SALT-N-PEPA”Very Necessary” Next Plateau/London* * 1/2Enough male-bashing!...

SALT-N-PEPA

“Very Necessary”

Next Plateau/London

* * 1/2

Enough male-bashing! Don’t these women know it’s politically incorrect?

OK, maybe the guys who get off on rap’s rampant female-bashing have it coming--but it certainly can be done better than Salt-N-Pepa does it on its fourth album. In such songs as “Somma Time Man,” the rap trio is treading on Don Rickles’ turf armed with Jerry Lewis-style humor. For lessons in real male-bashing, the group should listen to Boss or the best bashers of all--Bytches With Problems.

Though this collection is raunchier than usual for this 8-year-old trio--Salt, Pepa and DJ Spinderella--most of these songs are flat, lacking taut construction. Often, crackling content is undercut by lame beats. They may make some sincere, insightful points on their social-commentary tracks, but the music mostly meanders. Though “Big Shot” sparkles with self-deprecating humor, the draggy beats keep it from soaring.

By far, the best song is the loping “Shoop,” which bristles with a swagger missing on the other tracks. But the biggest jolt is generated by a terse dialogue between a young couple with AIDS. Performed by members of a Boston teen activist group, it ends the album on a chilling note.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).