FROZEN BANANA

“TRUE CONFESSIONS.” Bananarama. PolyGram. This female singing trio’s trademark harmonies are so cool and understated that they verge on monotony. Yet much of the appeal of Bananarama’s sound stems from the contrast between the light, airy vocals and the pounding rhythm section accompaniment. The effect of high-energy instrumentals accompanying low-gear, little-girl vocals is often riveting. Some of the material on this uneven album is outstanding, such as the tautly-arranged title song and the group’s No. 1 single, “Venus,” which may be the year’s finest dance tune. But too many of the songs are nondescript, and the icy vocals have a chilling effect on some numbers, creating an alienating soullessness. Occasionally the languid style is carried too far: On the droning “A Perfect World,” the singers sound as if they’re about to fall asleep.