BOBBY EARL WILLIAMS

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Review by Jason Ankeny (Allmusic)

The cliché says that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but few muster the sincerity of Bobby Williams -- a James Brown acolyte with a style and energy comparable to the Godfather himself, Williams transcends his faux-funk origins with grooves that are undeniably genuine. His second LP, 1976's Anybody Can Be a Nobody..., moves past the low-budget grit of his debut Funky Superfly with a sound evoking the silky-smooth sensibilities of Miami funk -- Williams is more of a singer than a shouter this time around, and while some listeners may miss the gutbucket grooves of his previous disc, the record's maturation and sophistication are convincing.