In Brief

* * 1/2 Tesla, “Bust a Nut,” Geffen. A little prudent pruning would have done a lot to enhance Tesla’s latest dose of middleweight pop-metal. The highlights: the grinding gears of “The Solution,” the slow-dance sway of “A Lot to Lose,” the supercharged road-weariness of “Mama’s Fool” and a pleasantly raspy, rockin’ rendition of Joe South’s “Games People Play.”

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).