Some Endearing Melodies Mix With Duritz’s Whine on ‘Life’

** 1/2

COUNTING CROWS

“This Desert Life”

Geffen

Counting Crows front man Adam Duritz is the kind of guy that men resent when their girlfriends admire him. He’s good looking in an unkempt, boho kind of way, sings in a tremulous, clenched contralto that brings to mind such sensitive guys as Dave Matthews and Van Morrison and writes literate lyrics with a depth of feeling.

On Counting Crows’ third album (in stores Tuesday), Duritz continues the vision quest for human contact he initiated on the band’s 1993 multi-platinum debut, “August and Everything After,” and continued on 1996’s “Recovering the Satellites.” On “This Desert Life,” Duritz is a lost soul, a lovesick refugee looking for a safe haven. “One way or another I’m just hoping to find a way to put my feet out in the world,” he sings on “All My Friends.” These songs are nostrums for downtrodden loners seeking a little solace and empathy in a three-minute pop song, wrapped in the band’s most ornate, wide-screen arrangements yet.

But as relentless bummers go, “This Desert Life” is pleasant enough. The band has managed to write some endearing melodies to go with Duritz’s whine. The album’s cheeriest song and first single, “hanginaround,” is light on its feet, a slacker’s anthem for Top 40 consumption with a sing-along chorus. Too often, however, “This Desert Life” gets bogged down by Duritz’s mannered jive.

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.