SOUND CHECK.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: ``We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions'' (Columbia) - Three stars

Springsteen's latest covers songs not by the Detroit rocker who wrote ``Night Moves,'' but by the folk fundamentalist who was so mad when Bob Dylan went electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival that he threatened to take an ax to the cables.

This 13-track set sidesteps some of Seeger's chestnuts (``If I Had a Hammer,'' ``Where Have All the Flowers Gone?'' and ``Turn! Turn! Turn!''), instead favoring charmingly ramshackle interpretations of timeless folk tunes such as ``Old Dan Tucker,'' ``We Shall Overcome,'' ``John Henry'' and ``Shenandoah.'' Springsteen invests the socially conscious material with emotion, backed by a large ensemble that sounds like it's having fun. This DualDisc CD/DVD package, in stores Tuesday, comes with a 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, two bonus tracks and a booklet that includes a note from Springsteen that never even mentions Bob Seger or ``Night Moves.''

- Fred Shuster

MIMI FOX: ``Perpetually Hip'' (Favored Nations)

Disc 1: Band Two and one half stars

Disc 2: Solo Four stars

Fox cements her place in the pantheon as one of the few jazz guitarists to excel in a solo setting with this homage to the mentor she first encountered 15 years ago - the late Joe Pass. One of the few to approach Pass' artistry and technique, yet doing so in her own unique way, Fox freely interprets a set of standard tunes and then takes off on instrumental flights that remind the listener just how exciting this music can be. On the band disc, however, Fox's originals don't fare so well, though ``While Bangkok Sleeps'' exceeds expectations. She plays better with her band on standards, but with such a fine solo disc, the group effort pales in comparison. Fox appears 8 p.m. Sunday at the Mint in L.A.; info at www.themintla.com.

- Steven Rosenberg 

CANDI STATON: ``His Hands'' (Honest Jon's/Astralwerks) - Three and one half stars

Staton owns one of the great Southern soul voices - raw, ravaged and just as comfortable in the saloon as the church. In these tracks, Staton returns to the tear-stained country-soul that put her back in the spotlight two years ago when a widely acclaimed anthology of her great late-'60s work became an instant part of every true r&b lover's CD collection. That pleading urgency is well documented on the superbly secular ``His Hands,'' in which Staton applies her heart-tugging pipes to songs by Dolly Parton, Merle Haggard, Charlie Rich and others, backed by a stellar crew that drew legendary Hammond B3 soul man Barry Beckett out of retirement. ``His Hands'' is one to believe in.

- F.S.

CLAIRE LYNCH ``New Day'' (Rounder) - Three stars

One of the sweetest voices in bluegrass returns after a six-year hiatus with an album of uplifting anthems and heartfelt heartbreak songs. With a warm, throaty soprano reminiscent of Emmylou Harris, and phrasing ingenuity to match, Lynch sounds strongest on the more overtly religious tracks and bluesier laments. But even the radio-friendly, positive-thinking ditties boast a substance not found in most such country corn. You can see Lynch live Saturday night at the Blue Ridge Pickin' Parlor in Granada Hills. [phone].

>- Bob Strauss

THE STREETS: ``The Hardest Way to Make an Easy Living'' (Atlantic) - Two stars

At just over a half-hour in length, the latest volley from London's celebrated Mike Skinner reveals how fame has curdled the formerly inspired urban rapper who always seemed like an ordinary bloke. Pictured on the cover with his Rolls-Royce, Skinner offers few insights about a hip-hop lifestyle soured by white powder, gambling, greed and more powder. There's even a typically mundane track about smashing up hotel rooms. Skinner, who goes by the name The Streets, was so enjoyable on his first two records that his third (in stores Tuesday) is an uneasy letdown.

- F.S.

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(1) no caption (Bruce Springsteen)

(2 -- 6) no caption (CD covers)