By JONATHAN TAKIFF
Philadelphia Daily News
staff

Bruno Mars breaks out, KT Tunstall shakes the cherry trees anew, and tributes to the Mississippi Sheiks, the Grateful Dead and the Beatles give music fans reasons to smile in this week's new-releases pileup.

OUT OF JAIL, INTO YOUR HEARTS: What's the appeal of Bruno Mars, a cohort of Cee-Lo Green, Travie McCoy and B.o.B. who's blowing up like nobody's business on his own with "Doo-Wops & Hooligans" (Atlantic, B)?

Start with that soul-tinged, girly-man pop voice that pierces, flutters and seduces like Michael Jackson at his prime. Add an entertaining production sense, capable of dropping a testimonial bomb like "Grenade," reworking a familiar theme ("Just the Way You Are") for techy dance effect, folkin' earnestly ("Count On Me"), doing a snappy, Atlanta crunk thing ("Runaway Baby") and then pop-rocking with Katy Perry-like attitude on "Marry You," on which Mars waxes, none too romantically, "We're looking for something dumb to do. Hey, baby, I think I wanna marry you."

Oh, and let's not forget those multiple shuffles down Jamaica way with the easy-dubbing bedroom come-on "Our First Time," blitzed-out "Lazy Song" and pain-numbing "Liquor Store Blues" (lent cred by a rapping Damian Marley).

Mars also attacks on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend.

ANOTHER CONTENDER: I'm feeling bad for David Archuleta, the "American Idol" runner-up having to do battle with Mars for pop fans' attention today with "The Other Side of Down" (19/Jive, B). Bearing his name as a songwriter collaborator on most tunes, this project is an altogether frothy, friendly and - unlike Mars - PG-rated affair of the heart that showcases D.A.'s pliant pipes to a fare-thee-well and won't drive parental units crazy. Try the giddy ups and downs of "Elevator" and the anthemic "Things Are Gonna Get Better."

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH: Many's the jazz and soul singer who started off in gospel music. With "Fellowship" (Verve Forecast, B+) the smoky-toned Lizz Wright returns to the path of righteousness, and, as the (Meshell Ndegeocello-penned and bass-scored) title track suggests, with an outstretched hand: "If you believe your God is better than another man's, how we gonna end all this suffering?"

That universal hug extends to Wright's diverse, keyboard-centric band, with a sprinkling of crossover tunes (Eric Clapton's "Presence of the Lord" and Jimi Hendrix's "In From the Storm") mixing it up with the pure jubilees, and via earthy backing vocals featuring longtime freedom/ spiritual singer Bernice Johnson Reagon.

BLUES CRUISE: Van Dyke Parks joked Sunday at World Cafe Live that "it's only taken 67 years" to get him on the road. But this eccentric, Mississippi-steeped keyboard-player/singer/composer is making up for lost time with an appearance on the excellent new DVD "The Mississippi Sheiks Tribute Concert - Live in Vancouver" (Black Hen, A), which celebrates America's biggest recording act of the early 1930s.

Offspring of slaves, the Sheiks' gutbucket blues and country hollers start new fires in the vital performances of Alvin Youngblood Hart, the Sojourners, blues chanteuse Robin Holcomb, John Hammond, show organizer Steve Dawson, Dave Alvin and the amazing dobro slide guitarist Bob Broz-man. Sure to leave you "Sitting on Top of the World."

Prefer your blues plugged in? Get a jolt from the Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band "Live! In Chicago" (Roadrunner, B). They're rockin', boppin' and testifyin', with a rough production sound and with special guests Hubert Sumlin and harmonicat Willie "Big Eyes" Smith.

VISTA-VISIONS: Sturdy Scottish singer/strummer KT Tunstall cranks up the percussive-production punch on "Tiger Suit" (Relentless/Virgin, B+) early on with the Afropop-flavored "Uummannaq Song," tech-machined "Glamour Puss" and ultra-dramatic "Difficulty." More akin to her stripped-down hit "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" is "(Still A) Weirdo," wherein KT declares herself "optimistic but not quite elegant." That works.

Travis front singer Fran Healey makes a bold solo statement with "Wreckorder" (Rykodisc, B+), with haunting, string-swept refrains that could win over many in the Coldplay-lovin' crowd. Try "Sing Me to Sleep" (featuring Neko Case) or the samba swirl "Shadow Boxing."

TWANG TONES: Country star Toby Keith does his trash-with-flash thing to entertaining effect on "Bullets in the Gun" (Show Dog, B), glorying in the sights of "Trailerhood" and pigfully pushing a girl to give it up or "Get Out of My Car." The deluxe edition cranks it up with four live tracks, including a cover of "Sundown."

The Fabulous Ginn Sisters (Tiffani and Brit) kinda live up to their billing with sultry, sometimes-harmonizing takes on Texas-toned Americana (country, voodoo blues, twangy waltzes and honky tonk) on "You Can't Take a Bad Girl Home" (Lonesome Day Records, B-), a Fred Eaglesmith production.

Jesse McReynolds & Friends' juicy singing/picking session "Songs of the Grateful Dead" (Woodstock Records, A-) underscores the Dead's old-timey and bluegrass soul, even on chuggers like "The Wheel" and reggae-flavored "Fire on the Mountain." Jerry Garcia loved McReynolds' work in Jim & Jesse.

JAZZ NOTES: Bassist Dave Holland and guitarist Pepe Habichuela prove perfect groovemates on the flamenco jazz-toned "Hands" (Dare2, A). Think Rodrigo y Gabriela, but with real chops.

Seasoned new-age keyboardist David Lanz finds fresh ways to suite-en Fab Four tunes on "Liverpool: Re-Imagining the Beatles" (Moon Boy, B).

Harmonica master Toots Thielemans is at his most relaxed and lilting on "The Live Takes: Volume 1" (In+Out Records, A-), with a repertoire that ranges from "I Loves You Porgy"/"Summertime" to Jaco Pastorius' "Three Views of a Secret." More, please!