Within a refined setting of easy listening pop ballads and lightly funky up-tempo selections produced by Al McKay, Henderson proves himself an assured vocalist with mastery of clarity and phrasing. The problem here is the material isn't challenging enough -- it's often formulaic and derivative of other early-'80s releases. Even a contribution from Stevie Wonder, "Crush on You," wanders into oblivion. But the singer's debonair tone and elegant, polished diction makes the weaker sound stronger. A perfect example is the mid-tempo "I'd Rather Be Gone," which suffers from a sleepy melody and clichéd rhythm arrangement. Henderson applies just the right balance of restraint and gusto (something of a cross between Air Supply and Peter Cetera) and translates the song into a cruising curiosity. When he gets a substantial number to work with, the results are accordingly more pleasing all around. The bouncy shuffler "Skip to My Lu," on which he displays a charming falsetto range; the boogie-inducing "Blame It on the Night"; and the soulful "Call Me," which he co-penned, are the prime contenders in this arena. Like a lot of Motown's post-'70s output, Finis is a mixed bag -- in this case, not to the fault of the attraction. It'd be interesting to see where Henderson could have gone had he been given more consistent, original material, not to mention more promotion from his label.
© Justin M. Kantor /TiVo
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