Great Balls of Fire, Knockin’ on Heaven’s, Good Vibrations, Maybe Baby, Ain’t That a Shame : ASHFORD & SIMPSON “Love or Physical.” Capitol. ** 1/2

Back in the ‘60s Ashford & Simpson wrote hot-natured, flat-out declarations of passion like “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.” Now traveling the more cautious road, the couple offer the oh-so-conservative theme of the title cut, and the fairly defiant, take-it-or-leave-it “Comes With the Package.” On the other hand, the Bruce Roberts-Edgar Bronfman composition “In Your Arms” is the loveliest and most genuinely sensual ballad this husband-and-wife duo has recorded in a long time, while “Something to You” is also freshly appealing.

Overall, this record is as classy an effort as you’d expect from such a tasteful, upscale pair. It just isn’t combustive enough. Its best feature is the Roberts/Bronfman songwriting team, and David Frank and Mic Murphy’s production on “Comes With the Package,” one of the album’s most stylishly arranged cuts. That kind of outside spice and perspective give Ashford & Simpson the chance to throw caution to the winds and burn a little bit.