Ice-T The 7th Deadly Sin (Coroner/Atomic Pop)

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band Live On (Giant/Reprise)

Album No. 3 from Kenny Wayne Shepherd offers everything fans have come to expect from the young guitar whiz: hot licks a-plenty copied from the masters with loving care, with Stevie Ray Vaughan at the top of the syllabus. Live On cooks up ferociously, but despite some fine original songs and the crack band (including Shaver/Georgia Satellites vet Keith Christopher on bass and guests Dr. John, Warren Haynes, James Cotton and Les Claypool), it still tastes like leftovers. And without knocking vocalist Noah Hunt -- who could cut it in any bar band in the country -- until Shepherd steps up to the mic and at least tries to sing on album, it's hard to take him seriously as a bluesman. Stevie and Jimi weren't comfortable with their own vocal chops, but at least they gave it try. (RICHARD SKANSE)

Matthew Sweet In Reverse (Volcano)

Nobody ever called Matthew Sweet "lo-fi." As for his seventh outing, it's so slick you may have to wipe it off before you pop it into your CD player. True to its name, with upside-down cover art and a booklet that opens at the wrong end, In Reverse drips with harpsichords, flugelhorns, theremins, trombones, and, of course, backwards guitar tracks. Sweet assembled a veritable rock & roll symphony for the album, including legendary sessionist Carol Kaye, who lists the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds among her daunting credits. Her jazz-tinged bass line along with the sleighbells and lilting harmonies of "Time Permits" would surely bring a smile to Brian Wilson's face. Sweet, who has sounded a bit bored on his last couple albums, finds inspiration in orchestration on this lovely rock & roll opus. (BILL CRANDALL)

THE ROLLINGSTONE.COM STAFF
(October 13, 1999)