Search - Maceo Parker :: Funk Overload

Somebody slap me.

Y. Kim | Wauwatosa, WI USA | 06/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Maceo is a god. It's too bad he's not received the recognition that he deserves. Songs like "Elephant's Foot" and "Youth of the World" will get your feet moving. If not, you're dead. This is a great antidote to the rainy weather we get here."

Super Heavy Funk

05/09/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Funk Overload is a heavier departure from Maceo's previous '90s albums. The band is not only tight but the grooves "breathe" more heavily than when he recorded albums with Bill Stewart, Larry Goldings, etc. The choice of material is excellent - although some songs were written over 20 years ago, the band manages to sound contemporary. And Maceo's son, Corey Parker, does an excellent job of rapping in the first track. This is a highly recommended album from one of the finest saxophone players in modern music."

Funky, but... I give this one 3 1/2 stars.

Kevin Rienecker | Portland, OR USA | 05/22/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Where would James Brown be without Maceo Parker, and the rest of the Horny Horns?



The answer is that he'd probably still be James Brown. Unfortunately, Maceo's solo albums just don't have the sharp-tuned edge that highlights the best of his work with the Soulbrother #1, as evidenced here.



Don't get me wrong - Funk Overload has its share of funky tunes, and it grew on me after a few listenings. Half the songs are right up there - the remake of Rufus's classic Tell Me Something Good is nice and tight, Children of the World has a great highlight chorus that'll set your bootie groovin', and Do You Love Me goes right along with the slick cover of Sly Stone's Sing a Simple Song.



And then, the flip side. The rapped lyrics on a couple traks are so groaningly weak they're all but unlistenable, especially on the lame Let's Get it On. Elephant's Foot is a cute tune, but sounds like it belongs on another album altogether (A kid's disc? Maybe Maceo was trying to pull in that coveted 5 to 10 year old crowd, tossing it in with the above-mentioned Children of the World).



Anyway, this is a mixed bag, with one or two clunky stinkers mixed in with the funky gems. So instead of buying the album new and spending fifteen or sixteen bucks, save some cash and listen to the song samples, then buy a cheap used copy from Amazon Marketplace, or if you're really picky, download the songs you like from iTunes or wherever."