MR. OSBORNE CARVES OUT A SOULFUL NICHE

“EMOTIONAL.” Jeffrey Osborne. A&M.;

The field of male soul singers is as crowded as it’s ever been. The excellent singers range from Luther Vandross with his formidable vocal savvy to current heartthrob Alexander O’Neal, who possesses his own special brand of suave appeal. And then there’s Jeffrey Osborne, who’s been in the thick of things for several years and shows no sign of weakening. Rugged and heartfelt, he’s managed to carve his own niche in romantic R&B; with a vocal sound that is derivative of no one.

While lacking a blockbuster, pop-flavored ballad like his 1983 hit “On the Wings of Love,” this album is well-balanced in its blend of exuberant, up-tempo cuts (“We Belong to Love,” “You Should Be Mine”) and heart-rending love songs (“Come Midnight”). Osborne, perhaps still buoyed by his participation in last year’s “We Are the World” sessions, includes “Soweto,” a message song about apartheid that is less effective than it should be due to its ultraproduced, commercial sheen. Simplicity would have gotten the point across far better.

Still, in his bid for a broader audience, Osborne hasn’t sacrificed all of the soul basics. “Room With a View,” with its depiction of the way romantic love can lift one’s spirits above the drudgery of everyday reality, could easily sound sappy. Instead, Osborne makes it the album’s richest and most soulful statement. Round that out with the urban snap and growl of “Love’s Not Ready,” a tune with true dance-floor authority, and you have the best overall image of Osborne on vinyl to date.