Mass Production

With Mass Production already well established as one of the era's preeminent disco/funk aggregations, the band coasted through the very end of the 1970s and into the early '80s with ease. Returning in spring 1981 with Turn up the Music, the band was more than prepared to capture the magic of their "Firecracker" heyday, this time with a slight sonic update. Powering through a set which combined the best funk and disco elements they possessed, they added a new wave ethic that brought them well into a new era. The overall album received only moderate success, but the band was duly rewarded with another R&B Top 40 single thanks to the peppy title track -- a song which seamlessly fused traditional funk via the vocals and outstanding bassline with squelchy '80s urban wave. And while they were able to repeat the performance on the closer, "Clinch Quencher," it was only the horn-heavy "I Got to Have Your Love" that even approached "Turn up the Music"'s verve. Elsewhere, the band filled remaining gaps with several unencumbered ballads, including "Diamond Chips," which features smoky vocals from Agnes Kelly. While it's true that Mass Production had passed their golden era by this time, they were still able to pull out the stops, if only temporarily, to thrill their fans. Probably best appreciated by the die-hard collector, Turn up the Music still yields a handful of groovers good enough for the casual aficionado. ~ Amy Hanson, All Music Guide