[ SPIN CONTROL ]

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THE WHITE STRIPES, "ELEPHANT" (V2)

Success certainly hasn't spoiled the White Stripes--the Detroitduo is as grungy and garagey as ever on its fourth album--but thislatest collection of churning blue-rock isn't quite the unparalleledmasterpiece that's being hailed in some corners (notably the alwayshyperbolic U.K. press and the generally late-to-the-game RollingStone). For one thing, there's no single here as undeniable andincendiary as "Fell In Love With a Girl," the standout track fromlast year's "White Blood Cells." For another, despite some powerfulhigh points, this set of 14 tunes is wildly inconsistent.

Bandleader Jack White continues to prove himself as a wildlyinventive guitarist, an inspired vocalist, and a deft and canny thiefof timeless rock riffs, plundering everything from Led Zeppelin tothe blues originators those famous Brit plunderers first pilfered, tosay nothing of reworking snatches of his own back catalog. And his ex-wife Meg remains the perfect primitive drummer for this band, the MoTucker of her generation. But both are still unduly enamored ofshtick (even if it's never quite as annoying as the Jon Spencer BluesExplosion's minstrel show).

The epic jam "Ball and Biscuit" answers the question, "What wouldthe Yardbirds sound like if they formed in the new millennium insteadof the early '60s?," and "I Want to Be the Boy..." is a fetching andcatchy ballad, the prettiest track the White Stripes have yetproduced. But the snatches of Anglophilia seem contrived; I couldlive without the nod to Queen in "There's No Home for You Here," andthe infantile sing-along with Holly Golightly, "It's True That WeLove One Another," grows tiresome before the first spin is over.

Jim DeRogatis

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ZZ TOP, "MESCALERO" (RCA)

There's something to be said for developing a skill, honing it andsticking with it. Because, let's face it, Dusty Hill, Billy Gibbonsand Frank Judge have been making the same boogie-heavy, hangdog blues-rock album over and over again for some 33 years now. And though"Mescalero" ventures south of the border on tracks including "QueLastima" and the title tune, it hews to the same essential formula.

And it works.

Credit is certainly due Hill, Gibbons and Judge, whose chopsremain sharp; let's face it, no matter how you feel about theirshtick, these guys can flat-out play.

But the key to why this continues to work has more to do withattitude than anything else. These guys know that it's all just infun. Like punk-rock's Ramones, they play hard, have a few laughs andcreate a contagious good time.

Jeff Wisser

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CHER, "THE VERY BEST OF CHER" (MCA)

If you caught Cher's televised "farewell" concert last week, thenyou know she pulls no punches when referring--less-thanaffectionately to--the current crop of questionably talented popdivas (you know who they are). "Follow this, you bitches!" has becomeCher's anthem--and a worthy one in a 40-year career that hassurprised many a critic and surpassed many of her contemporaries.

The disc serves as a fabulous 21-cut overview of her career,including some of her earliest singles (with and without Sonny) andher latest hits. Oddly absent is her Top 10 hit "The Way of Love,"but even that is a slight imperfection on an otherwise satisfyingdose of the bold and the brassy from the vivacious pop star. Followthis, you bitches--as if you could.

Miriam Di Nunzio

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YO LA TENGO, "SUMMER SUN" (MATADOR)

On "And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out" (2000), Hoboken,N.J.'s long-running indie-rock heroes took a turn toward quietintrospection, albeit in a droning, psychedelic, Krautrock-inspiredway. "Summer Sun" finds Yo La Tengo playing at an equally low-keyvolume and in a similar mid-tempo groove, but otherwise the group'soutlook is much sunnier and more upbeat, as evidenced by song titlessuch as "Beach Party Tonight" and "Today Is the Day."

The band has always had a schizophrenic personality, veeringbetween harsh guitar noise and fetching acoustic melodies, but ithasn't focused on the latter quite so effectively since "Fakebook"(1990), its lovely and lulling covers disc. "Summer Sun" takes a fewlistens to kick in--it's a post-hangover Sunday morning disc if everthere was one--but the listener will be rewarded by subtle touchessuch as an endearingly heartfelt vocal by drummer Georgia Hubley on acover of Big Star's "Take Care," the violin and cello in "TinyBirds," and one of the most winning hooks that guitarist Ira Kaplanhas ever penned in "Today Is the Day."

