In Brief

*** CeCe Peniston, “Finally,” A&M.; Like Patti LaBelle, CeCe Peniston scales a broad range of vocal peaks with electrifying ease, but where LaBelle stoops to played-out histrionics, Peniston’s operatic soul vibrates with freewheeling, youthful gusto on this debut album. While this exuberance works best when matched to a hammering house mix, Peniston’s heroic gymnastics ring genuine even in ballads. She just seems to feel more than ordinary folk. But that astonishing voice demands exceptional material; “Lifeline” and other pedestrian vehicles seem all the weaker for Peniston’s formidable gift.

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