A stocking chock full of musical goodies

Tis the season of music overload. It's that time of year when record stores stock their shelves with a windfall of new albums and boxed sets. Sony takes on 100 years of music, the Grammy set features 40 years of musical gems, and longtime pop musicians Sting, Paul McCartney, and David Bowie deliver winning albums.

Tori Amos - To Venus and Back (Atlantic): What was supposed to be a B-sides record ended up being a double album. And it's thoroughly enjoyable. One of the two CDs is Amos's first live recording, which is culled from last year's tour, "The Choirgirl Hotel." It features popular songs that work well in concert like "Cornflake Girl" and "Little Earthquakes." The other CD is an exceptional studio effort that she recorded for the first time with her road band. Amos once again shows off her musical gifts: Her big melodic range, complex lyrics, and amazing piano playing never disappoint. By Lisa Leigh Parney

Marc Anthony - Marc Anthony (Columbia): Here's a singer who has twice sold out Madison Square Garden and sold more records than any other salsa singer. But in his first album sung in English, the Latin beat somehow got lost in translation. Listeners expecting to hear up-tempo hits like the salsa-tinged "I Need to Know" and "That's Okay" will be sorely disappointed. Most of the tracks are sappy, watered-down love songs and boring ballads. By Lisa Leigh Parney

David Bowie - Hours... (Virgin): Another fine addition to Bowie's body of work, in which he has more than atoned for losing his focus during the '80s. Bowie's gorgeous voice positively soars on the impassioned "If I'm Dreaming My Life" and the brooding soundscape of "The Dreamers." Meanwhile, longtime guitarist and co-writer Reeves Gabrels remains an effective foil with nonlinear lead lines on the plaintive "Survive" and "What's Really Happening?" The production is unusually lo-fi, and the rhythm section is oddly muted, but repeated listenings reveal lovely subtle textures. By Stephen Humphries

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Looking Forward (Reprise): Ouch. It hurts to say "Looking Forward" is filled with laughably bad lyrics, cloyingly overdone harmonies, anemic production, and almost no relevance - despite the fact that this memorable quartet has tried so hard. Only Neil Young saves this disc from being unlistenable. Though he lifts from his own "Heart of Gold" on "Slowpoke," Young's vocals and plaintive harmonica are better than all the tired harmonies combined, and only his lyrics are truly moving. He should have saved his contributions, including the title tune, for himself. They're wasted among the rest of this tripe. By Lynne Margolis

Dave Matthews Band - Listener Supported (BMG): The Dave Matthews Band's acoustic tapestry continues to delight on its latest two-CD live-album release. It showcases more recent material, and the older favorites never sound the same thanks to the band's instinctual knack for great instrumental improvisation. The highlights are the mix of male and female harmonies on "True Reflections" and "#36," while guest keyboard player Butch Taylor adds some sprightly ivory runs to "Two Step." The mood is evocative of Little Feat, and Bob Dylan is twice represented by stirring covers of "All Along the Watchtower" and "Long Black Veil." By Stephen Humphries

Melissa Etheridge - Breakdown (Island): If Etheridge is living in domestic bliss, it's hard to tell here. She sounds mighty miserable on most of these tunes. "Breakdown," "Angels Would Fall," and "Stronger Than Me" are just three of the grief-filled, lovelorn, or breakup-type songs, though "Angels" is a strong cut. Others are overproduced. But when Eth-eridge reins herself in, as on "How Would I Know," her delivery gains depth. It all works out in the end: "My Lover" and "Sleep" are make-no-mistake odes to her partner. The latter gives this introspective disc a nice finish. By Lynne Margolis

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