Treating
Parliament as a singles band isn't entirely fair, since many of their greatest moments came when they pushed the boundaries of funk and soul to their limits. However,
George Clinton's vision was often so sprawling that it was often best articulated as individual tracks within the studio, which is what makes
Greatest Hits (The Bomb) such an effective record. Concentrating solely on
Parliament's singles actually illustrates the depth of their vision and influence, since there are no half-baked ideas surrounding these ten stunning songs ("Up for the Down Stroke," "Chocolate City," "Give Up the Funk," "Bop Gun," "Flash Light," "Aqua Boogie"). Of course, their individual albums remain worthy, occasionally essential listening, but as an introduction,
Greatest Hits does its job effectively, and for some casual fans, it may be all the
Parliament they'll ever need. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine