Ali is a clearly capable 24-year-old soul stalwart from London, a singer whose penetrating tenor can move from a whisper to a caress to an exhortation in half a phrase. He specializes in sad, slick songs: On "Wish You Better," the extroverted standout of his debut, he dubs himself "the king of breaking hearts," assuring a girlfriend that she deserves someone with more faithful instincts. Patiently, in handsomely rounded phrases, he examines romantic loss and confusion on a slow gallop titled "Crazy Don't." Optimism? Forget it: "Don't promise me tomorrow/When we both know that's comfort to a fool," a background chorus coos on the showy ballad "Tomorrow."

The problem is, Ali's arrangements are considerably less articulate and virtuosic than his vocals. On songs such as "Love Letters" and the title ballad, the grooves are clipped and the string parts refuse to bloom; instead of providing a spare complement to Ali's voice, the album's production just sounds underdone. As D'Angelo and Maxwell know, even retro cats need adventurousness. Crucial is a little like a TV dinner prepared by a hot new chef. (RS 780)

JAMES HUNTER