Stevie Wonder [ tickets ]'s latest release, "A Time to Love," is a mostly mellow affair that sees the legendary singer straddling the line between soft jazz, neo-soul and R&B. All too often, however, Wonder sounds like a sentimental piano-bar maestro.

And that wouldn't be so bad, except that when Wonder finally busts out, he does so with a power and passion that shines a light on the stuff that's missing from the rest of the disc. Indeed, the album's three or four standout tracks remind you that this is the guy behind "Superstition."

On "Please Don't Hurt My Baby," Wonder tackles infidelity with a pro's approach. "I was blinded by sexsation," he rails. Later, on "So What the Fuss," a song buried at the back of the album, Wonder drops a heavy downbeat reminiscent of his "Sir Duke."

Unfortunately, the ultra-slow jams here--most of the disc--kill any momentum those instant classics create. Produced by Wonder, "A Time to Love" is more torch song than triumph. And that's just too bad.