When
the Bar-Kays joined Mercury Records in 1976, they shifted musical styles slightly, veering away from the goofy yet funky soul instrumentals that defined their Stax singles and concentrating on loose, wild funk driven by fat basslines and whining synthesizers. Mercury's
The Best of Bar-Kays captures the majority of the highlights from their '70s recordings for the label. Over the course of 16 tracks, the compilation features the majority of their Top Ten R&B hits -- including "Shake Your Rump to the Funk," "Too Hot to Stop," "Move Your Boogie Body," and "Hit and Run" -- as well as several fine album tracks like "Freakshow on the Dance Floor," "Shut the Funk Up," and "Sexomatic," which illustrate the depth of the group's musical skills. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine