Album of the Day

Ohio was a hotbed of funk in the '70s and '80s, and Zapp was one of Dayton's great contributions to the music. Built around the four Troutman brothers, the group signed to Warner Bros., releasing a string of albums for the label that concluded with ZAPP V, released 30 years ago this week. Also known as ZAPP VIBE, the collection was produced by frontman Roger Troutman, who had by then seen some solo success and whose trademark talk box is all over this set – most obviously on “I Play the Talk Box.” Other electro-funk favorites here include “Ain't the Thing to Do,” “Been This Way Before” and a cover of “Ooh Baby Baby” that gives the Smokey Robinson classic a whole new groove. The band's final studio album before Roger's untimely death, ZAPP V still provides plenty of bounce to the ounce.