Bill Cosby's vocal albums are an eccentric and self-indulgent lot at best, more notable for the efforts of the
Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band than
Cos' tongue-in-cheek attempts at singing.
Silver Throat is a particularly strange entry, eschewing the funk sensibilities of other Cosby records in favor of a gritty, blues-inspired approach that doesn't really work with the comedian's limited range. Songs like
Willie Dixon's "Big Boss Man" and
Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman" are presented in fairly straightforward renditions, but
Cosby deliberately mucks with the lyrics to varying degrees of comedic success -- most impressive is "Lil Ole Man," a wry narrative recited over a backing track that essentially recapitulates
Stevie Wonder's classic "Uptight (Everything Is Alright)." ~ Jason Ankeny