Pop: KID ROCK “Rock N Roll Jesus” (Atlantic, 3 stars) The heartland never sounded so darned voluptuous as in the capably crusty hands of Kid Rock. Beyond the rocky hillbilly-hop and Southern-fried hiccup of previous Kid collections, this release takes on the American outback - its women, politics, women, gods, wars and … women - with a white-trash swagger his heroes Bob Seger, Warren Zevon and Lynyrd Skynyrd could only dream of.

Even when borrowing from the above-mentioned exemplars (in one fell swoop!) on “All Summer Long,” Kid makes that dusty roar his own. With his wily voice, he takes on metal harangues, cool country licks, and gospel soul suites. Rock approaches everything from tender romance (”Blue Jeans and a Rosary”) to the wrath of Iraq’s dead (”Amen”) with equal passion. But don’t think Rock’s not having some rabid fun, too.

“Half Your Age” toys with his new gal-pal at the expense of his old (emphasis on old) one Pam Anderson to the strains of funk-kicking C&W. Yeeha! -A.D.