Higher Ground
She's been eclipsed by a generation of newfangled power divas, but Babs still has it--superior repertoire in theTin Pan Alleytradition, deep-pile production from the likes of Foster, Mardin and Afanasieff, and those zillion dollar pipes. Cuddlesome James Brolin gets a credit "for giving me the love I sing about" on tunes like "Leading with Your Heart," while the title track, "At the Same Time," and "Everything Must Change" could one day be used in a Broadway musical about pre-millennial spirituality.--Jeff Bateman