Going back to basics> A raw, stripped-down sound serves Mellencamp well on `Dance Naked’

“Dance Naked” (Mercury) — John Mellencamp

On his latest release, Mellencamp harkens back to the stripped-down sound of “Hurts So Good.”

Most of the vocals on “Dance Naked” are first or second takes, with only guitar, bass and drums for instrumentation. The results are both stark and vibrant.

Mellencamp does memorable vocal etchings on such topics as sibling rivalry (“Brothers”), chasing the dollar (“The Big Jack”) and the decline of the United States (“Another Sunny Day 12/25”). A highlight is his spirited remake of Van Morrison’s “Wild Night,” a duet with Me’Shell NdegeOcello.

Although “Dance Naked” is too brief (a little more than 29 minutes), Mellencamp still manages to make a lasting impression.

“Journeys of the Mind” (MCA) — Whycliffe

A bright new import from Great Britain is the enigmatic singer-songwriter Whycliffe.

On his second MCA album, Whycliffe brings to mind the young Prince, mixing soul, rock, pop, funk and gospel into one always surprising sound. He also shares Prince’s predilection for the spiritual (the title cut, “I Pray”) and the secular (“Sex Me Baby.”)

Whycliffe can deliver a sweet love song, as he shows as “One More Time,” “Sweeter Than Honey” and “Whatever It Is.”

Whycliffe also turns out some unforgettable licks, playing most of the instruments himself.

It’s too early to tell if “Journeys of the Mind” will gain Whycliffe stateside recognition. But the album shows he’s an artist to watch.

“Rattlesnake Rock ‘N’ Roll: The Best of Blackfoot” (Rhino)

Although they came out of the same Florida scene as Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers, Rick Medlocke and the various incarnations of Blackfoot have never received the notoriety of their Southern rock brethren.

Songs such as “Train, Train,” “Highway Song” and “Fly Away” are well known, but the group has often found itself just outside of the limelight.

“Rattlesnake Rock ‘N’ Roll” goes a long way toward addressing this injustice. The jumbo CD, with 18 songs and 75 minutes of music, is jampacked with rock ‘n’ roll, blues and boogie that grab the listener’s attention from beginning to end.

A whole new generation now will have an opportunity to enjoy this hard-luck but worthwhile band.

“16 Most Requested Television Themes” (Columbia/Legacy) — Various artists

A novelty collection such as this comes with nostalgia and fun built in. Listeners think back to when they watched certain TV shows and have fun singing along with such hits as “The Ballad of Jed Clampett” or “Rawhide.”

“16 Most Requested” lives up to its name in most ways. There’s Fess Parker and Buddy Ebsen on “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” and Johnny Cash singing “The Rebel — Johnny Yuma.” Bob Crane is represented twice, not only performing “Theme From Hogan’s Heroes” but also the theme from “Get Smart.”

Still the songs included are uneven, a result of mining Columbia’s vaults. There are obscure numbers such as “Blue Star,” the theme song from “Medic.” Alternate versions of themes are included. “Green Acres” sounds strange when sung by Eddie Albert alone, without Eva Gabor.

Other recordings have covered the same ground, only better. “16 Most Requested” is only a minor addition to the TV-theme genre.

“If the World Were My Lover” (Turtle Island) — Libby Roderick

Alaskan Libby Roderick, who recently performed at the Left Bank Cafe in Blue Hill, is mainly a folk singer-songwriter, but as her latest album shows, she’s not that easy to pigeonhole.

Roderick skewers the religious right on the rocking “Thunder” and on the country swing tune “Heaven Down Here.” She tells of an encounter with a cancer patient in the tender ballad “L.C. Smith,” and is fervent on the gospellike “Dig Down Deep.”

In fact, what Roderick does best with her music is to uplift, with such inspiring songs as “Angel Coming Your Way,” “Keep On Strong Heart” and “I Think We’re Going to Make It.”

“If the World Were My Lover” shows why Roderick is a refreshing breath of fresh air on today’s music scene.