In Brief

*** Various artists, “Get Crunk,” Tommy Boy. Full of up-tempo party grooves, this dance-inducing compilation (in stores Tuesday) serves as a good introduction to a host of quality Southern hip-hop groups, including Three 6 Mafia, Eightball & MJG and Goodie Mob. With catchy choruses and lyrics focusing on good times, the set rarely dips below explosive levels. Its stirring, bass-heavy production will test any stereo system.

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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.