Cameo

Released in 1986, Word Up! was the album that brought Cameo's robo-electro funk into the mainstream. The title cut is one of the great dancefloor jams of the decade, with its slamming drumbeat and singer Larry Blackmon's weirdo nasal delivery. Although Cameo never repeated the success of that song, they remain a major influence on the evolution of funk and hip-hop.

Larry Blackmon's a funny drummer, and I wouldn't say albums are something he just gets away with. But Vince Aletti named his column "The Single Life" after Blackmon's last significant effort for a reason. So buy the twelve-inch. And if you want more, wait for the best-of his current masterpiece makes inevitable. (Grade - B)