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Mutations Beck (DGC) Of related interest: Eels, life without parole in L.A.'s funky Silver Lake 'hood, Train 45: Railroad Songs of the Early 1900s compilation Beck Hansen's mass-market appeal has always made him something of a real-life Ferris Bueller. Sportos, motorheads, geeks, sluts, pinheads, dweebies, wonkers, richies--they all adore him. Even after the excessive airplay of "Loser" put Beck dangerously close to the one-hit-wonder vortex, he retained a solid underground following with the rickety, blues-soaked Stereopathetic Soulmanure and the bedraggled acoustics he shared with Calvin Johnson on One Foot in the Grave. By the time Beck dished out the hits on Odelay, it seemed he'd pervaded every corner of the musical map. So where does a skinny folk singer-cum-flashy-pants rock star go for a thrill once the world's his plaything? Apparently back to the basic, boozy tomcattin' folk formula that made him music's lovable class clown in the first place. Mutations is stocked with the spirit of a noisy video arcade after 3 pm; pedal steel and horns saturate the flowing piano romp "Canceled Check," while the boy-and-his-harmonica approach to "Bottle of Blues" opens a door to Beck's serious side. Though the tempo is nowhere near the artificial adrenaline level of Odelay, Beck's ability to take off the party hat and spin an honest groove with two guitars and a microphone further validates his success. Kristy Ojala Kima, Keisha & Pam Total (Bad Boy) Of related interest: Monica, Lil' Kim, Missy Elliott Total's sophomore effort is the shit when chillin' with your shorty late at night. Don't get it twisted: Kima, Keisha & Pam is still rap 'n' bullshit, but it's well done rap 'n' bullshit. Bad Boy Records is known for such feats--smoothing out the roughness of hip-hop and appealing to the tender ears of the pop audience. The Hitmen, Puffy's in-house production team, are true to form here. A well-known hook used by Busta Rhymes is jacked for the foundation of "If You Want Me," a mellowed-out track featuring the sauntering flow of Mase. In the soft, body rockin' "Sitting Home," the Hitmen plunder the Whitehead Brothers' claim to fame "Forget I Was a 'G.'" Kima, Keisha & Pam differs from the typical Bad Boy joint in the noticeable influence of Missy Elliott. Total shines on Missy's tracks, singing tales of sex that are feminine and crass. The interlude, "There Will Be No Fuckin' Tonight," is interspersed with a child's voice asking, "You tryin' to fuck mommy?" an ill concept from the brain of Ms. Elliott. "Trippin'" and "I Tried" are slow-tempo Jeep beats that are not out of place in a dark room. Think I'm lying? Ask your boo. H.V. Claytor Jr. Rare on Air Volume Four Various Artists (Mammoth) Of related interest: Rare on Air Volumes One-Three, Radiohead's OK Computer For the past four years, Mammoth Records has been introducing the country to the "Morning Becomes Eclectic" radio program through the Rare on Air series. The series' four volumes are collections of live recordings from the show, which is broadcast on Southern California's National Public Radio station, KCRW. True to the program's name--and NPR playlists in general--each volume contains songs from performers of very diverse styles. Volume Four is no exception. Side by side here are such disparate artists as Zap Mama, Mazzy Star, Randy Newman and Ani DiFranco. Due to the high quality of these live performances, though, the varied styles don't seem altogether contrary, and listeners may find themselves enjoying tracks by artists they haven't had any taste for previously. Highlights include Mazzy Star's haunting "Flowers in December," Gus Gus' trip-hoppy "Blue Mug" and Tim and Neil Finn's heartfelt rendition of "Only Talking Sense." The record's pinnacle comes early on with Radiohead's stunning, stripped-down performance of "Subterranean Homesick Alien." This contribution is the first time the song was ever performed for an audience. With perhaps the only weak cut being Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy," Volume Four is a worthy addition to this unique series. Stephen Slaybaugh
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