Instant Funk

The Best of Instant Funk is a far better Instant Funk compilation than the 1996 issue Greatest Hits on Capitol, which was essentially a fleshed-out version of Instant Funk, the mother album of "I Got My Mind Made Up (You Can Get It Girl)," the group's only real hit. At 13 tracks, this spinner contains three more cuts than the Capital CD and the jams cover a wider time frame. The band always suffers from indifferent mixes; no doubt their waxings sounded like dragon slayers in the studio, but that essence didn't transfer well (of many tunes) to vinyl but does come to life in CD format. Stylewise, Instant Funk was too funky for pure disco-ites, too eclectic for urban radio tuners, and didn't place enough emphasis on the dominant one beat to interest hardcore funk fans. The baker's dozen include the pulsating, pumping nine-minute and 49-second 12" mix of "I've Got My Mind Up," "Slap, Slap Lickedy Lap," "Wide World of Sports," and "Slam Dunk the Funk." ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide