Telling Thoughtful Tales of Love

In her best moments, Braxton, whose “Un-Break My Heart” was one of the most alluring singles of the ‘90s, deals with romantic intoxication and its accompanying hangovers with far more convincing emotion than such rival mainstream pop hit-makers as Celine Dion and Mariah Carey.

The most seductive aspect of her singing is the husky end of her vocal register, and she applies it superbly on the No. 1 hit “He Wasn’t Man Enough,” a tale of sexual politics with an unusual twist. The album (due in stores Tuesday) also showcases a feminist awareness in the equally striking “Just Be a Man About It” (featuring a guest vocal by Dr. Dre) and the touching “Never Just for a Ring.”

The five-time Grammy winner also rejoins “Un-Break” writer Diane Warren and producer David Foster for two more potential hits. “Spanish Guitar” is a lavishly designed daydream about longing to be held by a lover with the tenderness that a musician shows his guitar. “I’m Still Breathing” is a survivor’s anthem, without the bombast that so often characterizes such themes.

There are a few moments of semi-anonymous pop here, which may be expected when you’re working with an army of co-writers and co-producers. But the highlights convey the kind of deeply held viewpoint that allows us to align Braxton with such thoughtful artists as Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu rather than the diva crop. Braxton is, once again, Grammy-bound.

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