In Brief

* 1/2 Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers, “Joy & Blues,” Virgin. With the magic family name, youthfulness and a proven track record, Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers would seem to be ideally positioned to capitalize on the current reggae surge. But their fifth album pulls back from the forward-looking experimentalism of 1991’s “Jahmeyka,” and falls well short of the pop sensibilities evident on the 1988 single “Tomorrow People.” The one-dimensional, monochromatic arrangements sound like a mere collection of parts rather than a cohesive ensemble.

New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).