Consumer warning: don't be fooled by that name. This particular Crew probably wouldn't know a cutting edge if it accidentally knocked into one on its way up the charts. Imagine if you dare Mr. Mister after a semester at a British art school. Or perhaps the Outfield after being force-fed The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway. Better yet, take a listen to the band's superslick smash "(I Just) Died in Your Arms," a piece of schlock balladry as profoundly unoriginal as it is aurally undeniable. Lead singer Nick Van Eede has a pretty tenor, and lead guitarist Kevin Scott Macmichael does some impressive riff throwing throughout. But Cutting Crew's considerable flair for hybrid AORMOR hooks is matched by a distinct lack of anything remotely interesting to broadcast to all those prospective buyers. Not that this marked emphasis of form over content is going to stop these upwardly mobile rockers from tapping into the soul of the new mainstream. Just watch as the hits keep on coming. (RS 501)

DAVID WILD