1972 WL promo Bill Moss & The Celestials “Bill Moss - The Boss” on Westbound

I mean, if it’s on Westbound it’s not gonna be straight gospel over at the house Funkadelic built. While Bill names himself twice in this title, it’s really the scorching backing/side vocals of Essie Moss that makes it a banger’s banger. Essie’s “Amen” could strip paint off an engine block in a way that gives me just the right chills. Together they have a really lovely, if not quite blood, harmony. This action is easily in the Ike and Tina realm, and when I listen to records like this, I always think, “Wait, Sonny & Cher had a career?” The backing band is tight as a slice of lemon pie, and are completely on point, respectful but brimming with potential funk. For a religious man, Bill rocks tinted shades, an immaculate manicure, a mischievous goatee, and a suede jumpsuit that would put Barry White to shame. One suspects Bill was in the market for more than just a dollar in the donation basket from some of his sleeker flock. In any case, this album rules, one of the weirder ones on the label that Parliament built, and so much the better. Oh yea.