Never Too Much

Luther Vandross’ reign as one of R&B’s leading lights begins here with his storming debut album, which showcases his rough yet tender croon on smartly appointed songs, from the bouncing funk bassline of “I’ve Been Working” to the flinty Quiet Storm entreaty of “Don’t You Know That?” The besotted title track and the gently funky “Sugar and Spice (I Found Me a Girl)” pop with bravado, while the wrenching cover of “A House Is Not a Home” places him among pop’s balladeer elite.