GILBY CLARKE

“Swag”

½ Spitfire Records

Take ex-Guns N’ Roses axman Gilby Clarke out of the what-ever-happened-to file with the release of “Swag,” a crunchathon of rock ‘n’ roll guitar.

Although he’s pressed three solo discs since Guns bit the dust, Clarke hasn’t really stirred the rock waters.

He may finally make a splash with his latest solo CD. Every song, without exception, is a driving, supercharged, guitar-powered gem. If “Swag” flat-lines in the racks, it isn’t because Clarke slacked or shirked his obligation as either a songwriter or musician.

If you expected Clarke to present an album of tunes with the sonic boom of Guns, you’d be only half right. There are certainly a lot of similarities, but there are essential differences, including a modern pop sensitivity that tempers the arena rock metal aesthetic with shades of blues-rock.

Clarke, who doesn’t have the strongest voice, wisely avoids ballads. Instead, he keeps his two-tones to the floorboard.

Listen for the rockabilly rave “Broken Down Car”; the ode to anti-stardom, “I’m Nobody.”

KRS-ONE

“Spiritual Minded”

Koch Records

Kids who like their rap with plenty of guns and hos won’t like this one, and adults who’d probably approve of these lyrics won’t listen, so KRS-One may find himself in no man’s land with this incredible disc.

On this collection of urban inspirationals, KRS gets up on the pulpit and preaches that we should all get to higher ground. Call it conscious rap or gospel rap. The beats are hard and KRS’ message of empowerment and living right makes him come off as God’s No.1 gangsta who’s gonna smite ya if ya don’t listen.

This is one of those discs that will reward you, if you have the faith to take a blind leap, with one of hip-hop’s real thinkers – a scholar who can rhyme with gangsta force and goodwill toward men. “Spiritual Minded” is going to be viewed as one of the more controversial revolutions in the evolution of rap.

VARIOUS ARTISTS

“MTV2 Handpicked”

Columbia Records

This single 18-cut disc culled from MTV2’s archives stands as a contemporary jukebox of emerging artists and music’s movers and shakers. And it’s required listening for those from the Crosby Stills Nash & Young generation who whine, “Where is all the good music?”

For the kids who are already aware of acts such as Travis, Coldplay, David Gray and Mystic (all represented with songs here), this collection might be slightly superfluous, repeating what’s already in their record collections.