That's because the Roots are tough but never thuggish, and maybe too erudite for their own good. The album's title comes from a treatise on violence. There are numerous historic references to a world out of control, with a special emphasis on Iraq.

The tone is sharply sarcastic and hard-edged, especially in the opening half-dozen tracks which seem determined to remind the world how dynamic a rapper Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter can be.

But from track seven ("Criminal") forward, the beats get breezier and the tunes more catchy. They're still talking about downer stuff like addictions ("I Will Not Apologize") and giving voice to mass murderers and suicide bombers ("Singing Man"). Yet the ironically bright musical underpinnings lure you in.

The most commercial track is buried at the album's end, the go-go pumped "Rising Up," featuring guest appearances by D.C.'s Wale and Chrisette Michelle.

MORE URBAN VIBES: Hip-hop and soul styles also mix well in the third set from singer/songwriter producer Lyfe Jennings, "Lyfe Change" (Columbia, B+). On songs like "Keep on Dreaming" (lifting a tune fragment from Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner") and the Peter Pan-invoking "Never Never Land," this Toledo, Ohio, native issues balmy Lyfe lessons that even a Bob Marley could endorse. Elsewhere, the album's "Brand New" borrows extensively from the Gamble-Huff hit "You Make Me Feel Brand New" and also quotes the reggae hit "I Can See Clearly Now."

COUNTRY-ROCK COMFORTS: A mere 33 years after they broke up, Mudcrutch has finally reunited and made their first album, "Mudcrutch" (Reprise, A-). Sounds like the premise for a goofy movie starring Will Farrell, doesn't it? But get a load of who's in this group: Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers buddies Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench, plus the two that got away - guitarist/teacher Tom Leadon (brother of former Eagles and Flying Burrito Brothers player Bernie Leadon) and drummer Randall Marsh, who's been, um, bar-banding it ever since.

Way back when, before they went Hollywood and switched gears a little, Mudcrutch was a bunch of Gainesville, Fla., dudes pioneering in a progressive synthesis of bluegrass, twang and rock-crunk country, if you will.

So were fellow travelers like the Burritos and the Byrds, who got there first. Please to note the inclusion here of "Six Days on the Road," practically the national anthem of that genre.

For originals, the reunited band serves up chiming twin guitar goodies like the super spunky/funky "The Wrong Thing I Do" and sweet instrumental, "June Apple," which evokes ye old "Tennessee Stud." And Petty also reveals his love of the art-folk-psychedelia band It's a Beautiful Day, with a nine-minute-plus homage, "Crystal River."

I never thought I'd be mentioning an "American Idol" runner-up in the same breath with Petty. But Phil Stacey's self-titled debut (Lyric Street, B) is a surprisingly decent country rock outing with songs and production that evoke Bruce Hornsby and the Eagles' Glen Frey.

SWEET STUFF: Another recent British chart topper lands in the United States this week. Heard to very good advantage on "Hand Built By Robots" (Aware/Columbia, B+), Newton Faulkner is an appealing, nu-folk popster with a vital voice and dynamic guitar style - finger-picking, string-tapping and percussively drumming on the body to generate both melody and rhythm. Catch him Sunday at World Cafe Live.

Half the reason I fell for Mandy Moore's last album were those wonderfully hummable, organic songs written by Deb Talan and Steve Tannen. Even better is hearing the material - like "All Good Things" - as done by the creative duo themselves, performing as the Weepies on "Hideaway" (Nettwerk, A-). Think really pretty, poignant, singer/songwriter fare, performed by a co-ed Simon and Garfunkel.

GOOD ROCKING: Nerd rock rules again with Nerf Herder on "IV" (Fontana/Oglio, B). The power punksters will lead you to the "High School Reunion," make you cry as they find gifts to an old girlfriend at her "Garage Sale" and make you wish radio and TV rock didn't suck so bad on "Led Zeppelin Rules." The only sour note - their imagery of an irrationally crushed romance as "WTC #7."

Since last we met Australia's soul-stomping response to the E Street Band, the Cat Empire has been touring the world and soaking up a lot of culture. "So Many Nights" (Velour, B) reflects that time, with abstracted, dream-state lyrics about girls who come and go and brass- and string-endowed music that reflects a heavy dose (maybe too much) of Latino mariachi/salsa influence, plus glimmers of Middle Eastern, Slavic and West Indian flavors. There's even an Italian spaghetti Western ditty in the mix - the stand-out "Voodoo Cowboy."

John Reis of Rocket From the Crypt fame returns leading the Night Marchers on "See You In Magic" (Vagrant, B-). While he's kinda punky in that other group, the influences here are more Rolling Stones meets NRBQ.

THOSE OLDIES BUT GOODIES: Time has seemingly stood still for Steve Winwood on "Nine Lives," (Columbia, B). He sounds in fine voice and hasn't changed his style a bit - still doing that earnest British blues/soul/pop amalgam laced with surging Hammond organ, percolating acoustic guitar and plenty of Afro-Cuban percussion.

Taking a page from the kids he's working with here (Jenny Lewis, Johnathan Rice), Elvis Costello's new album with the Imposters, "Momofuku" (Lost Highway, B), was cut fast and loose, with "fun" as a project priority. Plus, very 2008, it's initially available only as a digital download and as double LP set. The CD version comes out May 6. *