In my 2009 Go-Go Awards I gave TOB the distinction of Best Up and Coming Band for the past year. This award was given to them on their constant improvement throughout the years and significant progression. Recently I had the opportunity to listen to their first CD release since this award.

Whenever I listen to TOB I have to forget about the Backyards, UCBs, and W.H.A.T.?s of the go-go world and take this band for what it is: a strictly bounce beat band. Over the course of last year I’ve seen TOB expand their repertoire and improve on their arsenal. I’m not sure how much of that I saw on this CD. This CD included an R&B cover (Drake & Lloyd – “A Night Off”) like previous CDs but I was disappointed that there was no pocket. Instead the band went straight into bounce beat immediately after the first song.

(Insert TOB – A Night Off)

TOB also hit two other covers that I’ll distinguish as “bounce covers.” This newly created term (created by me just now) describes the practice many gogo bands do. Bounce covers take an existing R&B/Hip Hop song and make it into a bounce beat go-go song. On the 2010 Takeover TOB makes a bounce cover for Kanye West, Jamie Foxx, & Twista – “Slow Jamz” and Chris Brown – “Transform Ya.” While both songs cranked by basic bounce beat standards, neither really seemed to stand out or show any growth in the band.

(Insert TOB – Transformers)

TOB closes out the CD by hitting some of their recent hits “Sexual Healing,” “Clapping Song, and “Break Up.” All of these songs sound as good as they usually do when TOB hits them. Unfortunately this isn’t necessarily a good thing. For a band in TOB’s stage, still finding their distinctive sound and seeking constant improvement, I was hoping to hear some new twists on these songs and was disappointed.

TOB 2010 Takeover is a solid bounce beat CD. I was hoping it would help set the stage for another big year by this young band and a showcase the advancements I heard through previous CDs, unfortunately it did not.