In Brief

** 1/2 Gerald Levert, “Private Line,” Atco/East-West. Gerald Levert of vocal trio LeVert traffics in the brawny, impassioned, pleading-man style that has been his father Eddie Levert’s stock-in-trade for more than two decades with the O’Jays. The only difference--since their voices are nearly identical--is that Eddie could turn a sexy scorcher like “You Oughta Be With Me” into a fevered cry for commitment. In Gerald’s hands, it’s a nice song--but lacking in urban Angst.

New albums are rated on a scale of one asterisk (poor) to four (excellent).