Although not his finest hour, Rules And Regulations is Rufus through and through. Lovely horns, which make the track, sit side by side with his relaxed vocals. The lyrics are nice, but nothing of the degree of his Want triumphs.
A simplistic addition to the song, and one beautifully endearing, is the recorder. Childlike and a far step away from his usual orchestral arrangements, it's a real focal point of the track. But however cute this single may be, it is not a patch on his previous releases. He is more of an album man and, alone, this song may seem a little two-dimensional.
It's still a wonderful song, but it doesn't show off his ability to write film-score and heart-wrenching big numbers with massive backing vocals and layer upon layer of intricate detail. The opening guitar sound is little too produced, but it will still be a hit among Rufus fans. It's a song that has its place among Release the Stars, but on its own, it's a bit bog-standard.
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