Babyface

Softly, cornily, oh so subtly, Kenny Edmonds hangs real songs off the big pop statement new jack pretenders pretend to. Playing a woman-loving, male-proud guy with ordinary domestic problems, pressing romantic emotions, and infinite sexual patience, he remains alive to black achievement and black pain--you think he doesn't know what it signifies when he runs the elegant "All Day Thinkin'" off hip-hop shading and the Ebonic "be"? Deploying Eric Clapton, L.L. Cool J, Mariah Carey, Stevie Wonder, and Kenny G, dipping his well-mannered falsetto into a growl on "I will be down" or marshalling dulcet studio rats for a tribute to the golden age of postdoowop, the man is in such command it may take you half a dozen plays to notice. (Grade: A-)