SOUND CHECK.

Soundtrack/``Magnolia'' (Reprise)

Former 'Til Tuesday singer Aimee Mann's cynical love songs played an unusually large part in the development of Paul Thomas Anderson's remarkable new film, ``Magnolia,'' which hits screens today.

The director says the screenplay was actually an adaptation of some of Mann's material. Taken apart from the movie, these new Mann tracks, including ``Save Me,'' ``Build That Wall'' and ``You Do,'' are memorable, but once you see how they're woven into ``Magnolia,'' they resonate deeply. Standout cut ``Wise Up,'' for example, touches so closely on the film's central themes that, in a highly affecting sequence, Anderson has every major character singing along to the lyrics.

Along with eight Mann originals, the recommended ``Magnolia'' soundtrack includes a marvelous rendition of the Harry Nilsson perennial ``One,'' a pair of Supertramp numbers (``Goodbye Stranger'' and ``Logical Song'') we could've frankly done without and selections from Jon Brion's moody score. Three stars

- Fred Shuster

Django Reinhardt/``The Complete Django Reinhardt and Quintet of the Hot Club of France Swing/HMV Sessions (1936-48)'' (Mosaic)

The great gypsy guitarist Reinhardt is mentioned often in Woody Allen's bittersweet new film, ``Sweet & Lowdown,'' and, hopefully, a new interest in his music will result. This wonderful six-disc box from the mail-order-only Mosaic label collects 118 tracks from Django's most productive years as a solo performer and in duet with violinist Stephane Grappelli.

Intensely rhythmic and amazingly nimble - despite having just three fingers on his fretting hand - Reinhardt is much admired for incorporating be-bop idioms and harmonies in his highly nuanced playing. ``The Complete Django Reinhardt'' is a complete delight. To order, call [phone], or e-mail mosrecmindspring.com. Four stars

- F.S.

Perla Batalla/``Mestiza'' (Mechuda Music)

A Santa Monica-born singer of Mexican descent, sultry-voiced Batalla sang backup for Leonard Cohen, k.d. lang and others. For her second album, chosen best of 1999 by amazon.com, Batalla's unusually expressive and soulful delivery help put across a warm song cycle that traces Mexico's spiritual history.

Influences include gypsy, folk, gospel and pop on such crossover winners as ``Scarlet Thread'' and ``Iberia,'' tracks that add new colors to the world music spectrum. Three and one half stars

- F.S.

Errol Garner/``Collection'' (Telarc)

Garner is best-known for writing ``Misty,'' but he was also a terrific pianist, creating a wide-ranging, vast body of work that incorporated a number of styles into a fresh voice that was his own. Telarc has been reissuing Garner's catalog since 1994; this six-disc collection features those dozen albums, which are also available separately.

The swinging, evocative music within is remarkably consistent in quality and features some of Garner's best work - ``Now Playing: A Night at the Movies,'' ``Dreamstreet'' and ``One World Concert'' are among the great albums included. And, yes, ``Misty'' is here among the many standards and 28 original compositions. No one will be disappointed. Three and one half stars

- Glenn Whipp

Sheryl Crow and Friends/``Live in Central Park'' (A&M)

In September, Crow headlined a free concert in New York's Central Park, where various famous friends dropped by for duets. The best of this gutsy set of greatest hits and all-star jams include a countrified ``Strong Enough'' featuring the Dixie Chicks, a cover of Fleetwood Mac's ``Gold Dust Woman'' with Stevie Nicks, and Chrissie Hynde playing guitar and sharing the microphone on the Crow hit ``If It Makes You Happy.''

As an added treat, Eric Clapton lets loose with the Cream classic ``White Room.'' A good time was had by all. Three stars

- F.S.

Notorious B.I.G./``Born Again'' (Bad Boy)

In rock and rap, nobody stays dead for long. In this second posthumous release from the former Christopher Wallace - a k a Notorious B.I.G. - an all-star cast including Snoop Dogg, Lil' Kim, Puff Daddy, Mobb Deep, Nas and Busta Rhymes is digitally reunited with the murdered New York rapper for a set that's long on cliche and short on innovation.

Along with lots of so-so hard-core rap, there's a monologue by Biggie's mom that only the most loyal fan will want to hear twice. ``Born Again'' will see some chart action but the disc will have none of the shelf life of Biggie's landmark 1997 release, ``Life After Death.'' Two and one half stars

- F.S.

Lester Young/``The Complete Studio Sessions on Verve'' (Verve)

Conventional wisdom has it that, like Elvis Presley, tenor sax man Lester Young was never the same after his stint in the Army and that is true - to a point. Young, who made his name playing with Count Basie and Billie Holiday in the '30s, suffered what he describes as ``one mad nightmare'' during his year in the service from 1944-45. But this eight-disc package shows he had plenty of fire left, adapting his swing style to be-bop (his earlier recordings actually helped build that sound) and creating a number of fine records.

His collaborators here include Nat King Cole and Buddy Rich in some excellent early postwar trio sessions, the Oscar Peterson Trio and, later, trumpeters ``Sweets'' Edison and Roy Eldridge. Young wasn't always inspired during his Verve dates; toward the end, he just sounds tired. But the music typically has plenty of feeling and lyricism, showing why Young will always be considered one of the giants of jazz. Three and one half stars

- G.W.

Angie Stone ``Black Diamond'' (Arista)

From the cover picture with her giant 'fro and clothing straight outta Sly's attic to the lush string arrangements and wah-wah guitars inside, Angie Stone's album screams old-school soul heaven.

The deal is cinched by a guest appearance from musical excavator Lenny Kravitz and by a cover of Marvin Gaye's ``Trouble Man.'' Highlights are everywhere, including the wistful ``Coulda Been You,'' the funky ''Visions,'' and another great ballad in ``No More Rain (In This Cloud).'' Fans of '70s Philly and Motown sounds will warm quickly to this slow-groove soul for late night with your lover. Sweet stuff. Three stars

- David Bloom

David Bowie ``hours ...'' (Virgin Records)

The English chameleon made a splash by making this oddly subdued CD available initially on the Web only, part of an ongoing series of online experiments on Bowie's part that have included not only his own Web site, but his own Internet service provider, Bowie.com, among other gambits.

Here, the opening song, ``Thursday's Child,'' is a winner, worth buying as an individual MP-3 (selling music on the Web is welcoming the single back into the entertainment-biz lexicon after its death in the post-vinyl CD era).

Much of the rest of this music is all right, rather lugubrious and slow moving, and sometimes pretty or moderately interesting - but not nearly enough to demand your attention, which is something one never used to say about Bowie. Maybe he needs to spend less time breaking ground in new media and more time crafting better old media. Two stars

- D.B.

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Photo: (1) no caption (Magnolia soundtrack)

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