Original Soundtrack - Dolemite / O.S.T. (CD)

All Music Guide

The early and mid'70s were littered with great soul/funk motion picture soundtracks (often credited to the blaxploitation film genre) Shaft, Superfly, and The Mack to name a few. And while the soundtrack to Dolemite is often not mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned classics, it has quite a bit in common with the others uptempo funk instrumentals, soul ballads, and a loud 'n' proud theme and/or title track. Never issued domestically on CD, the folks at the extreme metal label Relapse finally secured the rights to the Dolemite soundtrack in 2006, issuing an expanded version with seven bonus tracks. Quite a few of the tracks are instrumental, including the Sly Stoneesque funk bass workout "The Rumble" and the organled "Ghetto Expressions," as well as the uptempo title track (featuring vocals by Ben Taylor) and the expected mellow ballad (featuring Mary Love). One of the lost soundtracks of the '70s, the Dolemite soundtrack is sure to appeal to admirers of Pimps, Players, Private Eyes. The only complaint is a nonmusical one you can't see all the inadvertently hilarious appearances of boom mics in the screen shot by merely listening to the soundtrack.

- Greg Prato, All Music Guide