This album is no worse than, say, Tiffany's multiplatinum debut. One might even prefer it to its predecessor, because it doesn't disembowel any beloved classics like "I Think We're Alone Now" and "I Saw Her Standing There." The new record is full of the same brand of synthesizer-heavy teen pop, with all hands trying to fill in the massive holes left by the Tiff's weak warble. Walls of keyboards and programmed drum sounds create a package whose wrapping is far more interesting than what's inside.

George Tobin, Tiffany's manager, produced the record and owns the publishing rights to all of the songs (two of which he co-wrote). So this is as much his record as Tiffany's. Aiming the songs at listeners just starting to feel the pangs of puberty, he has Tiffany dispense pearls of wisdom like "The best of love is hard to find/And it can slip like sand right through your hand." In doing so, he positions her as an older sister millions of children can go to for solace. The little girls may understand, but once they grow up a little, they're going to drop their old friend's hand and run. (RS 545)

JIMMY GUTERMAN