ROCK/POP/JAZZ
MICHAEL BRECKER ``Don't Try This at Home'' (MCA/Impulse! MCA-42229) - Saxophonist/composer Brecker's follow-up to his Grammy-nominated first solo album is equally original and imaginative, exploring paths that most jazz musicians don't even think about. Case in point: ``Its bynne Reel,'' a clever dissection of a quite traditional-sounding Irish folk melody that takes an ear-bending journey into jazz fusion. Brecker again plays the EWI (electronic wind instrument) to fine effect. As soloist, composer, and bandleader, Brecker is one of the most exciting voices in jazz today. ZANI DIABATE & THE SUPER DJATA BAND ``Zani Diabate & the Super Djata Band'' (Mango/Island MLPS 9814) - Diabate lends his Jimi Hendrix-influenced guitar to traditional African rhythms of Mali, backed by a contemporary electric band. The haunting rhythms come from the dances of Bambara hunters and Bozo fishermen, and lead singer Daouda (Flani) Sangare's tongue is faster than an auctioneer's.
BON JOVI ``New Jersey'' (Mercury 836 345-1) - This is the eagerly awaited follow-up to Bon Jovi's chart-topping ``Slippery When Wet.'' If you liked the first one, you'll like this one, too. It's more of the same ``glam'' metal stuff (with a few country licks thrown in) - slickly produced and predictable. There are a couple of goodies on this one, though, most notably the hit single ``Bad Medicine.'' The rest is chock-full of cheap sentiment (``I'll Be There for You,'' ``Born to Be My Baby'') and faceless melodies.
METALLICA ``...And Justice for All'' (Elektra 9 60812-1) - Now we're talking really heavy metal, or at least that used to be what these rough-and-ready bad boys of rock performed. On this double album, though, their old style is slightly watered down. The politically conscious lyrics come off as preachy, and the rough musical edges are starting to smooth down. Is this the result of fame? Still, there's probably enough of the old raw Metallica sound here to keep fans happy.
ROY ORBISON ``For the Lonely: A Roy Orbison Anthology, 1956-1965'' (Rhino R171493) - This is the definitive early collection for fans of the sweet-voiced rockabilly and ballad singer. Orbison lends his unearthly tenor and unique style to his hits ``Ooby Dooby,'' ``Only the Lonely,'' ``Crying,'' ``Dream Baby,'' ``Oh, Pretty Woman,'' ``Candy Man,'' and 18 other songs. The backup bands include members from Orbison's Teen Kings.
VARIOUS SONGWRITERS ``With a Bullet'' (Cypress/A&M YL 0112) - This unusual album is a collection of original demos of hit songs, sung and/or played by the songwriters themselves. Among them are Madonna's ``Crazy For You'' (Jon Lind); Whitney Houston's ``I Wanna Dance With Somebody'' (George Merrill & Shannon Rubicam); and The Commodores' ``Nightshift,'' (Franne Golde & Dennis Lambert). Some are better than the hits themselves.