SOUND CHECK.

THE GAME: ``The Documentary'' (Aftermath/Interscope) - One and one half stars

Compton's the Game (born Jayceon Taylor) has a sour back story to go with this witless, overhyped thug-rap opus from Dr. Dre's suburban-based urban fantasy factory. First making a splash with a series of high-profile media spats with other rappers, Taylor - pitched as a real live ex-dope slinger and former gangbanger who was riddled with lead and left for dead - hooked up with the Dre-Eminem-Lloyd Banks-50 Cent axis to cut what's being dubbed the most expensive album in hip-hop history.

Whatever the cost, it was too much. ``The Documentary'' doesn't even hint at the audacity, talent or sheer likability of such far-superior decade-old genre efforts as ``The Chronic'' or ``Doggystyle.'' Instead, we get the usual bleak tales of street revenge, packed with crusty old standbys like the n-word as a repeated refrain, relentless misogyny, various violence, casual gunplay and mindless revenge fantasies.

And to ensure sales, a chorus line of cameos from the likes of Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, Eminem, 50 Cent, Nate Dogg, Tony Yayo and Busta Rhymes reach into the piggy banks of the gullible and/or parentally unsupervised. The disc, smeared with familiar clattering electronic beats and tiresome samples, throws up at least one track with merit, the Kanye West-produced ``Dreams.'' Otherwise, file this fop under flop - but see it sail to No. 1 next week.

- Fred Shuster

JAMES KING: ``The Bluegrass Storyteller'' (Rounder) - Four stars

As the title indicates, King likes to apply his gritty yet yearning baritone to story songs. While this collection of tunes by Tom T. Hall, Fred Eaglesmith, Bill Anderson and such run the gamut of classic hill-country themes, most have an ironic twist or alarming sting that really moves the mountain. Get set for expert renderings of love unto death, the price of cheatin', odd gospel ruminations and tales of sweet revenge. And don't miss ``Echo Mountain,'' the most heartbreaking dog song ever. In stores Tuesday.

- Bob Strauss

EMMA: ``Free Me'' (19/Universal) - Three stars

She's the grrl formerly known as Baby Spice, and on this 14-song set (which includes two remixes of the title track), she channels the era of '60s kitsch with a helping hand from singer-songwriter Cathy Dennis and Zero 7's Henry Binns. The album delivers go-go dancers like ``Maybe'' and lushly orchestrated Burt Bacharach/Hal David-inspired creations like ``Tomorrow,'' ``Breathing'' and ``No Sign of Life.''

On ``Crickets Sing for Anamaria,'' a song that was originally covered by the Brazilian pop singer Astrid Gilberto, Emma's sweet delivery sambas effortlessly atop bossa nova beats. In stores Tuesday.

- Sandra Barrera

VARIOUS: ``Sweetheart: Love Songs'' (Hear Music) - Three and one half stars

While this Valentine's Day-themed set kicks off with a traditional love song (``My Funny Valentine,'' covered by Rufus Wainwright, complete with the rarely done intro), the rest of the menu is oddly romantic - or perhaps romantically odd. Here, we have country-folkie M. Ward laying down a groovalicious reading of Pete Townshend's ``Let My Love Open the Door,'' while the eclectic Calexico gives Joy Division's ``Love Will Tear Us Apart'' some country-funk urgency. The Old 97's put a punk gloss on the Kinks/Romantics hit ``She's Got Everything,'' and Southern singer-songwriter Jim White makes Bill Withers' ``Use Me'' downright gothic. Neko Case also gets in on the act, noting that love can seem like ``Buckets of Rain'' (``Everything about you is bringing me misery,'' as Bob Dylan put it). Flowers and a box of chocolates might be the better bet.

- Rob Lowman

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(1) THE GAME

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