Ever since "Celebrate" established Kool and the Gang as one of the premiere pop/ funk bands of all time, they've been out to smash the stereotype. They've admittedly done a remarkable job shifting the public's perception of them to more of a Top 40- oriented band, but like Madonna in her early videos, their roots are showing.

Love and Understanding is probably the funkiest Kool and the Gang record ever made, and that's largely due to the absence of the band's fluid vocalist James Taylor, who was added a few years later to provide the lead vocal that pushed them past War and P. Funk on the R+B charts. Instead, the record's vocals are shared or yelled by the band.

On this 1976 time bomb, Kool and the Gang are more in the pocket than ever before. The record is comprised almost entirely of bass and tight horns, and the keyboards and guitars pop forward in spurts for added exclamation. The title track, as a funk sequel to War's "Why Can't We Be Friends?" promotes world unity and oneness. "Universal Sound" is a jazzy jam that provokes a call- and- response segment with audience members. "Summer Madness" has a sonic whine that morphs octaves at a time. (DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince sampled it on their anthem "Summertime.")

It's interesting to hear Kool and the Gang sans James Taylor, as it becomes obvious what a valuable addition he was to the group, and where the band was coming from when JT was added to the line- up. Like flipping through an old family album, Love and Understanding provokes laughter, memories and good feelings. Of course, you can't dance to Kodak moments.

-Lang Whitaker