LUPINE, SUPINE

“COME AS YOU ARE.” Peter Wolf. EMI-America. 3

With this edition of Record Rack, Calendar introduces its quick-reference, facial-expression rating symbols. Translation: 1 = “Great Balls ‘o Fire” 2 = “Good Vibrations” 3 = “Maybe Baby” 4 = “Running on Empty”

You might expect the second solo album from the former J. Geils Band front man with the alternately lupine and loopy personality to display a little more of those qualities. You might also expect some hot riffs to go along with that raffishness. By these standards, Wolf’s disc is a disappointment, continuing the techno-funk/rock ‘n’ R&B; merger of his first solo effort (“Lights Out”), minus the spark o’ genius--or the razor-sharp hook--of that LP’s title track. Those with lesser expectations will find that “Can’t Get Started” cranks the hardest, “Wind Me Up” sports the best vocal aside (“Aw, rotate!” quoth Wolf, announcing the entrance of a guitar solo), “Come as You Are” makes good on its design to sound jes’ fine coming over a cruising car radio, and that this is hardly the sort of material that anyone will be re-recording 20 years from now. Matter of fact, this record isn’t going to change anyone’s life, including the artist’s.