Various | G.I. Funk |Payback | Vietnam

At first glance, G.I. Funk seems to compile varyingly funky tacks by U.S. and South Vietnamese groups, the only problem being the scant and juvenile liner notes, which are so lame that even their blatant racism and sexism fail to scandalize. A few samples:

"...a tune that magically transports you to an exotic Saigon strip joint, you'll love this one long time."

"Do you remember how those Oriental boys were on Space Invaders at the arcade? Well, they pick up funk quick too."

"This all-girl band... looked so hot for their time. I bet some G.I.'s had slipped them one."

After I stopped wondering what poor retard wrote that crap, it dawned on me that the entire CD might be a weapon of mass deception. The idea that wartime Saigon strip clubs and brothels were not only hiring funk bands, but sending them to recording studios is, after all, absurd. Two of the best tracks feature the koto, which is Japanese, not Vietnamese. OK, whatever--the real problem is that though the koto cuts are obviously by the same band at the same recording session, they are attributed to two different acts--Tali Bong and Fuka Vincente. When I googled Tali Bong for a veracity check, I found out that I'm not the first to think G.I. Funk is an "exercise in misdirection."

Having said all that, I'm still grateful to mysterious Round Eye who put this set together. Another day without knowing the opiate pleasures of The Travellers' "Slow Soul" would have been a day too many. Sure, that may not be the right name or song title, but the track's a Mao Sound classic--wooden gamelan, sporadic percussive mortar fire and spaghetti western whistling set to a slinky backbeat. The other gem is a cut from the soundtrack of Bruce Lee's The Big Boss (a.k.a. Fists of Fury). If you're the retro Asian instrumental junky I am, these numbers plus the koto tracks make this a must-buy.

Otherwise, unless you really want to hear a U.S. Army cover band redo the Average White Band's "School Boy Crush," you'll love this one short time at best.