Released: November 1980
Hold on… one minute…
*walks over to the window, opens it up*
SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIT!!!!
After so many years of flirting with a really good album, Patrice Rushen finally does the damn thing. And she does it with a stylistic variety not seen on her previous LPs. Those old albums weren’t monoliths by any means, but she goes all out on Posh.
We have the jazzy. We have the funky. We have the disco. We have the pop. We’ve seen all that. Now she adds some rock, some classical, some opera, some gospel. It doesn’t always succeed to perfection, but it’s ambitious. And it’s goooood.
DANCIN’ SONGS
Let’s get right to the meal ticket song: “Don't Blame Me”. This some top shelf disco-funk right here. The rhythm guitar is killer right from the get go. The drums and bass lock in to a powerful groove that is precisely On The One. Rushen puts on one of her absolute best keyboard solos here too. Just some fantastic work all around.
Never fear there’s more great stuff!
“Look Up!” is one of the best Earth, Wind & Fire rip offs you’ll ever find. From the optimistic lyrics to the festive horns to the falsetto hook, it’s pure essence of uptempo EWF.
Who wants Yacht Rock? You get it in “Time Will Tell”, which is Rushen’s first foray into anything resembling rock & roll. Not the best song here, but she doesn’t embarrass herself either, especially in the last minute when the song combines the rock feel with super slippery funk bass licks as it grooves on out.
“Never Gonna Give Ya Up” actually kicks the album off in grand style with punching horn stabs. Another excellent workout of disco-funk this time of the more festive variety than the brooding “Don’t Blame Me”.
“The Funk Won't Let You Down”. Yes, indeed it will not. Should note this is basically an instrumental. Sure there are technically lyrics, but I never pay attention to them. Just all about the chant and the beat. Not a complaint, just a delightful note.
LOVIN’ SONGS
Patrice even raises up the standard of her ballads as they finally reach consistent goodness and even hit greatness at times. The great lyrics were always there but now she has the music to go along with them.
“I Need Your Love” has a stately trumpet solo matching the optimistically somber feel of Rushen’s ballad. “The Dream” does the same thing, but operates with an eye even more towards the whimsical as it relies on a flood of strings.
On the album closer, Rushen’s delicate voice starts things out, but then she turns “This Is All I Really Know” over to the backing vocalists who sing as if they’re in church. Particularly guest vocalist Lynn Davis shines as she ad libs with some soulful force.
ALBUM GRADE: B+
After five albums, Patrice finally gets that magic flowing!
Too bad the album somewhat flopped commercially: #23 on the R&B side and #71 on the pop album charts.
And the singles didn’t do much better. “Look Up!” reached #13 R&B and “Never Gonna Give You Up” was #30 R&B. HOWEVER, the clubs ate the songs up. Featured as a dual-track on the dance floors, the songs reached #2 on the disco charts.
On her next album, Patrice Rushen would manage to finally merge artistic success with commercial success. However, I do think Posh is from start to finish the best album she ever made.
Song Scores
Never Gonna Give You Up (Won't Let You Be): 8/10
Don't Blame Me: 9/10
Look Up!: 8/10
I Need Your Love: 7.5/10
Time Will Tell: 7/10
The Dream: 7/10
The Funk Won't Let You Down: 7/10
This Is All I Really Know: 8/10