A lively scrapper since her debut at 16 with "I Wonder If I Take You Home" (1985), Lisa Lisa blossomed quickly; by the time of Straight Outta Hell's Kitchen (1991), she could flat-out sing, and Cult Jam (with producers Full Force) cooked. Now solo, she's all grown up and kicking. While retaining the Latina swing that was her hip-hop calling card, she attacks new beats – the Led Zeplike Moorish roll of "Mr. Jimmy," the militant stomp of "Knockin' Down the Walls" – and her love-sexy funkiness ("Why Can't Lovers," "Acid Rain") remains fully intact. Production and co-writing by Guru, Nona Hendryx, Giovanni Salah and Junior Vasquez ensure smart and subtle touches in the mix (insinuating flutes and acoustic guitars, tricky syncopation), and the songs, along with dependably crunchy rhythms, give up nifty pop hooks. (RS 681)

PAUL EVANS