LEVERT: SOUL HEIRS

“BLOODLINE.” Levert. Atlantic. Gerald and Sean Levert, sons of O’Jays founder Eddie, have done their daddy proud. With their friend Marc Gordon, they’ve made a debut album full of warmth and--yes--soul. Where so many of their contemporaries can’t seem to get beyond a cold, empty groove, this trio is fully committed to melody and feeling, making for an effective update of the sweet sounds associated with the street harmonizing the O’Jays themselves started with more than 25 years ago. On such smoothies as “(Pop, Pop, Pop, Pop) Goes My Mind” and “Fascination” the modern touches are subtle, but prominent enough to prevent the sound from seeming dated. Only when trying to create Prince-ly funk, as on “Grip,” does Levert miss the mark, and even then it’s not by much.