Sex Machine
After the legendaryLive at the Apolloand the even betterLove Power Peace: Live at the Olympia, James Brown could be forgiven if this 1970 live set disappoints. But this is Brother James, so skip the forgiveness.Sex Machineis the bomb, capturing a thrilling moment in Brown's funky revolution. The disc features 12 hot and sweaty, and sometimes slinky, live cuts recorded with the James Brown Band in 1969, plus three more studio jams (including a 10-minute title track) with his next band, the great JB's. "Can I get into it?" James shouts at the top. Oh man--does he even have to ask?--David Cantwell