Jim DeRogatis

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MS. DYNAMITE, "A LITTLE DEEPER" (INTERSCOPE)

Faced with all sorts of pre-conceptions about R&B--and the worstname to come down the boulevard in years--North London native Ms.Dynamite slyly roams the sketchier edges of hip-hop and street soulon this sleek, sexy debut. Often sounding like an irritated NellyFurtado, Dynamite saddles herself with the usual R&B talking points:girl power, bad men and friends with girl power who date bad men, buther cocky, screw-off attitude, her smooth skills as an MC and herslew of stuttery, schizoid garage beats ("It Takes More" and "Sick N'Tired") lend her tracks a low-ended dark power that seethes withattitude.

She has a bit less success with roots reggae ("Seed Will Grow,"with Kymani Marley) and straight R&B ("Brother"), whenever she letsthat vibe slip. Despite winning vanloads of British music awards, "ALittle Deeper" feels padded and isn't quite the groundbreaking blow-the-speakers-apart original that it's been hyped as, but it's anengaging and fresh ride worth checking out.

Jeff Vrabel

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BOBBY "BLUE" BLAND, "BLUES AT MIDNIGHT" (MALACO)

I've never really understood the appeal of this 73-year-oldMemphis, Tenn.-based blues belter. Call me crazy, but I think thereare much more pleasant sounds than a man croaking like a bullfrog orclearing his throat into a microphone.

"Blues at Midnight" finds B.B. King's old Beale Street runningmate and driver performing material familiar to anyone who has heardhis 11 previous Malaco releases. There's a heavy trumpet presence,crisp production and a good mixture of chitlin'-flavored soul anddown-home blues. The best of the 11 tracks are the greasy, suggestive"You Hit the Nail on the Head" and the self-affirming number "I'm aBlues Man." And despite my reservations, I can't deny that each songis delivered straight from the heart.

Jeff Johnson

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George Jones, "The Gospel Collection" (BNA Records)

George Jones returns to gospel for his latest release, anuplifting two disc set of two dozen heavenly tunes. Jones has donereligious-themed albums before, most recently 1990's "HallelujahWeekend." What makes this new disc special is that producer BillySherrill has come out of retirement to help out his old friend.

Wafting back to the old days of country, Sherrill, who producedmany Jones' hits, including "He Stopped Loving Her Today," fills thesongs with the sacred strains of pedal steel. Jones delivers smooth,comforting renditions of classics such as "Amazing Grace," "SwingLow, Sweet Chariot" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," and duetsnicely with Patti Page on "Precious Memories" and gospel mainstayVestal Goodman on "Mansion Over the Hilltop."

Mary Houlihan

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Alexandre Pires, "Estrella guia" (BMG/U.S. Latin)

It's an unwritten rule in the Latin music world: If you're fromBrazil, you must eventually sing in Spanish. So in search ofcommercial validation, a long list of Brazilians, stretching back toCarmen Miranda in the '40s and Roberto Carlos in '70s, have switchedfrom their native Portuguese to the more marketable, radio-friendlySpanish. The latest "crossover" contender is Alexandre Pires, theformer lead singer of Brazil's So Pra Contrariar.

For his second solo effort, Pires leaves the sounds of samba andall things Brazilian behind, and sails smack into the seas of slickSpanish pop. It's a tribute to his artistry that he doesn't drown inthe glossy production churned up by Latin hitmakers Rudy Perez, PedroFerreira, Emanuele Ruffinengo and especially Estefano (the composer-producer who brought Paulina Rubio back from the dead).

Giving his fellow mellow men (Cristian, Carlos Ponce, et al. ) arun for their money, Pires manages to find an emotional core incommercial glop like "Amame" and "Todavia." On the nuevo flamenco"Solo Que Me Falta," a duet with Spain's Alejandro Sanz, Pires easilydominates his more established partner.

But for his greatest bit of vocal magic, Pires somehow reanimatesGino Vanelli's "I Just Wanna Stop" (retitled in Spanish as "Es MejorParar," or literally "It's Best to Stop"). Though this song deservesto have a silver stake driven through its heart once and for all,when Pires sings it, Vanelli's vampire-like ballad is blessedlytransformed.

