In Brief

* 1/2 Brenda Russell, “Soul Talkin’,” EMI. Known for her songwriting savvy, Russell has always performed her tunes in a laid-back, perennially childlike style. Gutsier singers have all recorded her songs with greater passion and emotional fire. For all its tastefulness, this album sounds like just a decently produced demo. The highlight is the appearance of Bobby Caldwell--another gutsy singer--on the gently romantic “Who Are You?”

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).