*** K-CI & JO-JO, “X,” MCA

Listening to this R&B; duo is like riding in a space capsule back to the ‘70s. Every vocal embellishment is pure old-school. Every soul shout and lover’s plea evokes images of Afros, platform shoes and bell-bottoms.

That said, much of this album works, be it the down-home flavor of “Honest Lover” or “Slip & Fall,” on which the two are joined by another Jodeci sidekick, Devante Swing. One of the few concessions to post-’70s funk is a rap insert by the late 2Pac on “Thug in Me / Thug in You,” and that one jolt of modernity gives the album extra power.

While K-Ci and Jo-Jo have a stance that’s usually gruff ‘n ready--lots of rough edges and rugged posturings--they’ve invited outside producers to work on this project, and that’s resulted in a slight image adjustment on a few tracks. The shift is most notable on the Babyface-produced “All the Things I Should Have Known,” which is still retro but with more of a silky Afro sheen.

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent). The albums are due in stores Tuesday.