On Janet Jackson’s make-or-break new album, the beats attack with militaristic zeal, the vocals blur into a mind-numbing whir, and an army of synthesizers whiz, crack and blurt with mad abandon.

It’s a traffic jam of sound, a heat wave of attempted hooks that suggests someone here may be just a tad desperate.

Someone should be. Jackson’s last album, the lulling “20 Y.O.” released just 18 months ago, bombed. Its predecessor, 2004’s “Damita Jo,” did only slightly better. And they both deserved their financially draining fate. The truth is, Jackson hasn’t hit one out of the park since 1997’s “The Velvet Rope,” a stunner capping an amazing four-album win streak that stretched all the way back to her terrific breakthrough, “Control,” in 1986.

But that was then. Clearly, Jackson now had to do something. Instead, she chose to do everything.

“Discipline” shows none. It’s an unrestrained free-for-all, chasing “edginess” and “cool” with disquieting anxiety. While Jackson’s last few albums played down the tempo, “Discipline” aims greedily at the clubs. It’s a hyper-rhythmic poundfest writ large. Unfortunately, the beats pummel the melodies and overwhelm any sense of momentum. It’s all impact, with no regard for the groove.

The album - largely overseen by Rodney Jerkins and Janet’s main squeeze, Jermaine Dupri - wants eagerly to be seen as “futuristic.” So its trademark “interludes” (eight of ‘em here) use the motif of a talking computer. Likewise, the songs synth up everything, including Janet’s voice. While it would hardly be wise to go the “Unplugged” route with a singer like this, here Jackson’s voice sounds more treated than a sewage plant. Her vocals seem as worked over, and airbrushed, as Joan Collins‘ face in extreme closeup.

Throwing so much stuff at the wall, however, means some things have to stick. A few cuts have club potential - aided by the fact they sound suspiciously like songs that have scored there already. “Rock With U” has a great riff - which was even greater when it first appeared in Madonna’s “Into the Groove.” And “So Much Betta” sounds almost betta than it did last year when Kanye West and Daft Punk created nearly the same effect in “Stronger.”

“Discipline” may show real effort, but it does to the point of herniated strain. For an album that pines so hungrily to be seen as hot and sexy, the trying-too-hard air proves an ultimate turnoff.

 Todd Lazarski - Celebrity News Service News WriterNew York, NY (CNS) - Experimental and controversial album-release tactics from Radiohead didn’t impede a phoenix-like rise up the standard sales charts this week.”In Rainbows,” previously released by the band on a choose-your-price package online, skyrocketed to #1 on Billboard’s Hot 200 album chart in just the second week of widespread release. The attached ‘Greatest Gainer’ label was an obvious understatement, as the album debuted last week at a very modest #156.Only time will tell as to how Radiohead’s monumental success with both a self-release and a standard issue will come to effect the much-maligned record industry.Meanwhile Alicia Keys took #2 on both the singles and album charts for the second straight week with “As I Am,” while Mary J. Blige’s “Growing Pains” showed first signs of adolescent regression, falling from the top spot to #3 in it’s third week.”Juno”’s wave of critical acclaim landed the film’s soundtrack, featuring an organic mix of classic and indie Rock, at the #8 spot in its debut week, which was also worthy of Billboard’s ‘Hot Shot’ distincti

 Singer/songwriter Jewel has a new label and a new genre to boot. The artist has signed a multi-album deal with newly launched Nashville-based independent Valory Music Company and will pursue success on the country charts.

Jewel, who has cut five of her six albums in Nashville, says country has always been in her plans. “I’ve been wanting to do this record my whole career,” she tells Billboard.com, “but my label was always scared of country music. I’ve always had country songs on my records.”

Jewel, who previously recorded for Atlantic Records, has sold 14.8 million albums in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. She has scored seven top 10s on Billboard’s Adult Top 40 chart, including two No. 1s, “Foolish Games” and “You Were Meant for Me.”

“If I had been discovered now, living in my car in San Diego, I think I would have been signed as a country act,” she maintains. “As a singer/songwriter and as a storyteller, I’m old fashioned. I like a beginning middle and end to my songs. That’s pretty much just country radio now.”

Scott Borchetta, the president and CEO for Nashville-based independent Big Machine Records, is launching Valory. The label’s name is a variation on country icon June Carter Cash’s birth name, Valerie June CarterAlong with Jewel, whose album was produced by Big & Rich’s John Rich and is expected in the spring, Valory is also home to new artists Justin Moore and Jimmy Wayne.

Borchetta launched Big Machine in 2005. The label is home to rising star Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood and Jack Ingram, among others. It also handles promotion for Garth Brooks, whose current single “More Than A Memory” is one of four new tracks on his forthcoming “The Ultimate Hits” (Pearl).

Though she lives in Texas with bull-riding star boyfriend Ty Murray, Jewel has spent a good bit of time in Nashville over the last few years. Earlier this year she hosted the country reality show “Nashville Star” and she has made a number of appearances at Muzik Mafia events. She co-wrote and dueted with new artist Jason Michael Carroll on “No Good In Goodbye,” which appears on his debut album, “Waitin’ in the Country” (Arista Nashville). And she will be a presenter on the Country Music Association Awards show with Murray on Nov. 7.

“She’s just one of the best singer/songwriters in any genre,” Borchetta says, adding that a move to country is “a natural progression for her.”

Overall, Jewel says fans won’t hear a big difference in the new album. “It won’t sound like a huge, crazy departure,” she says. Among the songs due to make th cut is “Perfectly Clear,” a longtime concert staple and fan favorite that she has never recorded. “It’s sure enough a country song,” she says.