In Brief

* * Robert Palmer, “Ridin’ High,” EMI. Palmer’s pop-rock-soul albums used to be spiced with a few intriguing oldies, vintage 1920-50. This time he’s recorded a whole album of that material with big-band arrangements. He gives these songs the Palmer imprint, crooning in his oddball jazzy style--soft, nearly deadpan, largely anti-melodic. Curiously, he also drains the life of out most of them.