Head--and Heart--Above the Rest : <i> New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).</i> : *** 1/2 TRISHA YEARWOOD “Hearts in Armor” <i> MCA</i>

This is the album that Wynonna Judd should have made--a collection that digs deeply into the rich character of country music without ending up a prisoner of it. Wynonna is blessed with a voice so soulful that Aretha comparisons are valid, and on her recent solo debut album she sang with a passion that was straight from the heart.

But heart alone doesn’t always make a great record. You’ve also got to use your head, from the choosing of material that stretches boundaries to phrasing that combines revelation and authority. Yearwood employs head and heart in what is one of the most absorbing country albums of the Garth Era--a record that, like Brooks’ albums, should attract a large pop audience. Brooks, in fact, is part of a guest harmony-vocals lineup that also includes Emmylou Harris, Don Henley and Vince Gill.

“Wrong Side of Memphis,” the first single from the album, is relatively flimsy, and the gospel-edged “You Don’t Have to Move That Mountain” is a bit overwrought. From then on, however, Yearwood is blessed with exquisite songs and perfectly tailored arrangements.

The highlights range from “Oh Lonesome You,” a playful spin on the old “Oh Lonesome Me,” to “Walkaway Joe,” a melancholy tale of reckless, youthful desire. Even better: “Woman Walk the Line,” a honky-tonk lament that has classic etched in every note, and the title track, a wary look at romance that you once would have expected from Linda Ronstadt.