Amnesty
Amnesty was a funk band based in Indianapolis during the early 1970s. The group is known for its hard-hitting grooves and soaring vocal harmonies. Originally formed in 1968, Amnesty consisted of members who came together from another group called The Embers, including Kirk Alexander on drums and Rafael Barnes on percussion, among others.
Though their active career was relatively short-lived and they only released two obscure 45s, Amnesty has gained recognition over the years, particularly through a resurgence of interest in their music, culminating in the posthumous release of an album in 2010, which had been recorded in 1973 but remained shelved until then.
Amnesty remains a significant part of the funk genre's history, especially notable for their contributions to the Indianapolis music scene.
Their music, along with other never-before-released funk, has been celebrated by fans and is available for streaming on platforms like Amazon and Spotify.
Free Your Mind--The 700 West Sessions
A2 Love Fades
B1 Mister President
B2 Free Your Mind
C1 We Have Love
C2 Lord Help Me
C3 Three Cheers For My Baby
D1 Trouble Will Remain
D2 We've Come A Long Way
D3 Liberty
Label: Now-Again Records – NA5027
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 2007
Genre: R&B Funk, Soul
Style: Seventies Soul, Funk
In 1973 Amnesty recorded five hard, vocal funk numbers alongside some ballads and a handful of demos based around nothing more than guitar accompaniment. Only two songs were ever released; Amnesty’s biting, difficult-to-categorize prog/rock/soul/funk stretched far beyond Indianpolis’s bounds and the band didn’t have a label to take them to the next level. Finally made available thirty three years after they were recorded, these songs are funk arranged with dangerous complexity and performed with precision – arguably the most unique funk to originate from Naptown, and some of the best music of its kind.
Free Your Mind: The 700 West Sessions by Amnesty is a highly praised compilation of unearthed 1973 Indiana funk/soul, celebrated for its tight harmonies, intricate arrangements, and powerful political messages, blending influences from The Temptations, P-Funk, and Earth, Wind & Fire into a unique, "supergroovalistic" sound that fans of deep funk and psych-soul adore. Reviewers highlight tracks like "Can I Help You?" and "Lord Help Me" for their compelling grooves and potent socio-political lyrics, marking it as a lost gem of the era, finally appreciated decades later.
An album packed with psychedelic, progressive soul with strong vocal harmonies, reminiscent of The Temptations ("Ball of Confusion"), Funkadelic, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sly & The Family Stone, and Chicago. Features tight horns, wah-wah, intricate rhythms, and powerful percussion, creating intense, driving grooves.Politically charged, tackling societal issues with empathetic vocals and "right-on" messaging, fitting their name.
Standout Tracks: "Can I Help You?", "Lord Help Me," "Three Cheers for My Baby," and "Mister President" are frequently mentioned as highlights.
The album is a treasure discovered from the vaults, showcasing a band that blended rock fundamentals with soulful funk, deserving of wider recognition.
Critics and fans overwhelmingly recommend the album for its quality and historical significance, calling it "soul-tastic," "pure jazzed-up funk," and "unstoppable party music" that was "incessantly funky" and ahead of its time. It's considered essential listening for collectors and enthusiasts of 70s soul and funk.