Genre: funk
Rating: 3 stars ***
Title: Fresh
Company: Believe In a Dream
Catalog: FZ 39197
Year: 1984
Country/State: Washington, D.C.
Grade (cover/record): VG+ / VG+
Comments: still in shrink wrap (opened)
Available: 1
Catalog ID: 6465
Price: $9.00
Ever put on a record and known exactly what year it was recorded just by the sound ? Well, if not, try slapping this one on your turntable ... it literally screams mid-1980s. Needless to say, depending on your age and perspective, that may or may not be a good thing. So in the case of Ty Brunson's "Fresh" it'll depend on how you feel about mid-1980s funk complete with all of the ingredients - banks of synthesizers,, syndrums, pop bass, vocoders, etc... Anyhow, Ty Brunson's a local product, so my comments may be a bit biased ... as always, take them with a grain of salt.
Born and raised in Washington, D.C.. Brunson's first taste of recognition came as a member of Osiris Marsh's funk band Osiris/Osiris the Band. A more than decent late-1970s DC-based funk outfit, they were quite popular locally, but never enjoyed that breakout hit. As the band's bassist Brunson struck out on his own in 1980, subsequently signing a solo deal by the Columbia-distributed Believe In a Dream label.
Produced by Russell Timmons Jr., "Fresh" was Brunson's sophomore album. To be perfectly honest, it was far from the most original set you've ever heard. Musically the set offered up a mixture of Larry Graham-styled funk numbers ('Head Games') and conventional 'love man' ballads (''In Love with You'). Taken individually most of the seven tracks were actually pretty good, but the set's main downfall was the complete absence of originality. This was literally one of those albums where you spent the whole time thinking to yourself "that sounds like ..." Giving credit where due, Brunson had a nice voice (except when he tried to sound Jamaican ('Jet City') and was a decent bassist, though that talent was seldom spotlighted on the album.
- Opening up with an arsenal of 1980s sound effects, including some of the cheesiest synthesizers you've heard in a long time, syndrums, vocoders, banks of chirping female backing singers, 'Servo Go-Go' sounded like something out of the George Clinton funk family. A hardcore funk track, it was catchy enough, but felt like it had been built out of spare parts - steal a Bootsy Collins bass line here, borrow a P-Funk sound effect there ... rating: ** stars
- Showcasing Brunson's likeable voice, 'In Love with You' was a pedestrian old school ballad. Pretty enough, the track actually would have sound pretty good on top-40 radio. His label seemed to think the same, releasing the track as a promotion 12" single. rating: *** stars
- 'Head Games' found Brunson bouncing back to hardcore funk. Sounding like something out of Larry Graham's early catalog, the track was interesting for showcasing Brunson's pop bass skills, but even those were largely buried under the burping synthesizers. rating: *** stars
- A collaboration with singer Ethel Beatty, 'Don't Wanna Stop Lovin'' offered up the album's second ballad. Thanks to a nice vocal from Brunson, I actually liked this one better than 'In Love with You'. Unfortunately, the effect was largely trashed by Beatty who sounded like she was a 15 year old version of Minnie Ripperton. rating: ** stars
- Offering up a mixture of funk and jazz-rock moves, the instrumental 'Fresh' was probably the album's most interesting number. That probably explains why it was tapped as the lead-off single. For anyone interested, YouTube has a promotion video clip of the track. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3zoVdS9n78 rating: **** stars
- The album's weirdest track, 'Jet City' found Brunson trying out reggae ... nice try, but not a genre that was particularly suited for his skills set. rating: ** stars
- A pedestrian, formulaic slice of funk, 'At the Show' was basically DOA. rating: * star
There was certainly talent here, but you had to look long and hard to find it amongst all the wannabe influences.
As mentioned, the album was tapped for a couple of singles:
- 1984's 'Fresh' b/w 'Fresh (scratch mix)' (Believe In a Dream catalog number 4Z9 04951) # 22 (R&B)
- 1984's 'I'm In Love with You' b/w 'I'm In Love with You' (Believe In a Dream catalog number 4Z9 05007) 12" promo release
While the first single went top-40 on the R&B charts (Brunson's last chart success), the parent LP vanished without a trace.
"Fresh" track listing:
(side 1)
1.) Servo Go-Go (Tyrone Brunson) - 5:38
2.) In Love with You (Tyrone Brunson - M. Morgan) - 4:29
3.) Head Games (Tyrone Brunson) - 4:44
4.) Don't Wanna Stop Lovin' (L. Kirton - B. Eastmond) - 4:45
(side 2)
1.) Fresh (instrumental) (Tyrone Brunson - M. Bond - B. Eastmond) - 4:20
2.) Jet City (Tyrone Brunson) - 5:20
3.) At the Show (Tyrone Brunson - M. Bond) - 4:40
Brunson continued recording through the mid-1990s at which time he opted out of music, eventually turning his attention to teaching computer programming for the Chubb Institute.
