album reviews: Spin Cycle is a biweekly roundup of the latest music releases selected by Citysearch editors.

Missy Elliott
"Miss E ... So Addictive" (Elektra)
Street date: 5/15

Missy Elliott's "So Addictive" boast tales of short-fuse lovers and old-school sexual anticipation. But all those storied flings have nothing on the longstanding professional relationship between Elliott, the unlikely rap sensation, and Timbaland, her esteemed producer. Their chemistry is what makes this album so powerful. Despite a broad array of big-league successes (Aaliyah, Jay-Z), Timbaland reserves his best work for her, honing distinctive details and memorable rhythms--like the understated fade-out on "X-Tasy," or the funky kick that made "Get Ur Freak On" an instant hit. Her raps, like the mantra chorus of "Dog in Heat," are hypnotic, and she has a Clint Eastwood-like ability to turn any combination of syllables into a catchphrase. Throughout, Timbaland entices the ear with taut, electrifying sounds. Guests abound, including Ludacris and Da Brat, but the dynamic duo is always center stage; as she sings on "Watcha Gon' Do," "Me and Timbaland got tracks that will kill you." --Marc Weidenbaum, citysearch.com

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
"B.R.M.C." (Virgin)
Street date: 4/3

San Francisco's Black Rebel Motorcycle Club takes its name from a gang in the 1954 Marlon Brando flick "The Wild One" and channels its sound from Scottish fuzz-rockers the Jesus and Mary Chain. Those two pop-culture beacons--the classic image of black-clad lawlessness and the guitar squall of '80s-era British post-punk--guide the band on this seductive debut album. That U.K. undercurrent is a more tasteful homage than the Xeroxing employed by, say, the Strokes and the Brian Jonestown Massacre. BRMC's modus operandi is the scuzzy rave-up, exemplified on "What Ever Happened to My Rock 'n' Roll (Punk Song)." The chorus--"I gave my heart to a simple chord/I gave my soul to a new religion/Whatever happened to my rock and roll"--is a battle cry for disenchanted rock fans everywhere. All that's missing from the song is a verse urging fans to smash their TVs. --Scott Henkemeyer, citysearch.com

Loudon Wainwright III
"Last Man on Earth" (Red House)
Street date: 9/25

Written shortly after his mother passed away, the songs of "Last Man on Earth," Loudon Wainwright's first album of new material in four years, are soulful gems--intimate studies of life and death, family strife and romantic failure. Following her death, Wainwright spent 18 months living in his mom's house--connecting with her essence by sitting in her chairs and sleeping in her bed. Stark realizations during this period helped him overcome his writer's block, resulting in finely crafted, engaging songs. "Living Alone" is a standout, a folk-rocking ballad that deals with reaching 53 years of age--mateless, judging oneself harshly and being judged by others--with shocking honesty: "The end is at hand now/And you have the means/A roll of toilet paper/And the right magazines." On "Last Man on Earth," Wainwright proves once again that he is one of the finest lyricists, and folk singers, of our time. --Don Harvey, austin.citysearch.com

The Velvet Underground
"Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes" (Universal)
Street date: 10/16

In November 1969, rabid Velvet Underground fan Robert Quine taped several concerts during the Velvets' month-long stay in San Francisco. This three-disc set contains performances at the Matrix, a small rock club, and the Family Dog, a larger, Fillmore-type space. Never rushed, the band ventures into effortless improvisation. Steady, droning jams insidiously insinuate themselves through "What Goes On," "Follow the Leader," and the box's centerpiece series, "Sister Ray." Three recordings of that song are included, each clocking over 20 blissful minutes. Also irresistible are the Mo Tucker-sung "After Hours" and "I'm Sticking with You." Contrary to the Velvets' deteriorating reputation during the then-approaching "Loaded" sessions, "The Quine Tapes" finds the group in remarkably cohesive mode. Lou Reed's upbeat mood is delightful throughout. And the tape hiss becomes elemental to capturing the live experience--like listening through a haze of smoke. --Troy Schulze, houston.citysearch.com