Parliament

Parliament and the Ohio Players were undoubtedly two of the leading forces of the '70s funk movement, so what better way to pay tribute to both bands than Winning Combinations: Parliament & Ohio Players, a budget-priced compilation that features five prime tracks from each band. With each group composing numerous standards for the genre, it's obviously impossible to include all the favorites from each group, but the selections that do make the cut are all exceptional, which makes the set a fine introduction to both bands. Although both groups were quite similar stylistically, Parliament comes off looser (and definitely a bit more lighthearted) -- as evidenced by such dancefloor essentials as "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)," "Flash Light," and "(I Wanna) Testify." The Ohio Players, on the other hand, were much tighter as a band, as evidenced by the taut grooves they create on such party anthems as "Love Rollercoaster," "Fopp," and "Skin Tight." Winning Combinations: Parliament & Ohio Players is certainly not a definitive best-of compilation for either band (many a stone is left unturned), but the ten-track collection definitely accomplishes what it sets out to do -- a short but sweet taster. ~ Greg Prato, All Music Guide