of a band in a violent state of evolution, shedding their matching doo-wop suits for bell-bottoms and acid-soaked experimentation. It feels much closer to the heavy psychedelic rock of the early 70s than the disco-adjacent funk that would follow, characterized by Eddie Hazel’s blistering, distorted guitar work and a rhythm section that sounds like it’s trying to break the studio floor.