As the classic era of '70s funk came to a close, Johnny “Guitar” Watson re-energized his career with 1980’s Love Jones—which not only spawned the hit title song but included several of Watson’s most intriguing musical experiments. While Watson continued to roll out juicy funk grooves in the form of “Booty Ooty” and “Going Up in Smoke,” the rest of Love Jones showed him toying with the funk template rather than cloning it. “Close Encounters” is a woozy love song built on a samba rhythm, while “Children of the Universe” sounds like Watson’s idea of a Paul McCartney ballad. The loose, jazzy “Lone Ranger” shows that Watson was at his most creative when he was at his most casual, but the album also has moments of cohesion and concentration. “Telephone Bill” is one of Watson’s most original and enduring grooves; it's remained a favorite of hip-hop producers for more than 30 years. While the skewed electronic blues of “Funky Blues” defined Watson’s genius in the minds of much of the public, his originality is best displayed on “Jet Plane”: a weary, near-whispered lament that sounds like it was recorded just before Watson passed out.