POP MUSIC REVIEWS : Brenda Russell Goes Slumming at the Strand

What is Brenda Russell doing singing stupid songs like “Stupid Love”? She’s not Paula Adbul. Such bouncy pop-funk fluff is beneath her.

At the Strand on Sunday, the singer-songwriter’s set was punctuated with danceable throwaways that had commercialism written all over them. These songs, like “All-American,” are from her latest album, “Kiss Me With the Wind.” Russell is obviously hit-hunting, which is quite understandable. But she missed the mark with these up-tempo songs.

This kind of material doesn’t suit the dignified, elegant Russell, and she didn’t really immerse herself in those get-down, funky songs. She seemed distant from them--as if she were slumming.

Russell is noted for intimate story songs--”Dinner With Gershwin,” “Night Train to Leningrad,” her big hit “Piano in the Dark”--that are filled with insightful observations and clever lyric touches. She might have been very successful earlier in the century, back when Porter and the Gershwins were active.

With her high, rich voice backed by an instrumental quintet and three support singers, Russell scored on dramatic, emotion-drenched ballads. She has a strong sense for this kind of material and knows how to interpret it most effectively. Clearly, she felt comfortable with the ballads.

Now if she’d just choose her up-tempo material more carefully.