FALL ALBUM ROUNDUP : In Brief

* * 1/2 J.J. Cale, “Closer to You,” Virgin. Endearing one minute and exasperating the next, Cale sometimes sounds as if he’s just revving the engine during a tuneup. His 11th album in 22 years is typically living-room informal and intimate, but when he hits a blues-rock groove as deliciously earthy as the one in “Brown Dirt,” the casual approach pays off. Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor) to four stars (excellent).