Comments for Franklin, Aretha, Whos\\\'s Zoomin\\\' Who?

In my opinion, this one of the gems of Aretha Franklin`s catalogue, and her best release of the 1980s. Certainly, it was probably her most successful album in many years. And, it deserved to be: with spotless production by Narada Michael Walden, an exceptional and ecclectic collection of guests, powerful and wonderful songs, and Aretha`s timeless and deeply soulfully emotional vocals. She sounds fantastic, giving her all on dance/pop/R&B songs like the blockbuster "Freeway Of Love", and she manages to cross-over from modern R&B to mainstream pop with songs like "Another Night" (another big single), with great use of synthsesizers, as on the grooving number "Who`s Zoomin` Who". "Sweer Bitter Love", written by Van McCoy, is a welcoming return to the soul of the early 1960s yet remaining timeless. "Sisters Are..." is performed with the Eurythmics (Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart; Stewart produces) is a great feminist hard rock song, where both ladies do the duet fantastically. Aretha also tackles calypso on "Ain`t Nobody Ever Loved You" and dance/rock again with "Push", with Peter Wolf and a guitar solo by the legendary Carlos Santana. Aretha`s own composition "Integrity" is given a great, grooving setting, and she delivers this with as much power and heart as the rest of the songs. Clive Davis executive produces. Other guests include Mike Campbell (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers as well as a frequent songwriting partner to Stevie Nicks), Benmont Tench on organ, Clarence Clemons on sax, Walter Afanasieff (who discovered Mariah Carey), Randy Jackson, sax legend Dizzy Gillespie. She dedicates the album to her father Rev. C.L. Franklin (1915-1984). This album is a 1980s pop, rock, and modern R&B must.