The O'Jays aren't shy about pairing their slick funk with their feelings about the world at large, declaring their intent on the rallying cry “Message In Our Music”. “Survival” lays a growled portrait of poverty over piping-hot bass; “Don't Call Me Brother” mixes tremulous strings and rich harmonies with a pointed demand for respect. The O'Jays' blend of the personal and the funky remains the ideal of soul music.