TONI CHILDS”House of Hope” A&M;**1/2 If ever...

TONI CHILDS

“House of Hope”

A&M;

**1/2 If ever there was an inappropriately titled album, this is it. In one downbeat song after another, Childs chronicles the many woes that can befall a woman in a man’s world, from incest to an abusive husband to teen-age widowhood. When she dares to allow herself any hope whatsoever, it is almost always a timid, qualified longing: “I want to get next to you,” she sings, “ if you want me to .”

This relentless melancholy might not be so disappointing were it not for the strong-willed spirit that helped make Childs’ debut album, “Union,” so uplifting. Its lyrics presented Childs as a take-charge woman; now she seems more likely to take cover.

The artist has lost none of her ability to shape intriguing, polyrhythmic music, and her inexplicably appealing voice remains so despite its strained, husky nasality. “Walk With You” most recalls the buoyant feel of “Union,” while the lovely “Heaven’s Gate” could be an oddball hit along the lines of Paul Mauriat’s “Love Is Blue” or “Somewhere, My Love” from “Doctor Zhivago.”

Much of the material, however, falls victim to Childs’ moroseness. “Used to sit and wonder what to do / When I’m feeling blue,” she sings in “Put This Fire Out.” Making an album might not be the best answer.