Gordon's War.

Artist: Various
Title: Gordon’s War (Original Soundtrack)
Year: 1973
Label: Buddah
Format: Vinyl LP (Original)
Flwrpt Rating of this Record: 4.75/5.0

Review
Gordon’s War is one of the best blaxploitation action film soundtracks ever created. It’s the quintessential funk record of the 70′s. Wah-wah guitars, killer drum breaks, smooth grooves, all of these elements make for a great album…and the film-inspired instrumentation make for an amazing soundtrack. Each track tells a story through the music, just read the song titles…close your eyes, then listen. Every 70′s film had a classic “chase” scene, typically these scenes are accompanied by a funky upbeat tune to keep you at the edge of your seat…well this albums chase scene is called “Hot Wheels”, and it has to be one of the BEST pieces of funk that I’ve ever heard. Most of the record was created by a little-known studio group called “Badder Than Evil”, and I have to say, prior to this record I’ve never heard of them. They’re not really well-documented outside of the work they did for this particular soundtrack, but regardless, they did their thing! Enjoy…

Check out the sound!

Hot Wheels

• Play

Tell That Man to Go to Hell

• Play

Just Plain Luther

• Play

Harlem Dreams

• Play

Design
I really dig the lockup at the top. “Gordon’s War” typeset in Avant Garde Bold, with the words being separated by a black graphic of a Tommy Gun…with bullet holes randomly placed throughout the words, and even throughout the “featured artists” graphic on the left. All of these aspects are cool…but it doesn’t stop there, below is an illustration of Gordon (Paul Winfield), 9mm in hand, stomping on a heroin syringe! That’s an amazing image there…especially since the movie is about Gordon returning home from Vietnam, and cleaning up the drug scene in his neighborhood. But what puts it over the top is the cherrywine-colored tuxedo, pumped fist, and the big heel protruding forward (it’s simply just a dope perspective). Having this cover on white gives the whole thing more shape, and even a weird bit of a nice tension, having the headshot of Barbara Mason stuffed at the top right. Super cool cover.

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