The Neville Brothers may be one of the best live bands in pop music, but with the exception of 1989's Yellow Moon, they've never made a studio album that comes close to their stage show. On their latest release, the problem is familiar: too much of brothers Cyril and Charles, and not enough of Aaron and Art.

Cyril has a terrific voice, but he's apparently unacquainted with the concept of understatement, and his oversinging becomes overbearing. Saxophonist Charles plays too much of the kind of safe sax you hear on adult alternative radio and too little of the honking style of the N'Awlins legend Lee Allen. Art, the founder and heart of the band, never gets a lead vocal for an entire song, and his second-line rhythms are flattened out by Nashville producer James Stroud. And even though Aaron turns in brilliant vocals on songs written by Bill Withers and Mike Reid, Mitakuye Oyasin Oyasin ultimately proves to be another disappointing album. (RS 735)

GEOFFREY HIMES