Pop Stars : **** Great Balls of Fire : *** Good Vibrations : ** Maybe Baby : * Running on Empty

LYLE LOVETT

“And His Large Band.” Curb/MCA. *** 1/2

Lyle Lovett is less country bumpkin than country beatnik--a quirky Nashville renegade who wears bow ties in the land of bolo ties, who wears his hair short in back and long (actually, tall) in front in exact reversal of the prevailing Southern trend, and who writes graceful ballads that appeal to cowpunchers and intullekshulls. We have seen the future of country music and its name is . . . , etc.

Lovett’s first two albums (the more recent of which is up for a Grammy) found him capable of haunting, Springsteenian lyrical turns as well as Newman-esque wit. His third effort emphasizes the smirks more than specters, which is entirely appropriate given the stylistic format: Side 1 is all boppin’ blues material (hence the “large band”), full of finger-snappin’ yuks and sax arrangements, while the only slightly more somber Side 2 retreats to the expected folk and country laments.

Won’t the folks down in Dixie be surprised when they put on Side 1 and hear a sizzling jazz/blues instrumental opening it up? And there’s not a steel guitar or violin to be found until the more traditional second side, which includes a smart version of Tammy Wynette’s forgiving “Stand by Your Man” as well as self-penned country fare like “I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You.”

Bet they end up loving both sides. Whichever the style, Lovett goes beyond just clever Nashville song factory lyrical hooks (at which he is quite adept) to dig up the half-witted rationales behind his infatuations and infidelities. And he can pump lovelorn sincerity as well as irony. With “And His Large Band,” Lovett is likely to pick up at least a few hundred thousand more very large fans.