XII kicks off with a blast as Brian drops down into a style of funk music indigenous to the Washington, D.C., area known as Go-Go music with the party starter “Feelin’ It.”  To do it up right, he called upon the king of Go-Go, Chuck Brown, leader of the band the Soul Searchers who are world-renowned for the ’70s smash “Bustin’ Loose,” the song that put Go-Go on the map.  “Feelin’ It” features Chuck playing guitar and singing, and comedian Sinbad (a one-time drummer) adding live hi-hat, a rhythm guitar lick…and a lil’ “funny business.”  The result plays like a sequel to the song “Funkin’ Like My Father” that Brian cut with Bootsy Collins on Bringin’ Back The Funk. 

The instrumentals on XII hold just as many wonderful musical moments as well.  On the soft side is the Suzanne Ciani-like “Waiting For You.”  The origin of this dreamscape ironically stems from Brian’s longtime collaborator Stephen Lu coming up with the initial idea, demoing it and sending it to Brian to get his opinion–all while waiting on phone-hold with his insurance company (a most productive use of time).  Brian’s friend Sheldon Reynolds, along with his wife, layered their vocals on this to sound like a choir.  Sheldon, also a guitarist, additionally co-wrote “Forever,” which opens as a solo piano meditation then blossoms into a soaring rhapsody featuring churchy organ and a guitar solo by Michael Thompson.

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