Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan

iTunes Review

Chaka Khan’s third album with Rufus proved that commercial and artistic success needed not be mutually exclusive. As the band perfected its blend of pop, funk and disco, they continued to retain a high caliber of songwriting and instrumentation. Chaka Khan’s importance to the band cannot be overstated. She gives every song soul and guts, and makes every performance utterly convincing. “Fool’s Paradise,” “Ooh I Like Your Loving” and “Circles” are brilliant productions that combine complex arrangements with Chaka’s vibrant vocals, while “Have a Good Time” and “Everybody Has an Aura” reprise the hard-hitting funk of the band’s early years. A reading of the Bee Gees’ “Jive Talkin’” shows Chaka’s ability to squeeze the sex from any song, but as a whole, the album is more of a showcase for her gentle side. “Little Boy Blue” is a poignant love note to a man lost in addiction, but the real showstopper is “Sweet Thing.” Over a slippery, minimalist guitar riff, Chaka offers the sweetest evocation of lovelorn delirium.