Yacht funk for the post-disco blues

For their fourth album, Rufus transformed from party-hearty funk rompers to purveyors of smooth, melancholy ‘70s sounds. String arrangements and dinnertime jazz accent the band’s angular bass notes, and the songs unfold at a midtempo pace that’ll soothe as it stirs. Lead singer Chaka Khan remains the best soul belter this side of Aretha Franklin, and she brings pathos to love songs like “Magic in Your Eyes,” the silky environmental number “Earth Song,” and the condemnatory “Hollywood,” making this an atypical but rewarding departure for the band.