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JAMIE FOXX Unpredictable J Records **

While there's long been a tradition of actors trying their hand at the singing lark, you can't really accuse Jamie Foxx of cashing in his Ray and Collateral chips for a turn in the recording studio. After all, Foxx's debut album, Peep This, appeared back in 1994 when he was a nightclub pianist. Peep This was just as fat with smooth jams and soft-focus bumps'n'grinds as his latest record. Anyone expecting Foxx to repeat his fiercely soulful cameo on Kanye West's Gold Digga may be disappointed, because Foxx really (really) wants to be a Hollywood Barry White by way of late-period Mavin Gaye. Well, that's one way to explain why the album is just a string of sloppy, overwrought ballads. While West's presence on the lively Extravaganza adds some much-needed momentum to the sketch, this Foxx show is all about mellow sounds, lush melodies and smooth-talking charm. www.jamiefoxx.com

Jim Carroll