Heather Headley stumbles with sophomore CD

Heather Headley, "In My Mind" (RCA Records)

Best known for her Tony Award-winning role in the Broadway musical "Aida," Heather Headley easily made the transition from Playbill to Billboard and disproved nay-sayers with her dazzling 2002 debut, "This Is Who I Am."

Despite the spellbinding title track, however, Headley's encore, "In My Mind," is no repeat performance. She's still at her best belting melodramatic, mid-tempo tracks about relationship drama - from infidelity ("I Didn't Mean To") and an overdue breakup ("Wait a Minute") to unrequited love ("In My Mind").

But the disc hits a sour note on several uptempo tracks, notably the doo-wop dud "What's Not Being Said," on which Headley sings with an odd country twang, and "Rain," a requisite, reggae-flavored track featuring Shaggy.

Unlike the dramatic, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis-penned gem, "I Wish I Wasn't" from "This Is Who I Am," most of the songs here sound dated and uninspired. Contrary to her riveting stage performances, Headley's polished pipes fail to transcend the disc's formulaic material, and even the closing gospel song, "Change," is underwhelming.

Without an edgier sound that resonates with the contemporary R&B audience, Headley's recording career may sadly be short-lived. The good news is that this talented beauty will always have a home on Broadway.