Customer Reviews

Supercharged

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With reckless, raw energy and rhythm hurling towards you at the speed of a slide trombone in the Tower of Power horn section, SUPERCHARGED is Smooth Jazz with a nitrous injection. This is DTTB's 7th release to date and by far the most irresistible. That's a big claim given the fact that this is the group that gave us "Long Way From Brooklyn" and "Electra Glide," two format staples. SUPERCHARGED burns rubber off the starting line with the title track and let me tell you, it never stops for gas. The guys added three additional horns to the already sizzling non-stop, sax-o-matic playing by Paul "Shilts" Wiemar. Founding member Stuart Wade produced and arranged the stellar SUPERCHARGED. He's managed to capture the very essence of funk and soul. Think Sly & the Family Stone, Average White Band, Booker T. & The MGs and the aforementioned T.O.P. Special guests include Hil St. Soul on the feel-good groove "Smile to Shine," Royer Ayres on the slick joint "Electric Vibes," and Corrina Greyson on the contagious "Shake It Up." Eleven tracks that say summer... even in the middle of winter. This is unabashed, pure, unadulterated, thick and gooey F.U.N.K. There are a lot of choices out there with regard to music these days. Down To The Bone's SUPERCHARGED just made the whole decision process much easier for you... CD it or download it, but load it and load it soon, `cuz summer's here and you're about to get funked. ~SANDY SHORE

In their 7th studio release in 10 years, Down to the Bone's sound has evolved (devolved?) from their funky urban sound of the late `90s and is quite frankly starting to sound a little tired and worn out. There isn't really anything "supercharged" about this album, and coming on the heels of the decent but ultimately lackluster album Spread Love Like Wildfire in 2005, one has to honestly wonder whether Down to the Bone has much left in the tank. This isn't a bad album, and there are some great tracks (see list below), but the album just doesn't stand out much, particularly when compared to some of the group's earlier works. Perhaps they've been pumping out the albums a little too quickly.

Highlights include the title/lead track Supercharged, Parkside Shuffle, and Electric Vibes (featuring Roy Ayers on, you guessed it, vibes). Funkin' Around and Cosmic Fuzz are also worth a listen. The double-bass on Make it Funky is an absolute breath of fresh air - it single-handedly makes the track and is something that the group should consider utilizing more extensively in future albums. Shake It Up, featuring Corrina Greyson, sounds half a step slow, and does not cut it in my book. Hip City could've had some potential, but it sounds a half a step slow as well.

If you're a hardcore fan of Down to the Bone, you'll appreciate a couple of tracks on this album, but if you're a casual fan looking for a good place to start your collection, leave this one and pick up one of the group's first two albums instead.

This Review Copyrighted 2010 by J. Smith.

I have all of the cd's, and all my friends are big fans now also, this is
good with a lot of soul and lots of horns, which is good and a little
away from some of the others, but with that hard and fast beat that just keeps you taping your feet and moving around in your seat.Im glad there are more vocals on this one, I guess they took my advice from last time,?
if your looking for some feel good music that will keep a party moving and everyone dancing than this is the one just like all the rest of them.
its like I say' Down to the Bone is where the groves are to be found.

This is the new fantastic, great new album from the British contemporary Jazz Funk outfit.
"Supercharged" is the funkiest set to date.
Every track is a winner.
The title song is a full on Funk instrumental on which the horn section excel, as is the slower "Funkin' Around".
"Parkside Shuffle" is a mellower summer like groover (hints of Ramsey Lewis).
Hil St Soul adds her soulful voice to the Incognito like "Smile To Shine" wicked b-line!
Roy Ayers adds scat and vibes to the Jazz Funk stunner "Electric Vibes".
"Space Dust", "Make It Funky" and "Hip City" are fine instrumentals that fuse Jazz and Funk.
The horn and rhythm sections are cooking. Essential.
Prepare to have a great time !!!

I am pleased with this release. As the CD title suggests they took their sound and supercharged it. The arragnements are a little stronger, the electric guitar a little louder and the funk is still alive and well. This is great music to put on when you are hanging out with friends.

This is funk on steroids. It reminds me of the Maceo Parker/Fred Beasley style from the early 70's. There's no way you can listen to this and not groove. Good stuff.

As I said in my review of The Urban Grooves: Album II, this is the group that first piqued my interest in jazz and got me listening to some different kinds of music besides the steady diet of pop and rock that I had been on. And while this CD is quite good, I can't help getting the feeling that DTTB is still trying to duplicate the success of Urban Grooves. Some of the tunes sound vaguely like they are ripping off or imitating their own material, and at times, they seem to be straining to get that funky jazz sound they are known for. I still go back to this one regularly, but not as often as I do Urban Grooves. This is still worth having if you are funky jazz fan.

This is a good CD, but I thought The Best of Done to the Bone was better.

I WAS WONDERING IF THIS CD WAS GOING TO BE AS GOOD AS ALL OF DTTB'S OTHERS.IT IS GREAT!! I LOVE IT !! IF YOU LIKE JAMES BROWN & ROY AYERS, YOU GET AN EXTRA TREAT!!THE CD IS WONDERFUL!! THE MORE I PLAY IT, THE MORE I LIKE IT!! I HAVE SEEN THEM IN PERSON TWICE & KEEP WANTING TO GO BACK!! THEY DON'T BEGIN TO GET THE RECOGNITION THAT THEY DESERVE!!I LOVE THEIR MUSIC!!!DTTB is great in person!! I saw & heard them w/ a full band & they kept you rockin!! If you have a chance to see them live & don't, you are really missing the best!! Corrina Grayson is Great on Supercharged!!

I believe this to be another edition to the Down To The Bone collection I have. A great buy!