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Listen Up music reviews

Miley Cyrus, ‘Hannah Montana: The Movie’ soundtrack

3 and one-half stars (out of four)

Comment: TWEEN TALES

Swaddled inside the frothy, frenetic, tender and (mostly) well-crafted ditties from this soundtrack are tantalizing glimpses into the normally unfathomable midteen mind-set. Cyrus’ Hannah Montana character (and probably Cyrus herself) is confronting the child-to-woman transitional thing, the demands of celebrity and image maintenance, the desire to break free while staying grounded — and boys and handbag selection.

The cumulative weight of those struggles is summed up in “The Climb,” in which she sings, “... every move I make feels lost with no direction, my faith is shaking.” The sentiment is moving, though a bit sad considering she’s just 16. Still, there are lots of sassy, goofy, girly moments here to keep things from becoming too ponderous.

Of the six non-Miley/Montana tracks, papa Billy Ray Cyrus’ “Back to Tennessee” is the keeper, and Taylor Swift contributes a pretty waltz, “Crazier.” The only off notes are Steve Rushton’s two tracks, which unintentionally harks back to his former band, Son of Dork.

— Jerry Shriver

Download: “The Climb,” “Dream,” “Back to Tennessee”

Skip: “Everything I Want” (Rushton)

Mastodon, ‘Crack the Skye’ (3 and one-half stars)

Comment: METAL REACHES SKY-HIGH

These new-edge metalists, as appealing to hard-core headbangers as to the indie crowd, arrange a shotgun marriage of art and brute force on their fourth and most accomplished release. Rasputin, Satan, astral travel and a paralyzed superhero figure into this dense psychedelic prog-metal concept album, with musical leaps as daring and convoluted as the apocalyptic tale. In tunes such as The Last Baron, a 13-minute avalanche of explosive rhythms, guitars and harrowing vocals, the Atlanta quartet is setting metal’s gold standard.

— Edna Gundersen

Download: “The Last Baron,” “The Czar”

Consider: “Oblivion”

Keri Hilson, ‘In a Perfect World ...’ (3 stars)

Comment: A TURN IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Hilson has a lot to live up to considering the hype over this much-delayed release. But she proves up to the task, thanks to her songwriting skills, which have boosted other stars, and to producers Timbaland, Danja, Polow da Don and guests Lil’ Wayne, Ne-Yo, Keyshia Cole, Akon and Kanye West. Her smooth vocals and verve spark the bumping club jams and sexy midtempo grooves.

— Steve Jones

Download: “Turnin’ Me On,” “Get Your Money Up,” “Knock You Down”

Skip: “Make Love”

The Decemberists, ‘The Hazards of Love’ (2 stars)

Comment: A HAZARDOUS LEAP

Despite flashes of glory, the Oregon quintet’s 17-song suite is a thorny bore of prog-rock flamboyance, miscued guitar crunch and tortuous story lines in Old English. Musically, it’s more Iron Maiden than Led Zeppelin, and while there are echoes of operatic predecessors, hints of “A Night at the Opera” lean more toward the Marx Brothers than Queen.

— Gundersen

Download: “The Hazards of Love 1,” “The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid”

Consider: “The Queen’s Rebuke/The Crossing”

Skip: The rest