Blind Ambition

Nearly a year after its release, the self-titled debut from quirky alternative-folksters Blind Melon has rocketed up The Times’ Southern California pop album chart, boosted greatly by MTV play of its video for the single “No Rain.” The quintet’s album is No. 5 on the national chart and No. 4 locally, up another notch from last week. Tag Team’s “Whoomp! (There It Is)” still tops the singles chart, but Mariah Carey’s “Dream Lover” is challenging it, moving up to No. 2. On the R&B; chart, Cypress Hill’s “Black Sunday” album continues to reign at No. 1.

TOP 10 ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Sleepless in Seattle, soundtrack (2) 1 2 Black Sunday, Cypress Hill (3) 2 3 Promises & Lies, UB40 (8) 4 4 Blind Melon, Blind Melon (5) 5 5 janet., Janet Jackson (4) 3 6 River of Dreams, Billy Joel (1) 6 7 The Bodyguard, soundtrack (9) 8 8 Core, Stone Temple Pilots (6) 10 9 Unplugged and Seated, Rod Stewart (12) 11 10 Back to Broadway, Barbra Streisand (15) 9

TOP 10 SINGLES

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Whoomp! (There It Is), Tag Team (1) 1 2 Dream Lover, Mariah Carey (3) 5 3 Very Special, Big Daddy Kane (35) 3 4 Check Yo Self, Ice Cube (14) 2 5 Can’t Help Falling in Love, UB40 (2) 4 6 Lately, Jodeci (5) 7 7 Insane in the Brain, Cypress Hill (12) 8 8 I’m Gonna Be, Proclaimers (4) 6 9 I Get Around, 2Pac (15) 10 10 What’s Up, 4 Non-Blondes (17) 13

TOP 10 R&B; ALBUMS

Title, Artist (National Rank) Last Week 1 Black Sunday, Cypress Hill (1) 1 2 janet., Janet Jackson (2) 2 3 The Bodyguard, soundtrack (4) 3 4 It’s About Time, SWV (5) 5 5 Breathless, Kenny G (8) 6 6 The Chronic, Dr. Dre (10) 8 7 Poetic Justice, soundtrack (17) 7 8 Da Bomb, Kris Kross (6) 4 9 Toni Braxton, Toni Braxton (11) -- 10 What’s Love Got. . ., Tina Turner (14) 9

Source: SoundScan Inc., for week of Aug. 22