AMG Review of Funk on Fire: The Mercury Anthology

Andrew Hamilton
All Music Guide

One hour, 54 minutes, and 12 seconds of innovative funk on two discs is nothing to sneeze at, particularly when the tracks are prime Ohio Players cuts. Mercury adroitly chronicles their chart-blazing career with full-length, unedited versions of winners and album treats. From the bluesy, strutting "Jive Turkey" to "More Than Love," the group displays its superb musicianship and ingenuity on 28 slabs of funk and soul. The guys proved they can slow jam with anyone on "Together" and the super-lush "Honey." The Ohio Players were affectionately known as Sugarfoot, Billy, Pee Wee, Merv, Diamond, Rock, and Satch, all of whom contributed collectively in the writing and production of all the songs. Everyone is familiar with the hits, and most of their fans already have them; it's the unsung pearl like "Good Luck Charm" that makes Funk on Fire a must -- along with the convenience of having all these smokin' grooves in one sweet package.