Erotica
If her libido were as weak as her concept of musical passion, who would ever get excited? This aural sex is mostly mediocre groove robbing; truth is, the dare ain't there. (Maverick/Sire)

Our Time in Eden
Shhh...they're playing rock. Nothing shakes, rattles or rolls in the circular pattern of singer Natalie Merchant's songs. Who says wallpaper doesn't grow on disks? (Elektra)

A Picture of Nectar
This neo-hippie outfit plays a proficient fusion of jazz, rock and funk. But this album's pervasive jokiness is insufferable—a mix of Dungeons & Dragons, bong culture and computer-nerd-speak. (Elektra)

Born into the '90s
More than one singer has copped from Aaron Hall of Guy, but wearing your influences on your sleeve is no crime. Making a cheap imitation suit outta them is. In a year packed with whiny, preening home-boys pretending to be lovers, R. is easily the whiniest of all. (Jive)

Am I Not Your Girl?
Is this not one big miscalculation? Her mournful style, so effective on her own material, proves gratingly wrong for standards. (Ensign/Chrysalis)

Bobby
Not that his long-awaited follow-up to the ground-breaking Don't Be Cruel is awful, but after four years a pleasant New Jack record just doesn't cut it—especially from the Jack who made aggressive whomp his calling card. (MCA)

Keep the Faith
After a four-year hiatus, lofty messages about community and commitment from the "Slippery When Wet" gang? Maybe the pretension wouldn't have rankled if only the songs had rocked. (Jambco/Mercury)

Tongues and Tails
Damn, she may wish she were your lover, but after several spins the hypersensual femme fatale act goes fatale. (Columbia)

Fourplay
Training-wheels jazz tricked up as a deep encounter between four big-talking, big-name session men—Lee Ritenour, Bob James, Nathan East and Harvey Mason—who have the chops to play much better. (Warner Bros.)

Shadows and Light Confessional pop at its most cloying and surfacey. (SBK)

FURTHER FOLLIES:

Music from the Television Show (Capitol)

You Gotta Believe (Interscope)

•JOHN McVIE'S GOTTA BAND WITH LOLA THOMAS (Warner Bros.)

Wild Life (Chrysalis)

Dog Eat Dog (Columbia)