STEVE SEEKS CLARITY

“BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE.” Steve Winwood. Island. Winwood cites the Anglican Church as having played a central role in shaping his musical sensibility, and that influence runs like a golden thread through this, his first LP in four years. Winwood sang with the sweet, clear voice of a choirboy when he debuted at 16 as the blue-eyed soul Wunderkind fronting the Spencer Davis Group, and though he’s now pushing 40 his vocal tone remains remarkably unchanged. There’s an inexplicably holy quality about Winwood’s voice and it’s perfectly matched with his current material.

As were his last two LPs, “High Life” is a decidedly tasteful record, but the themes it explores--faith, confusion, a yearning for spiritual clarity--allow it to add up to more than a catalogue of pointless, polished licks. Indeed, a number of songs here are downright inspiring.

Winwood belts out the opening track, a raucous prayer for enlightenment titled “Higher Love,” with the help of Chaka Khan, who’s no slouch when it comes to belting, and duets with James Taylor on the title track, an essay on learning to accept the vagaries of life with gratitude and grace. It’s one of the finest songs Winwood’s ever written, and he’s written a few great ones. (Have you listened to your old Blind Faith or Traffic albums lately? They’re aging extremely well.)

The album is not without flaws; none of the songs is less than five minutes long and two of them--a duet with Joe Walsh in particular--meander about rather aimlessly. For the most part, however, “Back in the High Life” sounds as beautiful as the exemplary message of hope it espouses.