had no problem with the spotlight; or, as the tabloids regularly revealed, with opening up her private life for all to poke through and ponder. For all of her cultivating of celebrity, her albums continued to turn down the lights and focus on the softer glow of emotional verities her albums. is another worthy solo effort by the younger member of , the mother-daughter duo through which she first found massive fame. Often somber, and just as often right on the money, she casts a blue tint to several reflective songs that examine spirituality (without sermons) and the quiet discoveries that come with mature relationships. like and -- all album highlights -- prove how sympathetic her rich, expressive voice can be when applied to a well-written, sensitive lyric. As in the past, she's equally convincing on up-tempo, -infused strutters, such as 's or the rave-up It's a mystery as to why she would include her version of which previously was released as part of a tribute album. (Maybe someone should tell her that those people who yelled it out during encores were kidding.) Otherwise, is just that; a revealing next step by a music star who understands the power of subtlety in an age that tends to prefer overstatement. ~ Michael McCall