India.Arie's latest is delivered to us as "an offering from my heart to every person who is learning what it really means to love."

We know India.Arie knows how to care for others -- the six (!) pages of thank you's that form the bulk of Testimony's CD booklet confirm that. (She brings love to everyone from her band to her dog, the puppy being rated slightly higher than the people of Kenya.)

Lyrically, love is extended to God and, primarily, to the vocalist herself, who emerges at the end of this 15-track musical journey as relatively happy with her situation.

Musically, the arrangements are slick, the soulful ballads slight and the proceedings light on hooks on which to hang an emotion.

The gospel-flavoured Better People is a highlight; the Stevie Wonder soul of I Choose wraps things up in style, leaving hope for Volume 2.

But too often, for all India.Arie's efforts to plumb the depths of her emotions, the love we take is somehow not equal to the love she makes.

Track Listing:

1. Intro: Loving (interlude)
2. These Eyes
3. The Heart Of The Matter
4. Good Morning
5. Private Party
6. There's Hope
7. Interlude: Living (interlude)
8. India'Song
9. Wings Of Forgiveness
10. Summer
11. I Am Not My Hair f/ Akon
12. Great Grandmother (interlude)
13. Better People
14. Outro: Learning (interlude)
15. I Choose