LaFarge’s slight country drawl and understated twang nails the ’20s period the music evokes, and the effort is even more rewarding than Diana Krall’s recent endeavor in the same genre.

This type of music has been done before in a different time, same place--the album was recorded in Nashville--but it hasn't been done this well in quite a while.

Tuttle’s supple voice, nimble award winning guitar chops and obvious love for the material carries these versions.

Price breaks down any barriers left around her on this record to great appeal. In just 10 songs, she manages to tell a lifetime of stories that are captivating from start to finish.

Headphones enhance the experience as they help immerse the listener in Robertson’s edgy, creative and literate world.

It’s an excellent way for new fans to have a pure entryway to their music, and the only possible appetizer before diving into the extras that come next: some an acquired taste, some amazing snapshots in time and some quirky bits that will probably only get a nostalgic spin or two.

Most of the extraneous contributions are little more than negligible. ... Any live album that showcases their classics—and, as in this case, makes room for some newer offerings as well (“All and Chain,” “Tea and Theatre,” “Hero Ground Zero”) is, by degree, an essential additive to the band’s continuing catalog. So too, both Daltrey and Townsend are in fine form, and clearly up to the task of presenting the group’s catalog in the best light.

Those new to, or unfamiliar with, Bowie’s expansive catalog would do well to start here and older followers who have lost the plot, especially over the past ten years, can catch up to one of the most consistently challenging artists of the past five decades.

The impact of Bloom lingers long after Scally's last guitar moan and Legrand's last breathy sigh, making you want to cue it up all over again and wallow anew in Beach House's existential abyss.

This is no Rod Stewart-styled mushy romp. It’s a serious, wildly and sometimes radically adventurous reimagining of often obscure entries from the great American songbook and like little you’ve heard or would expect.

While a number of other covers grace the set like Merle Haggard’s “Working Man Blues” and Johnny Cash and June Carter’s “Jackson,” the group also penned some fantastic originals.

The Voyager, however, is Lewis’ most cohesive and powerful set of songs since her Rilo Kiley days.

Considering the hit or miss variables of other such tributes, Dead Man’s Town is remarkably focused and consistent.

Duster have finally found their audience in 2019, and their self-titled album shows that the band still has a lot left up their sleeve.

The disc, with its 20 page book of notes and details on Johnson’s short life (he was 45 when he passed in 1947), is beautifully packaged, making this a wonderful and longtime gestating homage to one of America’s most treasured, if often overlooked, blues and gospel singers. But, at under 45 minutes, you’re left wanting more.

She effortlessly combines her vocal, lyrical and melodic gifts into a perfect storm on the shimmering and often spellbinding Putting on Airs.

This is another tasteful and tasty JJ Cale set, one that comfortably slots in with the rest of his similarly styled catalog. It’s like he never left.

Circuital sounds like a reaction to the extravagances of its predecessor. My Morning Jacket tamper their more evil urges and settle back into being a solid rock band.

Based on recording location alone the varied musical approach to these 10 cuts veers from straight country, to rockabilly, R&B, rootsy rock and even some pop, all connected by Ortega’s trilling, bittersweet, instantly recognizable vocals.

Not only is Handwritten The Gaslight Anthem's best album, but it's also one of the best albums of 2012.

Tailgates & Tanlines is, for the most part, exactly what the title implies: a soundtrack for fun and sun, along with an instantaneous cure for the summertime blues.

Murder By Death reach a new plateau in the development of their ongoing pursuit of rollicking gothic indie folk, simultaneously sounding born of an era long past yet grounded in a rock 'n' roll spirit that's nothing if not contemporary.

While some may complain about the ballad vibe that envelopes most of these ten tunes, there’s no doubt that The Secret Sisters, and their famed production and musical support team, have tapped into a well, secret sauce that makes this beautifully conceived, often introspective but never insular rootsy folk and pop so unique and immediately likeable.

There’s a lot to chew on, but Americana is an overstuffed, first class offering from one of the UK’s most feted songwriters and a worthy entry into Ray Davies’ rightfully esteemed catalog.

With an album as consistently strong as The Stand-In at this early stage, she has an impressive career ahead.

