SHAZAM

British soulstress Des'ree caused little more than a ripple with her 1992 debut, Mind Adventures, but caught fire with her sophomore effort, I Ain't Movin', and the smash single "You Gotta Be." The uplifting song was a U.S. Top Five hit and best exemplified Des'ree's smooth blend of pop/R&B music and power-of-positive thinking lyrical style. Nothing else on I Ain't Movin' manages to endear itself quite as much, but it's hardly a washout. Des'ree possesses a pleasing vocal delivery and it serves her well on songs like the slinky, mid-tempo "Feel So High," the breezy "Little Child," the hypnotic groove of "Trip on Love," and the confessional title cut. Some of the lyrics are a bit half-baked and fail to achieve much depth and the production is a bit slick at times, but not enough to mar an otherwise satisfying release. ~ Tom Demalon, Rovi