Mary Review

The intent here was to be taken seriously as a soul singer rather than as a hip hop soul singer, and the guest list makes the argument loudly: Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Lauryn Hill. It works about half the time. All That I Can Say, written and produced by Hill, is the best thing on it by a wide margin, a floating, unhurried melody that suits her better than anything else in the set.

Deep Inside builds on an Elton John piano figure with genuine charm. Not Lookin' has real bite. But the live band arrangements sand down the very quality that made her distinct, the friction between a raw voice and a hard programmed beat, and without that friction some of these tracks are simply nice. Nice is not what she is for. It is a well made album by an artist consolidating, and it is the first of hers that does not need to exist.