*** Juliana Hatfield, “Beautiful Creature,” Zoe/Rounder/Island. *** Juliana’s Pony, “Total System Failure,” Zoe/Rounder/Island.

Hatfield shows both sides now. She’s a rocker, she’s a pop singer. She can sing like a bird, or play guitar as heavy and dumb as Foghat. The alternative-rock heroine has been busy, crafting music of entirely different aims and styles. The resulting two albums--both due in stores on Tuesday--make a case for Hatfield as a still relevant, underappreciated force.

The quieter “Beautiful Creature” opens with the sly pop-rock of “Daniel,” which charts emotional collapse against some edgy electric guitar. What follows is mostly a mix of delicate acoustic songs and measured pop. The singer-guitarist finds new energy in the darker, angrier hard rock of “Total System Failure,” recorded under the trio name Juliana’s Pony. Hatfield handles the quasi-acid-rock guitar passages herself, but her most crucial instrument remains her voice, distinctive and girlish even while exploring the darkest of sentiments. The cynicism that has always distinguished her lyrics is intact, but Hatfield has wisely branched out toward some worthy new musical landscapes.

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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.