| clubs by night | clubs directory | bands in town | reviews and features | concerts | hot links |

** LISA STANSFIELD

(Arista)

Continuing her predilection for the sentimentalism in 1970s slick soul music, Stansfield sings Barry White's "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up" as well as "Never Gonna Fall" and "The Real Thing," two pillow-soft glad-songs in which she fully commands the soft-sigh style that was White's emblem. White's style is ideal for his young admirer's cutely mannered voice. Her contralto dances up and around the music, lightly on the melody, lazy to the rhythm, as comfortable in her not-quite-overblown suavity as White was when acting the burly but ever-loving gentleman.

Unfortunately, Stansfield hasn't chosen to apply this aptness for White's music to the entire CD. Think of it: instead of 16 songs that range over drab funk ("The Line"), faux country ("I'm Leavin' "), and surfacy show tunes ("Don't Cry for Me"), we could have had a single-minded set titled Lisa Stansfield Sings Barry White, in which Stansfield the disco child revives the master's hits. Maybe next time.

-- Michael Freedberg