Husky-voiced Laura Lee's first album for Hot Wax Records sizzles and soothes. She adds a new element to "Every Little Bit Hurts," turning the waltz-tempo whiner into a deep soul extravaganza. Her heartfelt versions of two standards, "At Last" and "Guess Who I Saw Today," makes them accessible to soul listeners who normally wouldn't give them the time of day. "Rip Off" is just what the title infers; Laura's doing a sneak number on her man by having a U-Haul parked in the driveway to remove every item in the house. The sexual implications in "If You Can Beat Me Rocking (You Can Have My Chair)" should be obvious to all. "When a Man Loves a Woman" is delivered here from a woman's point of view; Laura tags on a nice rap about men and some motherly advice at the beginning of the Percy Sledge classic. ~ Andrew Hamilton

Rovi