Universal Robot Band were the ’70 and ’80s funky disco of the team of Leroy Burgess, Greg Carmichael (of Red Greg Records—consistent sign of weird quality) and monumentally influential squiggly keyboard genius producer Patrick Adams. "Barely Breaking Even" is possibly their finest moment—and maybe their most expensive—an early ’80s track about the perils of being broke. There is something about being poor that makes people want to party. The singer clarifies that he's not a "pauper," but it doesn't make hard times any lighter. It does make them way funkier—check the crazy conga breaks with the cowbell flair. This 13-minute extended club version has never been heard before now, and is being released as part of a collection of legendary disco producer John Morales' mixes for disco stalwart Sal Soul, amongst others. Dude was busy. This track is a total anthem, as is the rest of his catalog, giant collection of diva- enabling songs that are just as good in front of the mirror as they at a club—not to mention just as good in 2009 as they were in 1980.
Download: Universal Robot Band, "Barely Breaking Even (Club Version)"