In Brief

** 1/2 Patti LaBelle, “Burnin’,” MCA. This album has its warm-to-smoldering moments, particularly “I Don’t Do Duets,” on which LaBelle and Gladys Knight wail away about a hard-to-get guy who avoids commitment. Where LaBelle should burn is on “We’re Not Makin’ Love Anymore,” her duet with Michael Bolton. Given their penchant for overstatement, it’s amazing that they remain so subdued.

New albums are rated on a scale of one asterisk (poor) to four (excellent).