When it comes to this blog, I try my damnedest to keep things in chronological order. But since I’m often adding old and even older albums to my collection, that’s not always feasible. Take, for instance, my journey through Whodini’s catalog, which has been all over the place. I remember hearing Whodini’s music on the radio, blaring through my older siblings’ stereo speakers, and on music video shows throughout the eighties. But the first Whodini album I purchased was a used CD copy of their third release, Back In Black, sometime in the mid-2000s. Five years ago or so, I would discover a used vinyl copy of their self-titled debut album, and a couple of years later, I’d stumble upon a used CD copy of their fifth release, Bag-A-Trix. About six months ago, while perusing the used vinyl bins at one of my favorite record stores (shout out to Cheapos!), I came across Whodini’s sophomore effort and the subject of today’s post, Escape.

Whodini’s entire eponymous debut album was recorded in Europe (one part at Battery Studios in London, UK, the other part at Can Studios in Weilerswist, Germany) and produced by Thomas Dolby, Conny Plank, and the production team, who curiously called themselves the Willesden Dodgers (comprised of Nigel Green, Richard Jon Smith, and Pete Q. Harris). For Escape, Whodini would return to Battery Studios to record the entire album, but this time around, they would put the production keys solely in the hands of Larry Smith, who had just finished producing Run DMC’s landmark debut album, which dropped seven months before Escape’s release and was well on his way to becoming hip-hop’s first super producer. Escape would produce four singles, climb to thirty-five on the Billboard Top 200, and earn Whodini their first gold certification (it would reach platinum status a few years later). Escape would also be the second consecutive Whodini album to disrespectfully omit the third member and group deejay, Grandmaster D, from the album cover. Bastards.

While we celebrate the fiftieth birthday of hip-hop, I would like to thank John “Ecstasy” Fletcher for his contribution to this great genre. Continue to rest easy.

Five Minutes Of Funk – Escape begins with Jalil and Ecstasy mixing boasts with party rhymes, while Larry Smith blends synth horns with lurking ominous melodic chords and a monster bass line, resulting in a five-minute funk masterpiece (a courtesy computer-voiced host kindly counts down the song each minute of the way). I remember this song from way back, and nearly forty years later, it sounds just as great as I remembered it.

Freaks Come Out At Night – This was the second single released from Escape. Ecstasy and Jalil discuss and describe the freaks that roam the New York City streets and clubs, excuse me, discos after the sun goes down. Beware of this colorful-haired, tightly clothed, one glove-wearing bunch, who, according to Ecstasy, also make for “real good lovers.” Whodini’s playful case study is backed by Mr. Smith’s cool funk groove. All the “hut-hut” adlibs during the hook and tail end of the track were kind of weird (maybe they were trying to draw the beat offside?), but not weird enough to distract from the undeniable classicness of this record.

Featuring Grandmaster Dee – Don’t let the song title fool you. This ain’t nothing but the instrumental version of “Five Minutes Of Funk.”

Big Mouth – This was the third single released from Escape. Whodini dedicates this one to all those people who love to spread lies, rumors, and your business: “They call you Mouth Almighty, tongue everlastin’, you ain’t satisfied unless somethin’s happenin’, you don’t have to be there no more than a minute, but you always got to have your two cents in it, so to all you big mouths, this jam’s for you, somethin’ else you could run and go tell your crew.” Jalil and Ecstasy’s relatable commentary has held up much better than the vacant instrumental that backs it.

Escape (I Need A Break) – If you’re listening to Escape on vinyl, this title track (which was also the fourth and final single) marks the beginning of side two. Jalil uses the first two verses to vent, addressing his frustrations with his job (that he’s been working at for three years without a vacation, and he hi-lariously claims, “Until I got this job, I never used to curse”), his friends, and girlfriend (“She wants diamonds, furs, and now she wants kids, but what she needs is somewhere else to live”), yearning to get away from it all. Ecstasy, being the good friend that he is, offers his partner some great practical advice on the song’s final verse: find a new job, leave your girl, and immerse yourself in the music. Larry Smith backs the duo’s well-executed mental health message with an energized bass line and strong chord progressions to fill out the instrumental. Well done, fellas.

Friends – This was the second single released from Escape and is arguably the biggest hit in Whodini’s catalog. Whodini addresses the importance of having quality friends and gives a few examples of inferior ones. More impressive than Jalil and Ecstasy’s content is Larry Smith’s monster synth backdrop that has stood Teflon strong through time, so much so that the Trackmasters would rework it twelve years later for Nas’ hit record, “If I Ruled The World (Imagine That).” This is a certified classic and the older I get, the more the message resonates.

Out Of Control – A decent instrumental track with a few dramatic musical stabs, wild drum breaks, discreet harmony, and a reoccurring dialogue between the trio trying to escape from some unidentified place. I could hear this working for a scene in Beverly Hills Cop, which coincidentally also came out in 1984.

We Are Whodini – Just in case you listened to the entire album and still didn’t realize who you were listening to, Whodini reminds you on the album’s closing track. The repetitive talk box voice repeating the song title during the verses and the hook from the beginning to the end of the record is mildly annoying, but Mr. Smith’s borderline cheesy instrumental grows on you with each listen. During the final verse, Ecstasy proclaims Whodini as the “Pied Pipers of the 1980s,” and he and Jalil’s swag and confident boasts live up to that title on this record.

I’ll be honest with y’all. I find many of the early eighties hip-hop records hard to listen to, which I’m sure has everything to do with my coming of hip-hop age during the late eighties and early nineties. Some of the elementary rhymes and overly simplistic deliveries used during that era are almost cringe-worthy today, but an even bigger issue I have with many of the records from that era is the production. Before sampling became the backbone and bloodline of hip-hop music, many early records relied heavily on basic drum machine beats and amateurish keyboard chords to create the soundscape. Unfortunately, many of these records have aged poorly and now sound scarce, empty, and cheesy. I’m not shittin’ on the pioneers of this revolutionary musical genre that was created with ingenuity and limited resources. The Tesla would not be a possibility without first the creation of the Model-T, but I’ll be dammed if I’m caught driving one of those prehistoric tin cans on wheels. On the other hand, some classic cars have stood the test of time: the Ford Mustang, Chevy Corvette, Dodge Charger, ’64 Chevy Impala, and the Porsche 911. Likewise, some early eighties hip-hop records have aged well, like Escape.

Whodini has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to layered musical schemes, dating back to their 1983 self-titled debut album. That tradition continues on Escape, as Larry Smith maestro’s a batch of quality synth instrumentals that competently merge melodious with minimalism. Ecstasy and Jalil complement the production well, as they confidently and charismatically navigate through the instrumentals with refreshing content and commentary, finding the perfect balance of silly and serious. While Whodini had a few dope records, all eight tracks on Escape are solid at minimum, and at least three of them are nuke bombs (“5 Minutes Of Funk,” “Freaks Come Out At Night,” and “Friends”) that would cause just as much destruction if thrown on today as they did damn nearly forty years ago.

I’ve now listened to four of Whodini’s six albums, and without ever hearing Open Sesame or Six, I’m willing to proclaim Escape as Whodini’s finest hour. It is the audio equivalent of the Mustang. Corvette. Charger. ’64 Impala. Porsche 911. It’s a fine bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon that has aged well and tastes deliciously smooth today. Cheers!

-Deedub

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