As a pop singer, Roberta Flack has always tried to reconcile the emotional demands of straight soul with the innocuousness of MOR: to bridge the gulf between, say, Aretha Franklin and Olivia Newton-John. Luckily, Flack has far too much grace to fall into the obvious traps of such a style: even if one isn't particularly attuned to her material, one is still impressed by her taste. Blue Lights in the Basement contains no surprises, but it's a very satisfying record.

The only problem, really, is that Flack is almost too impeccable. Her readings are so careful and classical that sometimes the emotions behind them become muted. Only on "Where I'll Find You" and the jazzy, cabaret-style "I'd Like to Be Baby to You" does she loosen up and take a few risks with her phrasing. Too often, her absolutely pure control diminishes the romanticism implicit in her material, and occasionally she makes love sound more logical than it has any right to be. The production job, too, has a kind of slickness that intermittently creates the same reductive effect.

Still, these are minor quibbles. Basement's high points—the two aforementioned songs and "Why Don't You Move in with Me"—are close to flawless, and only "Soul Deep," which unfortunately suggests an attempt to imitate Linda Ronstadt's version of "Heat Wave," really fails. Overall, there's a nice sophistication in the choice of material here: the love songs are neither cloying nor condescending. That alone is a worthy accomplishment, and Roberta Flack does it full justice. (RS 261)

TOM CARSON