The good news is, it all works.

Even if this is a stopgap release to buy time for writing new material, it’s a cool, fun and even informative set that’s as entertaining as the rest of the band’s work.

A major leap forward for an artist whose previous work now seems like a warm-up for the dizzying heights The Navigator strives for, and often achieves.

Reportedly recorded in three days, and obviously without many overdubs in such a short span, What Makes Bob Holler is an excellent recording by three skilled musicians who can seemingly just tune up and play, something that's becoming increasingly rare these days

Touches of Celtic, jazz, country and folk, but seldom rock, inform these lovely tunes that take their time as if on a leisurely stroll.

Contradictory emotions push against each other in each line and verse, pulling the listener between envy and pity for the characters that inhabit each song, and often with envy/pity switching sides on each additional listen.

The sound on these remasters crackles, revealing musical and lyrical nuances along with spotlighting how critical Mark Ortmann’s in-the-pocket drumming is to the vibe.

This is clearly a labor of love for Boyd and a wonderful introduction to a tragically flawed but exceptionally talented singer/songwriter.

Griffin digs deep into introspective lyrics, some with historical references, to display her distinctive vocals and original songs with stripped down arrangements that use space and the silence between notes to create shimmering music you won’t soon forget.

Even though this is done and dusted in just over 30 minutes, the raw rocking and joyous attitude will stick with you long afterwards.

He zips past previous genre assumptions, ripping up any blueprint for how a blues album should sound on this daring and audacious release.

It may have taken her over 20 years, but today Sheryl Crow is retrieving and expanding upon those parts of her artistic sensibility that had always been there.

Producer Steve Jordan captures the thumping drums, horns and string arrangements always so essential to this music, creating Scaggs’ finest album since Come on Home, 1997’s previous set of predominantly soul covers.

Every pretty melody, every sweet-tart lyric, every vocal and instrumental flourish... they definitely earn her--to borrow a title-song reference--a 4.0.

Patti Smith builds upon her already impressive career for one of her finest, least commercial but most enticing and entrancing albums.

This is a mammoth and comprehensive overview of one of the major musicians of our time and as such, is essential listening for all enthusiasts of funk, soul and rock.

It’s impossible to not get caught up in the sheer joy exuded by Morrison and company as he cranks out yet another winner in a bulging catalog filled with them.

The good news is that this one is so powerful and varied that it will make those hard truths a little easier to bear even after the disc ends.

It’s an excellent live document, and though it’s devoid of otherwise familiar material, it brings attention to an unlikely artifact that deserves renewed attention. Consider this a most remarkable return.

Son Volt doesn’t try anything fancy on Notes In Blue, nor does it need to. It simply puts the spotlight on the frontman and lets him knock every one of these songs high into the stormy skies and right out of the park.

The contemplative sound of the album’s most beautiful ballads “Sure As the Rain,” “Ghost” and “Between Us There Is Music” are calming and captivating, even though the eerie ambiance and atmosphere may suggest otherwise.

Its title seems clichéd but there is nothing predictable about the exuberance or the obvious attention to detail McPherson applied to his rolling good times.

Stripped of the beefy, full-band arrangements of The Constantines, Webb loses none of his potency. He’s just found a way to channel it without cranking up the volume.

There is a tendency to scoff at the clichéd “back to his roots” concept of Cass County and you can’t help but wish some of the occasionally slick production was dialed down a notch. Regardless, it yields arguably Henley’s finest solo work and, at its best, music that stands with the Eagles’ finest country influenced moments.

Bingham made a challenging record, opted to go the Bad Blake route instead of going down in a blaze of ponytails and designer jeans, and that ensures his relevance for years to come.

Here again, honesty and integrity are the hallmarks of Crowell’s creative urges, and while Triage may seem quietly confrontational, his methods show concern as well as compassion. Credit Crowell for ensuring that honesty and humanity are imbued with equal emphasis.

With the release of a beautiful new record Follow Me Down, it's time to proceed past the astonishment of Jarosz's remarkable age and acknowledge her place among the prestigious group of musicians currently pursuing acoustic music to exciting and progressive new heights.

