This is the LP that's supposed to lead to Patti LaBelle's coronation as the next comeback queen, à la Tina and Aretha. After her two terrific crossover singles last summer, "New Attitude" and "Stir It Up," plus media appearances everywhere, it seems, but The David Susskind Show, the starmaking machinery seems all in place to make this la belle époque for Patti.

Still, on her first full LP of new material in three years, Patti hasn't come up with the hands-down winner so many anticipated. None of the upbeat tracks have the highly charged spirit of last summer's singles, which is surprising considering that Richard Perry and Howie Rice – the Pointer Sisters' producers – were involved. True, a song like "Beat My Heart Like a Drum" has its bounce, but none of the fast tracks really jump. In fact, it's only Patti's wild vocals that give songs like "Something Special (Is Gonna Happen Tonight)" anything special at all.

The smoother adult ballads are better written (and there are more of them), but even these usually owe their success to Patti's power rather than their own hooks. Her most obvious crossover concession comes in the first single, "On My Own" – a hypersentimental duet job with Michael McDonald. The vehicle may be sappy, but with McDonald playing good-natured straight man, Patti transforms the song into something real. On all the ballads, she displays her continued talent for turning MOR into much more; as always, her strength is as a power hitter who hasn't got time for the pain. Her witty, no-holds-barred style turns each number into a song of triumph. She makes good material like "Oh, People" even better, and on a tricky number like Valerie Simpson and Nickolas Ash - ford's title song, she hits just the right balance between Broadway belter and soul shouter.

Such performances may be mature and strong indeed, but the LP as a whole remains as inconsistent as the rest of her solo work. Maybe next time Patti should act more immature and rock out like she did in the old Labelle days. Then she might really stir things up. (RS 476)

JIM FARBER