The poor man's Bootsy Collins, Captain Sky channels the sprawling cosmic-funk consciousness of Parliament-Funkadelic to create a slicker, more commercial version of their pioneering sound. His sophomore LP, Pop Goes the Captain, is like a paint-by-numbers copy of a George Clinton production, mirroring the maestro's deep grooves, far-out lyrics, and extraterrestrial arrangements but boasting none of the gonzo creativity that makes P-Funk so sublime. The album even fails to maintain the energy level established on the previous The Adventures of Captain Sky, settling instead for tepid ballads and syrupy slow jams. He may be a captain, but the only way he's getting a ride on the P-Funk mothership is by stowing away in the cargo hold.