When
Brass Construction 5 came out in 1979, one greeted the LP with skepticism. 1977's
Brass Construction III was very uneven, and 1978's disappointing, uninspired
Brass Construction IV was the funk-disco outfit's weakest album ever. So people didn't have very high hopes for
Brass Construction's fifth album. But Randy Muller and his associates pleasantly surprised their fans with this enjoyable LP, which finds them sounding revitalized. A definite improvement over
Brass Construction IV, this 1979 release boasts some of the combo's most infectious grooves since
Brass Construction II. If
Brass Construction's decline in 1977 and 1978 had caused you to lose faith in the band, confident jams like "Get Up to Get Down," "It's Alright," and "Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing" made it clear that it wasn't time to give up on Muller and company just yet. As enjoyable as
Brass Construction 5 is, the album falls short of essential and isn't quite in a class with
Brass Construction or
Brass Construction II. Nonetheless, it's a likable record that restored many listeners' faith in
Brass Construction. ~ Alex Henderson