Originality has never been Eddie Money's strong suit. Yet on No Control, his fourth album, Money manages to make his interpretations of such proverbial rock themes as sex, drugs and–you guessed it–rock & roll ring true. Money is such an engaging and likable guy, and his raspy voice is so appealing, that one can even forgive the clichés that pop up from time to time.

The best track here is the tough but sexy "Shakin'." With its stuttering lead guitar line and dense, tom-tom-dominated drum sound, this age-old story of sexual awkwardness and awakening comes alive with fiery power. Though nothing else here quite matches "Shakin'," Money does put in a good show with mainstream hard rockers like the autobiographical "No Control," the catchy "Think I'm in Love" (already an AM radio hit) and the blistering "Keep My Motor Runnin'," as well as a pair of ballads, "Hard Life" and "My Friends, My Friends."

Money isn't the only hot property on this album. Jimmy Lyon's savage guitar pyrotechnics enliven nearly every track, and Tom Dowd's fine production help to make this the best Eddie Money album yet. As he sings in "Hard Life," Eddie considers himself just a "local boy trying to make it good." Judging from No Control, he's already accomplished that. (RS 377)

MICHAEL GOLDBERG