Soul Sista
For a woman who makes her living as a singer, Keke Wyatt doesn't seem to need many words.Soul Sistakicks the party off with the jagged "Used to Love," which features Wyatt's wordless moan swirling around edgy beats. It all sounds good enough, but it's missing a real jolt of energy or attitude. Throughout much of this lackluster debut, Wyatt never really lets loose or stands her ground in the manner of a solo act. Producer Steve Huff seems content to let her sing under her breath or almost as an afterthought. When you finally get a chance to hear the real potential of her voice in the smoldering ballad "If Only You Knew" (the only cut not written by Huff), Wyatt's husky, somewhat nasal tone has a spicy underbite that elevates the mediocre material. But, ultimately, this album's material is Keke's undoing. As much as she tries to breathe honest emotion into a pedantic dance track like "I Can't Wait," it's hard to turn something somewhat shallow into something deep.--Amy Linden