THIRD TIMES A CHARM

TYRESE

“I Wanna Go There”

J Records

Tyrese Gibson does it all: He models, he acts – and yes, he sings. His third album flows with smooth groove vocals set against hip-hop beats.

Tyrese sings love songs with attitude – a distinct style that allows him to perform honest ballads that don’t wallow in sap.

This very good, very even album peaks when Tyrese fires up the percussion power ballad “She Lets Me Be a Man.”

It’s a smart song that shows he’s sensitive and macho at the same time – a savvy R&B trick he learned from the late, great Marvin Gaye.

When Tyrese is assisted by Jermaine Dupri for the bump ‘n’ grind funk of “Girl I Can’t Help It,” the pair find the best groove of this album.

Less successful is “Kinna Right” where Tyrese sings the schoolyard mating call, “Baby, I got booty on my mind.”

Of course, you do, Tyrese – you’re a guy.

Too many of the 14 songs here have a similar vibe. With slight editing, Tyrese could have nixed a couple of tunes and made a stronger album.

WALKER & THEBROTHERHOOD OFTHE GRAPE

“Almost Homeless”

Into the Whip Records

Hometown boys Walker & the Brotherhood of the Grape offer a well-crafted collection of story-inspired songs that have a distinct New York City edge.

This electric band, which accents its arrangements with acoustic guitar and strings, is especially good on the tune “What Went Wrong.”

This album may be a hard one to find – if so, order it at http://www.brotherhoodofthegrape.com.

PHISH

“Round Room”

Elektra Records

America’s premier jam band Phish takes a break from their indefinite hiatus with a disc that’s remarkably mopey.

Although there is a gentleness about this record, after a few spins you realize it’s a yawner that sounds slapped together. And the band hardly uses their secret weapon – percussionist Jonathan Fishman.

The best of this otherwise just OK album is the funkied strut “46 Days” and the whammer jammer “Waves.”

The good news is that a new record probably means this Vermont outfit will be hitting the road for a concert tour.

DASHBOARDCONFESSIONAL

“Dashboard Confessional: MTV Unplugged 2.0”

Vagrant Records

Unplugging Dashboard Confessional is redundant.

This band, featuring the passionate singing of strum ‘n’ hum coffeehouse boy Chris Carrabba, plays acoustic rock.

So in this recording, the band sounds like they did when they were plugged in at their Roseland concert and their 2001 release “The Places You Have Come to Fear Most.”

For those who don’t have that old record, this “Unplugged” double disc is the better value since it has all but three of the songs on “Fear Most,” as well as several new tunes.

The pre-Christmas timing hitched to the lazy live format makes you suspicious this band is in it for the money.

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