*** MARY J. BLIGE, “Share My World,” MCA

Is Blige the female R&B; leader of her generation? It’s easy to make a case that she is. Faith Evans, Erykah Badu and the Fugees’ Lauryn Hill are all distinctive and promising, but there is something about the scope, vision and mystique of Blige that puts her on another page.

Blige’s pipes aren’t perfect, but she always conveys a heart-rending honesty. Producer Sean “Puffy” Combs captured it in a raw yet sophisticated way on her first two hit albums. Those records’ confessional tone seemed to draw heavily from the joy and travails of her life.

Combs is absent from this project. While it’s short on the near-cinematic punch and cohesiveness of Blige’s past work, it doesn’t lack beauty. You can still sense her hunger for peace of mind and happiness on every single track.

The Stylistics-inspired “Everything” and a soaring version of the Natalie Cole hit “Our Love” suggest a willingness to look for it within the parameters of romance. But the deeper issues with Blige continue to be self-love and survival.

It’s the won’t-be-denied struggle of that quest that makes Blige such a standout among her peers.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).

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* Excerpts from these albums and other recent releases are available on The Times’ World Wide Web site. Point your browser to: https:/ /www.latimes.com/soundclips