Jordan Knight Jordan Knight Lyrics

On his first solo album, former New Kid Jordan Knight turns in a surprisingly stylish record that, though hardly unflawed, makes a convincing case for him as a grownup pop singer in the tradition of George Michael. (Or perhaps that of Robert Palmer, to whom Knight bears a remarkable vocal resemblance. Of course, Palmer hasn't been this with-it since the new-wave days of Clues.) The R&B stylings of the disc's first few numbers make for its most convincing music; "A Different Party" could actually draw a crowd to the dance floor. Less successful, if well-enough sung, are the ballads that fill most of the second half's space. It's a relief when a lively but pedestrian 95 South remix of the first cut, "Give It to You," appears at the end. Still, Jordan Knight should earn its namesake some of the cred he obviously wishes for. --Rickey Wright