by Alex Henderson
Still Trapped found Denise LaSalle entering the '90s without having changed her approach very much since the '70s. Rejecting slick, technology-driven urban contemporary music, the gritty singer continued to excel by pretty much sticking with the type of Southern-style soul and blues Stax Records was recording 20 and 25 years earlier. LaSalle had long since disappeared from black radio play lists, but still commanded a loyal following (especially in the Deep South). A welcome addition to her catalog, Still Trapped is state-of-the-art LaSalle -- earthy, humorous and sassy as hell. From an inspired cover of Al Green's &Love and Happiness& to such hard-edged LaSalle originals as &Chain Letter,& &Drop That Zero& and &Wild Thing (All Night Long),& this CD makes listeners grateful that LaSalle has remained true to herself.