POP MUSIC : Three Cheers for Midyear’s Best

The pendulum has swung again in rock.

Whereas the music’s creative center was dominated in 1991 by the youthful anger of such bands as Guns N’ Roses and Nirvana, the most enriching work during the first six months of 1992 stresses mature reflection.

The common denominator in the three most compelling albums at this midyear point--Los Lobos’ “Kiko,” Lou Reed’s “Magic and Loss” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Lucky Town”--is a search for understanding in the face of disappointment or disillusionment.

In its most stirring collection since 1987’s “By the Light of the Moon,” Los Lobos continues to salute the resilience of the human spirit but with an even more eloquent blend of cross-cultural musical exploration and thematic grace. (See 10 Questions with the group’s Louie Perez, Page 9.)

Reed, making a dramatic shift from the aggressive social commentary of 1989’s “New York,” focuses this time on the interior of the soul as he combs through some emotional ashes after the deaths of two close friends.

In “Lucky Town,” Springsteen expresses the happiness that had only been an elusive dream in his music over the last two decades. The triumph of the album is that he is able to express the hard-won moments of comfort and joy with the same artistic instincts that characterized his years of search.

These veterans are joined on today’s midyear list of the 10 best albums by a healthy number of newcomers, from singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan to hip-hop entries Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy and TLC. The first three albums tied for first and are listed alphabetically by artist.

1a Los Lobos, “Kiko” (Slash/Warner Bros.). This warm, uplifting package would be disarming any time but is especially welcome while the rock band’s hometown of Los Angeles tries to regain its spirit after the riots. At a time when the once cherished idea of a “melting pot” nation is under attack as naive, Los Lobos’ cleansing, unifying album celebrates music without boundaries as triumphantly as any pop package since Paul Simon’s “Graceland.”

1b Lou Reed, “Magic and Loss” (Sire). “What’s good?” Reed asks in the defining moment of an album whose quest for renewal and strength begins in the despair that follows the deaths of two friends. Recalling the emotional power of Neil Young’s stark “Tonight’s the Night” and Sting’s bittersweet “The Soul Cages,” Reed emerges in this album from the questioning and sadness with an even deeper appreciation of life. “What’s good? Life’s good,” he concludes. “But not fair at all.”

1c Bruce Springsteen, “Lucky Town” (Columbia). Don’t let the backlash or sluggish sales performance fool you into thinking this album isn’t up to the level of Springsteen’s classic “Born to Run” to “Tunnel of Love” streak. From the rejoicing of “Better Days” to the tender intimacy of “If I Should Fall Behind,” this group of songs echoes and extends the passion and promise of his greatest moments, from “Thunder Road” through “Brilliant Disguise.”

4 The Jesus and Mary Chain, “Honey’s Dead” (Def American). The most inspired band from Britain since the Sex Pistols and the Clash, the Jesus and Mary Chain continues to make records that offer a pop opulence reminiscent of the vintage Beach Boys, a dark obsession equal to the Velvet Underground and a sonic fury befitting Jimi Hendrix. There’s not much new here in terms of direction from brothers Jim and William Reid, but the ingredients are still magical.

5 Sarah McLachlan, “Solace” (Arista). There’s a level of intimacy and depth to the Canadian’s singing and writing that makes Sinead O’Connor comparisons inevitable--and you could imagine O’Connor writing some of these tales of tangled relationships. McLachlan too looks back in anger, but she also reaches out for understanding. Sample lyrics: “There’s no hope in regretting now / All the pain that we could not see / We both knew what we wanted / And we took it believing it free.”

6 Bruce Springsteen, “Human Touch” (Columbia). And don’t let the backlash or the sluggish sales trick you into thinking that Springsteen hasn’t come up with two worthy albums. This lacks the depth and consistency of “Lucky Town,” but its best moments--from the delicate folk-blues strains of “Cross My Heart” to the spicy soul sweetness of “Man’s Job”--constitute as therapeutic a series of songs as you are likely to find in any album this year.

7 The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, “Hypocrisy Is the Greatest Luxury” (4th & Broadway/Island). Exhibiting a political insistence and cultural expansiveness reminiscent of Gil Scott-Heron, Michael Franti demonstrates enough presence and punch in this debut to join Chuck D. and KRS-One in the front line of non-gangsta commentators in rap. The sophisticated musical coloring, including jazzy guitar riffs, serves as ideal, understated punctuation for the dynamic verbal attack on a wide range of social issues.

8 L7, “Bricks Are Heavy” (Slash). It’s as misleading to call this the best female band from Los Angeles since the Go-Go’s as it is to say this is the band that finally makes gender irrelevant in rock. The group’s hard-core attack bears little resemblance to the Go-Go’s pop glow, and there’s something sensual and liberating about L7’s music and stance that seems uniquely female. At its best, L7 combines the girl’s-right-to-rock rejoicing of Girlschool with a ‘90s savvy and spunk.

9 Arrested Development, “3 Years, 5 months and 2 Days in the Life of . . . “ (Chrysalis). Though once widely dismissed as a passing fad, rap certainly continues to produce appealing and original groups. The latest is this Georgia sextet, which supports its positive commentaries with bright and imaginative musical signatures. The album’s spiritually tinged “Tennessee”--a wistful daydream of a song about better times--is one of the year’s most captivating singles.

10 TLC, “Ooooooohhh . . . On the TLC Tip” (La Face/Arista). This teen-style hip-hop has so much inviting R&B-pop; sheen that it is easy to think it’s just kid stuff. But there’s a boldness--from the sexy aggression of the Atlanta trio’s “Ain’t 2 Proud 2 Beg” to the feminist declaration of “His Story”--that gives the album an unexpected punch. Strong assist to songwriter-producer Dallas Austin, who also helped shape the sound of Another Bad Creation.