In Brief

* * Ricky Van Shelton, “A Bridge I Didn’t Burn,” Columbia. Shelton, typically, shows so little connection with the words he’s mouthing you’d think that he learned the songs phonetically. The news here is that in a couple of fleeting instances he projects something close to regret or joy. His stab at up-tempo blues on “Linda Lu” briefly breaks the stylistic monotony.

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