Anthony Hamilton's 'Back to Love'

Having been weighed down with plodding arrangements and guest rappers, veteran Charlotte, N.C., soul singer Anthony Hamilton smartly stays out of the way of his silky voice on his attention-getting fourth album, "Back to Love" (RCA). He seems delighted about the dynamic R&B groove on the first single "Woo"; opens the testifying, apologetic "Pray for Me" with the line "I was stupid, really stupid"; and drenches "Mad" with blues harp, horns and outrage. "Back to Love" is an old-school soul album, proudly drenched in Temptations and Curtis Mayfield, rescued from sentimentality by Hamilton's aggressive showmanship and class.

ANTHONY HAMILTON

"Back to Love"

GRADE A-

BOTTOM LINE Perhaps the veteran soul man's best album