Rather, at 72, Jeff Beck continues to push the envelope and stays as edgy and restless as those less than half his age.

It not only boasts a familiarity factor but the advantage of an official release that ought to make it truly mandatory as far as more rabid Young fans are concerned. Indeed, there are several early stabs at certain songs that only true Neil nerds will be able to differentiate from those versions released later on.

Progress may not be the right word for what The National achieves with Trouble Will Find Me, but sustained brilliance is a pretty good alternative.

The Suburbs ends on a dark, dystopian note with a little 90-second deconstruction of the title track, leaving you to wonder if the "screaming" alluded to earlier might not always be the joyful kind. That kind of ambiguity is what makes Arcade Fire's deceptively simple music all the more intriguing.

These dozen performances will make listeners reassess songs some already know. But more likely they’ll be stunned at how LaVette revitalizes and shape shifts them into her own soulful reflection.

For most veteran bands, the beast is complacency. The National slays it here and stays on top of the rock world in the process.

It's a rich portrait, full of unexpected imagery and odd turns of phrase, which means that even though Welch has sung about drunks and prodigals so many times in the past, the songs on The Harrow & The Harvest sound both pleasingly familiar and starkly new, as if her unique vision of Americana contains an inexhaustible cast of eccentrics and an unending narrative from which she can harvest the most harrowing arcs.

It’s a non-stop party highlighting not just Taylor’s music but GA-20’s powerful approach. Don’t believe the disc’s tentative title though; they should have gone with the more decisive Try It, You Will Like It.

With Still, Richard Thompson fans can rejoice in knowing all the aspects of his exemplary talents remain intact.

The famed slide guitarist and world music enthusiast releases his most incisive and sardonic political album.

It’s a decidedly evocative album, one that ought to give hope and comfort to all those that may feel adrift in uncertainty and sadness while confirming the fact that they’re not alone. In that regard, it provides a shared service to us all.

Stretching out with a few more solos would have given listeners a better bang for the buck, and made it more of a true bluegrass record. But if they make a few more albums, Lauderdale and Hunter may well end up attaining the almost mythical status of some of America's great writing teams. That's how good they are together.

Whatever category you might inhabit, Justin Townes Earle has something here you need to hear.

In its strongest moments--though there are no real weak moments to speak of--Dream River presents a compelling, gorgeous sonic world in which to get blissfully lost.

Produced by Amos, this lushly orchestrated set is at times equally compelling and dynamic, plus effectively demonstrates Amos' acumen as a musician, vocalist, and tunesmith (a scarce commodity these days).

Cole has written a batch of terrific songs and turns in some of his most passionate and committed performances. The tunes are literate, often wickedly funny but remain laced with Cole’s smooth hang-dog vocals.

Where A Celebration of Endings excels most is not solely in its compiling of various sobering narratives with catchy or satisfyingly progressive songwriting.

If Berninger intended to establish an imprint beyond his day job, he certainly succeeded here. Once Serpentine Prison opens its doors, visitors will likely find it hard to leave.

On Valley of Heart’s Delight Cilker proves herself to be one of our finest and most literate songwriters, one whose physical and psychological distance from the pressures of Nashville seems to be at least partially tied to her artistic triumphs.

For fans that have stuck with him for the decades-long ride, Rain Crow is yet another stunning example that Tony Joe White’s uncompromising, often ominous vision, shows no signs of diminishing.

The remastered sound for this spiffed up reboot is a big improvement over the previous one. The extras on the various editions, especially the Wings Over the World doc with fan interviews, backstage shenanigans and offstage prep for the shows, help bring the 1976 experience to life for a new generation, shameless nostalgia and all.

It’s an inspired performance. Stills is in fine form, vocally, on guitar, banjo (a searing “Know You’ve Got to Run,” a precursor to Déjà Vu’s “Everybody I Love You”) and even pounding the piano for a ragged but committed mash-up of “49 Bye Byes” and the Buffalo Springfield’s “For What It’s Worth.”

These songs are as trippy, wonderfully produced and well-written as anything in his catalog.

