Holiday Gift Guide : Calendar’s little helpers offer suggestions in pop, jazz, holiday, family and classical music, plus videos, computer games and books. (Good news: They’re easy to wrap.) : POP MUSIC
* * 1/2 R. KELLY, “R. Kelly,” Jive. Contemporary soul’s most celebrated love man tries to reconcile the carnal impulses that have fueled his previous work with his spiritual longings. Kelly still spends most of his time--and is most convincing--in seduction mode.
* * * 1/2 BONNIE RAITT, “Road Tested,” Capitol. From muscular workouts to shimmering ballads, the virtuosity and warmth that make Raitt one of rock’s most compelling concert acts are palpable on this two-CD set.
Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (f a ir), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).
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