*** The Kelley Deal 6000

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

(Nice/New West)

The first surprise is that Kelley Deal is now releasing albums at a faster pace than her sister Kim; the second is how favorably her new one compares to Kim's last one with the Amps. It's taken Kelley some time to find her own voice, however. The first Kelley Deal 6000 album, released last year, sounded like a dirgier and more haphazard version of the Breeders. This time she builds on her old band's style instead of deconstructing it. The songs are tighter, punchier, poppier; the old Breeders trademarks -- the cool/ironic vocals and the big dirty guitar chords -- are used more sparingly. Two songs are done with only drums and vocals. There's even a "Drum Solo," all 38 seconds of it.

The sex-rocking "Shag," the punk-snarling "Get the Writing Off My Back," and "Brillo Hunt" are as catchy as anything on Last Splash, but more fully arranged. More surprising are a pair of ballads, "When He Calls Me Kitten" and "Where Did the Home Team Go?", both done as '50s-ish slow dances with Deal singing in convincing teen-angel style. Along with a stronger singing voice, she's developing a wicked sense of humor. When she applies for a job as a "Stripper," she makes it sound as innocent as cheerleading. And if I didn't know better, I'd swear that "My Boyfriend Died" is the nastiest Hole parody ever recorded.

-- Brett Milano