How frustrating it is that one of the most vital and dynamic bands of the 1980s, the Time, broke up after only three albums. When the Time reunited in 1990 after a six-year absence from the studio, there was excitement as well as cautious optimism in the R&B world. The big question: Would the chemistry still be there? And the answer turned out to be a definite "yes." Humorous, inventive, and unapologetically funky, Pandemonium is an excellent party album that's every bit as strong as its three predecessors. Leader Morris Day is as amusing and confident as ever, and the distinctive unit still used the influence of George Clinton and mentor Prince to great artistic advantage. Those who savored the Time's three previous albums will find that on gems like "Chocolate," "Jerk Out," and the rock-influenced "Blondie" (a fine vehicle for Jesse Johnson's electric guitar), the old magic asserts itself without hesitation. This is a disc that no fan of the Minneapolis sound should be without.