Paris mired in sugary sentiment

Mica Parus: Whisper A Prayer (Island): Reviewed by Erich Boehm.

MICA Paris has a tremendous voice, somewhere between that of Aretha Franklin and Patti LaBelle. Unfortunately, there are many other hot young singers out there - sparkling, video-friendly beauties with pipes to match.

And what distinguishes the good from the adequate is the material.

In this sense, Paris misses on Whisper a Prayer.

Her voice may soar, growl or scat on a song like I Wanna Hold On To You, but no amount of affected soulfulness can cover the tedium of trite lyrics and pedestrian big-beat arrangements.

And if a tune like You Put a Move on My Heart slows the pace enough to let Paris showcase her best stuff, it is still mired in saccharine sentiment.