Yearwood’s new album will grow on listeners

“Thinkin’ About You” (MCA) — Trisha Yearwood

The Georgia blonde keeps her winning streak alive with her fourth album. “Thinkin’ About You” is more upbeat than 1993’s “The Song Remembers When,” probably reflecting Yearwood’s personal life, as she married Mavericks bassist Robert Reynolds last May.

One secret of Yearwood’s success has been the ability to find and select strong songs that match up with her alto voice, a skill which harkens back to her days as a demo singer.

Yearwood puts her own unique spin on songs by Melissa Etheridge (“You Can Sleep While I Drive”), Mike Henderson (“The Restless Kind”) and Tammy Wynette (“Till I Get It Right”).

She receives a lot of all-star help, with instrumentation or vocals provided by Lee Roy Parnell, Lari White, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Raul Malo of the Mavericks.

“Thinkin’ About You” is an album that grows on a listener, seemingly inconsequential at first but more sunstantial with subsequent listenings. That’s another secret of Yearwood’s success.

“Melrose Place — The Music” (Giant) — Various artists

Those who pass on this collection based on its connection to the campy Fox nighttime soap are doing themselves a disservice.

“Melrose Place — The Music” is actual an enjoyable collection of up-and-coming, mostly lesser-known rock artists. Standout cuts are “Baby I Can’t Please You” by Sam Phillips, “That’s Just What You Are” by Aimee Mann (formerly of `Til Tuesday) and “I’m Jealous” by Divinyls.

Best of all, the collection is remarkably even, without a dud in the release’s 11 cuts. “Melrose Place” usually opens with an interesting tune, and here’s hoping there are more volumes of this collection to come.

“Living Under June” (A&M) — Jann Arden

One great new import is this second album by Canadian singer Jann Arden. “Living Under June” has already reached platinum status in the Great White North, and it’s not hard to see why.

In a release rife with religious imagery, Arden starts by mining the underbelly of love — obsession (“Demolition Love,” “Could I Be Your Girl”), depression (“Unloved,” with Jackson Browne), and abuse (the title cut). The song “Insensitive” pays tribute to Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain.”

But the album grows more hopeful toward the end (“Good Mother,” “It Looks Like Rain”); it documents the up-and-down life of a survivor.

Arden’s rangy soprano brings to mind Kate Bush, and the music creates a memorable framework for her vocals.

With more efforts like “Living Under June,” Arden will join such favored Canadian imports as hockey and Molson’s.

“Good News From The Next World” (Virgin) — Simple Minds

Sometimes having a memorable, even classic single is a curse. Everything the artist or group does afterward is compared to that single.

This is something that Simple Minds have run smack into. “Don’t You (Forget About Me),” the theme song from the 1984 film “The Breakfast Club,” is the yardstick against which Simple Minds’ music will be measured.

On their 13th album, Jim Kerr and Charlie Burchill are taking a different path. In the past, their music has largely been keyboard-driven. But now Burchill’s guitar is the musical force.

And no, nothing measures up to “Don’t You (Forget About Me).” Still there are enjoyable, catchy songs such as the current single “She’s A River” and “7 Deadly Sins” on the album.

Simple Minds is right to explore a new sound. And “Good News From The Next World” is a good first step in that direction.