Barry White is a chubby, soft skinned man with sculptured Jeri Gel- flattened hair and voice that covers all of two notes, but he seems to get more action than at least five species of rat. Petty jealousies aside, this fad- resistant relic of the Sensual Seventies is worthy of some admiration for his talents and his inability to fall upon the trash heap of modern pop culture. Unlike other luvin- themed primadonnas, Barry treats the art of doing the nasty with the genuine respect it deserves.

Originally released in 1974, Rhapsody In White is indeed a case in point. Featuring the Love Unlimited Orchestra (conducted and arranged by White himself), the record is packed with the kind of fantasy sex muzak you could only wish you were making love to. Mostly an instrumental affair with the odd snipet of White's "This is how I'll please you, baby" monologues (poems? lyrics? pick-up lines?), Rhapsody in White would be perfect for those evenings when it's just you and your lover, lounging on your yacht, drinking your cognac. No nastiness, no doubts and no awkward energy to be had here, folks. You can take your modern sexual frailties and shove 'em up your cynical, post- modern ass.

Most of the album features lush, dense, EZ-liz'nin arrangements, but there will be a few surprises for those familiar with his more musically tame hits. "Midnight and You" coasts on a grooving Santana- lite groove with pleasing string and piano flourishes. "I Feel Love Coming On" gracefully glides between orchestral pop and head- bobbing funk. Over this insanely textured piece, Barry breaks out his husky- voiced booty call ("I feel like squeezin' you/ And teasin' you/ And pleasin' you/ ...I feel loooove comin' on") without coming off like some pervert. "Don't Take It Away From Me" takes starts with an almost Black Sabbath- esque riff before unfolding into yet another theme for shagging.

If there's one complaint, it's that Barry is just too good at what he does. It would be nice to see Barry strike out into different territory once in a while. Still, those looking for appropriate accompaniment to their trysts could hardly do better than this consistent standby.

-Samir Khan