Laura Emerick

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SOULIVE, "SOULIVE" (BLUE NOTE)

To steal a cliche from every live-album press release in thehistory of recorded music, Soulive, on its inaugural live release,really does strip things down and get back to its original feverishjazz/funk roots.

Following the traditionally guest-heavy stylings of its laststudio CD "Next," the trio of Alan Evans, Neal Evans and Eric Krasnograb the spotlight back for themselves on an eminently danceablecollection of New Orleans jams with hip-hop sensibilities, organ-heavy rhythmic journeys and low-end grooves; Evans' drums inparticular drives the group into each new idea.

The mix is a little weird; the club crowds are almost nonexistent,and a few tracks power down just when they should be ramping up (fora live jazz record, it's a little odd that many songs cut off ataround seven minutes). But as a whole, "Soulive" stands as a finedocument of a fine live outfit.

Jeff Vrabel

Note: Soulive appears Friday at the House of Blues.

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jarabe de palo, "Bonito" (WEA INTERNATIONAL)

The chorus of children's voices and clapping that starts out thisalbum by Spain's Jarabe de Palo sets the tone for the joyful songsthat follow. Calling it "Bonito" doesn't do it justice. It's morethan "pretty" or "nice." It finds the Spanish rock quintet maturingwithout leaving behind its roots, digging deep into pop-rock tingedwith samba, flamenco and salsa.

The first song is "Yin Yang" and the album shows a lot of respectfor balance, covering old territory with acoustic guitar strummingbut adding new touches like a piano solo and some slithering brasssolos.

The title track is a Latin take on "My Favorite Things," aforceful argument for finding beauty in everyday life. The lastsong, "Corazon," sums up the album's optimistic perspective, and theband's faith in rhythm and in life. It's a story about looking formeaning in the world and a lesson learned: "That beneath the sky/there was an imperfect world/with a good heart/that kept beating."

Daniel Shumski

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MIKEL ERENTXUN, "CIUDADES DE PASO" (WEA INTERNATIONAL)

The former leader of Spain's seminal Duncan Dhu, Mikel Erentxunhas four excellent solo albums behind him, but his fifth effort fallsshort. "Ciudades de Paso," which marks Erentxun's first solo discsince Duncan Dhu officially disbanded, sounds at times sounds morelike a Duncan Dhu album than any of the artist's other solo works.This might be a good thing--if he could pull it off convincingly.Unfortunately, some tracks come off as lightweight imitations ofsongs his former group might have done.

There are some good songs; "Manana" and "En el Sur" are catchy.But on leaden, tedious tracks like "Loco de Atar" and "Vasos de Romay Ginebra," it's hard not to grind your teeth and wonder what wentwrong.

Daniel Shumski

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THE DERAILERS, "GENUINE" (LUCKY DOG)

When listening to the Derailers' sixth album, it is easy to detectthe disparate musical influences that shaped the band's sound. Thisquartet obviously loves numerous acts that had hits on AM radio inthe '60s: the Beatles, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Roy Orbison,Elvis Presley, Marty Robbins and most important, Buck Owens.

Although this disc doesn't break any new ground, it offers 34minutes of pure fun, and there's not a bad cut to be heard. Thegarage-rock inspired "Scratch My Itch" and the Fab Fourish titletrack may cause some listeners to shake it like a go-go dancer froman ''Austin Powers'' flick.

Bobby Reed

Note: The Derailers perform May 1 at Fitzgeralds in Berwyn.

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SUPERSUCKERS, "MOTHER------S BE TRIPPIN'" (MID-FI)

Audacity. Gall. Chutzpah. Brass cojones. Call it what you will,Eddie Spaghetti and the Supersuckers have it in abundance. And theyput it all into their raucous and raunchy cowpunk, producing an albumthat is silly unto tasteless and as hard-rocking as they come.

Put it this way: Any band that kicks off an album with a tracktitled "Rock-n-Roll Records (Ain't Sellin' This Year)" and then,despite that sentiment, proceeds to make one of those records anyway,just plain doesn't care. And, if "Trippin'" is the result of thatbrazen indifference, then we're all to better for it.

Jeff Wisser