CLANNAD Lore Atlantic Records SURE, MOST OF the tunes are probably bound for Volkswagen commercials, and Clannad has grown a little too free at dispensing ear candy. For all that, this album has plenty of punch. The 10 original tunes on this disc hint that songwriters Ciaran and Maire Brennan have been dusting off their Fairport Convention-era Richard Thompson and Steeleye Span, and behind the sweet melodies there's a lot going on in the lyrics, in both Irish and English--witness "Trail of Tears" and "Farewell Love"--to bring Celtic tradition up to date. --Gregory McNamee SAINT ETIENNE Too Young To Die Creation DAVID HOLMES (w/Sarah Cracknell) Gone EP Go! Discs BRITAIN'S SAINT ETIENNE features the playfully evocative Sarah Cracknell at the microphone; imagine Dusty Springfield, Lulu and Madonna all combined into one persona and fronting non-saccharine tunes equal parts traditional girlie pop, techno-ambient dance and psychedelic dub. This set spotlights the trio's glittery brilliance, including the sensual, continental ennui of 1992's "Avenue," the Flamenco-flavored electropop of 1994's "Pale Movie" and even a quirkily endearing Neil Young cover ("Only Love Can Break Your Heart," from '90). A limited-edition bonus disc includes a slew of brain-throbbing, club-minded remixes (Chemical Brothers, Aphex Twin, Andy Weatherall, David Holmes). Holmes enlists Cracknell, along with the Sabres Of Paradise, for his Gone EP. Five radically different mixes of "Gone" (which is derived apparently from an old Shangri-La's tune) appear, including a minimalist, dubby take and a bizarre percussion/sci-fi mix--but it's the rich, melodic main theme, with Cracknell's unbearably lonely, dulcinean tones spiraling into the memory, that will haunt you for the rest of the day. --Fred Mills VARIOUS ARTISTS The Romantic Approach, Volumes 1 and 2 Celestial Harmonies EVEN THE MOST astute labels endlessly repackage the usual Pachelbel and Albinoni selections as the only classical mood music acceptable for the masses. This small Tucson-based label shames them all with a much more creative approach. One volume centers on 20th century American classical music, the other on French and Italian selections. Yeah, Barber's Adagio and some equally common pieces by Debussy, Vivaldi and Satie resurface for the zillionth time, but the majority of inclusions will introduce classical music virgins to significant composers like Copland and Respighi. If we're lucky the folks at Celestial Harmonies are busy working on a third volume that centers on the Russian composers. Congratulations to them for their unparalleled efforts in presenting classical music as a non-threatening music form. --Dave McElfresh

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