*** 1/2 THE TIME “Pandemonium” <i> Paisley Park/Reprise</i> :<i> Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to five (a classic). : </i>

Billed as “the return of the magnificent seven,” this reunion album from the Twin Cities funk-rock fusionaries almost lives up to such hype-hopes. And why not? The main reason the group broke up was that there were simply too many talented people in it--among them singer Morris Day, who went on to have several solo hits, and keyboardist Jimmy Jam and bassist Terry Lewis, who became a mega-platinum production team.

Anyway, they’re all back for this flipped disc, and if they don’t really add too much new to their signature sound, well it’s only because ‘twas all so plu-bleepin’-perfect in the first place.

The single “Jerk Out” and the title track are super-fine examples, with Day jes’ talkin’ trash. Scheming, flattering, transparent trash. Sexy, funny, endlessly tongue-in-cheek trash.

Mean-wild, back at the raunch, the band plays its collective bootissimus maximus off. While “It’s Your World” comes straight from the all-night funkadelicatessen with a message of self-determination, “Blondie” and especially the cast-iron “Skillet” rawk! the listener gently, gently with a chain saw. All of which proves there’s no Time like the right Time, and, baby, the right Time is here ‘n’ now .