Luther Vandross
Having the vocal skills to be able to sing the phonebook  doesn't necessarily mean that one should. Over the course of his last  few albums, singer extraordinaire Luther Vandross has been saddled with  material not nearly as magnificent as his silken, impeccably romantic  voice. Luckily for fans of Luther, and for anyone who hungers for  grown-up polished R&B;/pop, the king of the love song is back. Though  nowhere near his early classics, this eponymous release is definitely  his best since 1991'sPower of Love. From  aching ballads to uptempo finger poppers, Luther lets the magic of his  supple voice weave a spell. Even if his chart-topping days are behind  him, Vandross's ability to croon is firmly in effect. This is solid and  satisfying stuff.--Amy Linden