Record Rack

When he’s not revved up and virtually exploding, Busta Rhymes becomes an all-too-typical rapper. And for too much of his fourth album (due Tuesday), the New Yorker comes off as serene and mildly interesting. Rhymes tones down his boisterous ways on such selections as the understated “Show Me What You Got” and the mid-tempo “Get Out!!”

These subdued moments are offset by a handful of cuts in which Rhymes becomes the hyper, talented rapper of his previous outings. He joins with his Flipmode Squad proteges on the jerky “Here We Go Again” and varies his delivery speed on “We Comin’ Through.” The one exception to the Rhymes-needs-to-be-ram-bunctious-to-be-enjoyed rule is the thoughtful “Why We Die,” in which Rhymes positions himself as a social commentator who hopes to leave something monumental to the younger generation. But he is outperformed by his two guests, DMX and Jay-Z, both of whom sound more convincing relating tales of disappointment and pain. For the most part, the album’s production, unlike its star, remains lively throughout.

*

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.