Mario Winans Hurt No More CD

For a member of the revered Winans clan, practically the first family of gospel, to turn to Bad Boy Records would almost seem scandalous, but so it is with Mario Winans, the sultry-toned crooner/songwriter. After releasing an overlooked debut in 1997, he aligned with Sean Combs's empire to become a well-regarded producer. Almost seven years later, he emerged with the smooth, multicolored HURT NO MORE, a record crafted in the Bad Boy style, but absolutely immersed in soul of the past (particularly the Philly variety).

While Winans's stories of love, loss, desire, and deceit are entirely secular, he sings with unwavering heartfelt soul worthy of an heir to gospel royalty. It's as if he's pouring his entire being into many of the songs on HURT NO MORE, which contains simple, sweet, imploring ballads ("You Knew," "Should've Known"). However, the album also features songs with wonderful flourishes, such as the jazzy piano on "I Got You Babe," the imperial-sounding synth on "This Is the Thanks I Get," and the otherworldliness of Enya's vocals backing the megahit "I Don't Wanna Know." Aided by flecks of hip-hop, Winans soulful concoctions should make him a household name on his own terms.

Personnel: Erik Barbera, Tony Aliperti (guitar); Adonis Stropshire, Tierra "T Baby" Brown, Shannon Jones (background vocals).

Audio Mixers: Rob Paustian; Jim Beeman; Diddy; Paul Logus; Rich Keller.

Recording information: Big 3 Studios, St. Petersburg, FL; Circle House Studios, Miami, FL; Daddy's House Recording Studio, New York, NY; Planet To Planet Studios, New York, NY.

Photographer: Jonathan Mannion.

Personnel: Mario Winans (vocals, various instruments); P. Diddy, Slim, Loon, Foxy Brown, Black Rob (rap vocals); Frnkie Romano (guitar).

Producers: Mario Winans, The Hitmen, Sean "P.Diddy" Combs.

Vibe (p.151) - 3 1/2 out of 5 - "This is the secret of Winan's magic; the soft touch of the synthesizers and his gentle piano playing blend with the signature sound of the kick and snare - hard, unadorned, punching through the music's gauzy, elegiac texture."