No. 1 Staind Holds Off Radiohead

Staind is certainly leaving its mark on the national sales chart. The Massachusetts metal quartet’s “Break the Cycle” claims the No. 1 spot on the album list for the third consecutive week by selling almost 245,000 copies last week.

That was enough to withstand a strong challenge by Radiohead, whose “Amnesiac” entered the chart at No. 2 Wednesday by selling 231,000 copies, according to SoundScan. The industry was watching the Radiohead figure closely to see how well the respected British rock group would fare given the creative left turn it took with last year’s “Kid A” album.

The quintet became the toast of discerning rock fans in 1997 when its “OK Computer” was a worldwide bestseller and a Grammy nominee for album of the year. But Radiohead stepped away from the traditional verse-chorus-verse song structure of that album in favor of arty, atmospheric mood pieces in “Kid A.”

Though “Kid A” entered the chart at No. 1 last fall by selling 210,000 copies in its first week, reaction to the album was mixed and it eventually sold only about 820,000 in the U.S., compared to the 1.4 million of “OK Computer.”

The strong opening for “Amnesiac,” which was recorded during the same sessions as “Kid A” and is considered by the band to be a companion piece, suggests that the group’s core audience has accepted the stylistic change.

Joining “Amnesiac” as newcomers in the Top 10 are the Nelly-affiliated rap group St. Lunatics’ “Free City,” which finished No. 3 by selling 196,000 copies; teen pop star Jessica Simpson’s “Irresistible,” which ranked No. 6 based on sales of 120,000; and New Orleans rapper Turk’s “Young & Thuggin’,” No. 9 with 93,000 sales.

The remaining Top 10 spots are held by the “Moulin Rouge” soundtrack (No. 4), Destiny’s Child (No. 5), the hits compilation “Now That’s What I Call Music! Vol. 6” (No. 7), Tool (No. 8) and Missy Elliott (No. 10).

Lil’ Romeo’s “My Baby” is No. 1 single for the fifth week, followed by Toya’s “I Do!!.”

Sound Advice

(From The Times album reviews)

Staind’s “Break the Cycle,” Flip/Elektra. Oozing with bittersweet choruses and restless guitar riffs, the latest album from the melodic Massachusetts metal rockers is surprisingly exhilarating, considering its dark, angst-filled themes. (Lina Lecaro).

Radiohead’s “Amnesiac,” Capitol. Though a companion piece to last year’s “Kid A,” this is a richer, more engaging record, its austerity and troubled vision enhanced by a rousing of the human spirit. (Richard Cromelin).

St. Lunatics’ “Free City,” Universal. Anchored by hip-pop star Nelly, this St. Louis collective fails to build on the playfully addictive, party-centric music their mentor rode to the top of the pop charts. Instead, the Lunatics present themselves as bitter gangster rappers with little lyrical imagination. (Soren Baker).

Tool’s “Lateralus,” Tool Dissectional/Volcano. The ambition here lies in recapturing and refining the band’s fanatical commitment to substance--literal, bone-crushing substance in the form of oppressive guitars and chilling ruminations on decay and dementia. (Steve Appleford).

Trisha Yearwood’s “Inside Out,” MCA Nashville. The singer moves easily from pop-rock to country funk to straight country in her eighth studio album, whose material shows that emotional honesty is her priority. (Randy Lewis).

Lucinda Williams’ “Essence,” Lost Highway. Where the mainstream roots-rock sound of her Grammy-winning “Car Wheels on a Gravel Road” was exuberant and practically slick, this spare yet elegant album is rawer and more subdued. (Natalie Nichols).

Travis’ “The Invisible Band,” Epic. The highlights offer some of the most invigorating slices of feel-good British pop-rock since Oasis’ “Definitely Maybe” in 1995. (Robert Hilburn).

Ron Sexsmith’s “Blue Boy,” spinART. This gifted singer-songwriter seemed to lose both ambition and spirit on 1999’s “Whereabouts,” but he rebounds here with both of the missing elements. As before, his best work combines the lyrical sophistication of Elvis Costello and the intimacy and detail of John Prine. (R.H.).