'MEDULLA'

'MEDULLA'
Bjork
Elektra
ssss Bjork has said she finds her best, most loved music has been the songs she was selfish in making. On her latest, the Icelandic chanteuse has cast out even the instruments. Bjork's seventh album, "Medulla," which refers to the spinal cord in Latin, gets to the heart of the marrow, so to speak.
The singer has pared away nearly all but the voices -- hers and those of backing choirs and vocalists. But this largely a cappella performance is no Bobby McFerrin record.
The sound is other worldly.
Bjork croons above layers of mixed and unmixed vocals and the background of two choirs: a soaring, angelic one, and a deep, baritone chorus that could easily double as the voice of God or a cranky whale.
Bjork's voice, it must be said, in its wild, unpredictable fluctuations of soaring soprano and devastating frankness, is one of few that deserves such a spotlight.
There are moments when her voice melds on top of the others, building into a frenzy of sound.
The best example of this is "Mouths Cradle," which is paced by a "glug, glug" sample of what might as well be the emptying of a gallon bottle of water.
The first single from the disc is "Oceania," a tune Bjork crafted for the Olympics opening ceremony. It is a bizarre, watery song of jumbled waves of vocal samples.
'GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER'
Papa Roach
Geffen
sss Watch out. Papa Roach is making music on "Getting Away With Murder." No, it's not the rap-rock sound of the multiplatinum "Infest" album. Nor is it the tortured sounds of the disappointing "lovehatetragedy."
This is the Papa Roach where the music is loud, unusually melodic and thankfully all rock. The lyrics are sometimes introspective, sometimes angry and always understandable.
Who knew lead singer Jacoby Shaddix could actually sing, really sing? And the band could play, really play rock music?
Die-hard fans will likely raise their hand and say they always knew. But for everybody else, who know the band only from previous music videos and radio play, "Getting Away With Murder" is like discovering a new band.
The first single (also the album's title) is a head banger that offers ear-shattering drumming with, believe it or not, an electronic loop. Although the lyrics are decidedly dark, they examine the repercussions of past behavior with a desire to change. It's a theme that runs through much of the album whether its examining personal or political actions.
'UNITY: THE OFFICIAL ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES SOUNDTRACK'
Various artists
Capitol
ss Any project that opens with a Dylan cover by Avril Lavigne ("Knockin' on Heaven's Door") has pulled a groin and torn a hamstring before it leaves the starting blocks. "Unity" is the "pop" version of the three Athens 2004 soundtracks (the others are "Greek" and "classical").
It benefits UNICEF and its AIDS/HIV programs, so its intentions are as noble as most of its lyrics, which preach lots of love, peace and brotherhood.
The album's premise: Cross-pollinate musicians from different countries or genres and see what happens. Too much is predictable.
The money cuts: Moby and Public Enemy collaborating on the angry and infernal anti-war rap "MKLVFKWR," Lenny Kravitz and Kadim Al Sahir rocking out on "We Want Peace," and the album's best dance number, "Oh Yeah," from Macy Gray and Keziah Jones.
'TAMBOURINE'
Tift Merritt
Lost Highway
sss Tift Merritt won over plenty of critics, including this one, with her 2002 debut "Bramble Rose." But the country-roots CD sold poorly, so on the livelier "Tambourine," Merritt eyes Southern soul with a few detours into California pop/rock territory.
The departure is welcome. Merritt, like a brawnier and brighter Sheryl Crow, sounds like she spent a week absorbing old Dusty Springfield and Bonnie LPs (Raitt and Bramlett) and borrowed the best elements from them "without" blatant copying.
Need an example? Cue up "Good Hearted Man." You'll be next in line to give Merritt whatever she wants.
'THE BLUEGRASS SESSIONS'
Janie Fricke
(DM Nashville)
sss Veteran country singer Fricke, who cut her musical teeth as a top jingle singer, becoming a familiar voice to millions as she sang in ads for United Air Lines, Coca-Cola, 7-Up, and Red Lobster, has recorded 23 albums and 36 hit singles.
She has been to the pinnacle of her craft as the Country Music Association's female vocalist of the year, Billboard's top country female vocalist, and has two Grammy nominations, among many other high honors. Why, then, would she re-do 10 of her big hits, adding two standards and one new number that she wrote?
The title says it all. These are bluegrass renditions of songs that were plenty good already, but now get fresh wrappings that make them seem new again.
Several of the numbers are real treats, especially the bluegrass versions of "She's Single Again," "It Ain't Easy Bein' Easy," and "You Don't Know Love."
Compiled from wire dispatches