With 17 mostly terrific songs (three sung in Italian), only one breaking the four-minute mark, the collection has the jittery intensity of a lion pacing before feeding time. ... Perhaps we could have done without the closing power ballad “The Loneliest,” but that’s the only misstep on an album that should thrust this band into worldwide superstar status.

Beautifully-balanced and well-paced.

For the most part however, Coyote is a stealth-like affair, filled with suspenseful circumstance. Likewise, it’s an impressive achievement that ought to bring LeBlanc the further recognition he so decidedly deserves.

Pine Needle Fire slots flawlessly with his established catalog while adding a fresh, somewhat reflective approach; music that could only have been crafted by someone with the experience, class and integrity Bramblett brings to everything he touches.

Star Wars may have been released on the spur of the moment, but Wilco’s alchemistic gifts ensure that it’s a moment which fans will want to keep on reliving.

Sonically, everything is slightly cleaner than before, with Lennon’s vocals made more prominent in the mix. But the difference will be most noticeable on expensive audio systems. The surround mixes bring a more expansive sound-field making it a reasonable upgrade for those interested. But for the rest of the earbuds-are-good-enough wearing public, this is a perfectly acceptable trawl through the solo Lennon catalog.

By smartly abandoning the hip-hop and indie rock impulses that have appeared on, and arguably watered down, previous NMAS releases, the brothers Dickinson focus on what they do best; grind out muddy boogie with the pulsating, sweat soaked intensity of those that originated the rustic music they clearly love.

An album that’s not just an impressive follow-up to a career that fans thought was long over, but a splendid entry into the contemporary Americana field, one that The Long Ryders had an underappreciated hand in crafting.

Like the band’s 2008 album Devotion, Depression Cherry is an impressive showcase of the kind of beauty that two musicians are capable of when stripped down to a bare-bones approach. It’s worked before, and it works again here.

Willie provides each with a rendition that stays true to the iconic originals, and while there’s a certain sense of deja vu underlining it all, he remains undeterred by any hint that he’s merely mimicking the master. With sweeping orchestral accompaniment intact, he captures the feel and finesse of the original renditions and succeeds in making them his own.

Whether couched in the hush of his delicate acoustic finger-picking or amped up with a bit of tempo and electricity, sooner or later, his words demand attention.

He’s one of America’s most unique and unusual artists, exemplified by this original and compelling release.

Blessed ultimately remains an optimistic record that juxtaposes her typically heartrending croon.

At its essence, From Capelton Hill is an album that’s literally brimming over with unceasing delights, making it not only an exceptional comeback but what can justifiably be called, Stars’ album for the ages.

The title says it all, giving an impression of wistful repose and a genuinely soothing serenity that’s become Villagers’ signature style. These Fever Dreams are well worth holding on to.

Lambert’s new record is a challenging statement from one of the very few female singers that has a stage to be widely heard. That her statement manages to weave together nuanced humor and sarcastic wit with huge pop hooks only makes it that much more impressive.

For all its timid trepidation, Stay Gold is an ambitious sounding record, full of massive hooks, and expansive arrangements.

Regardless of the eclectic nature of these albums and their often subpar material, George Harrison deserves the elaborate treatment he gets here which makes this a worthwhile addition to any Beatle lovers’ bulging collection, even if they may not play much of it all that often.

Fans who have stuck with Morrison for any length of time will eagerly welcome his recent spurt of creativity with You’re Driving Me Crazy (the title song has been covered by everyone from Billie Holiday to Frank Sinatra, Big Joe Turner and Louis Armstrong) as another worthy notch in Van Morrison’s remarkable and ever-expanding career belt.

There are enough artistic twists and turns to please even the most dedicated Jacket fan, showing that James remains as musically edgy as ever on an album that pulses with energy, enthusiasm and the restless spirit James has always personified.

It’s overwhelming proof, if anyone needed it, that Noel Gallagher’s best days aren’t behind him. If Who Built the Moon is any indication, the high flying British icon may just be getting started.

A brilliant record that serves as a perfect blueprint on how to make something new out of something old.

Here they keep the songs lean, tough and relatively compact, reigning in Trucks’ more expansive slide tendencies in favor of nailing tight, tough arrangements featuring Tedeschi’s gutsy vocals.