At just over 35 minutes (a “deluxe” version adds three live tunes) a few extra songs would be welcome. But this is a worthy successor to 2013’s terrific debut from these veterans and hopefully won’t be the last.

With Leave No Bridge Unburned, they successfully magnify an already impressively established sound and create one of the best and most exciting Americana albums of the year.

Crowell mostly uses the theme in a light-hearted manner, recounting both the charms and foibles of the state’s citizens. ... Even when the connection to the location seems tangential at best, there is a sense of ease and fun that makes Texas pretty irresistible.

Ultimately, The New Pornographers specialize in creating a most satisfying sound—the effusive rush of “Bottle Episodes” and “Angelcover,” being two of the more obvious examples—while also making music that begs repeat listens in order to fully grasp the magnitude of their overarched intents.

Fulks pens seven of the 13 tracks and helped curate the rest, plus assembled a band of veterans like Telecaster master Redd Volkaert to give the talented Lewis full room to shine. Which she does masterfully.

While it’s not necessarily the kind of record that’s going to grab immediate attention, it does retain an amiable accessibility all its own. In that regard, listeners might just find that The Tallest Man On Earth makes music that’s all within an easy reach.

It's not perfect, but it's perfectly Mumford & Sons.

There’s so much to absorb here, with creative lyrical and often jagged production twists, let alone melodies that veer all over the map, that you’ll quickly return for another cycle on Gallo’s musical merry-go-round to hear what you missed the first time.

Maybe they’re mostly polished pop songs where the ’67 cuts embodied the raw, haphazard spirit of a songwriting era long gone--one that intuitively anticipated the impeccably executed Americana and folk heard on these new recordings--but the idea behind their origin will help them remain as timeless as the originals.

He can do a tender, dreamy pop song, or he can plug in and just get straight to rocking. And anything in between is fair game.

Justin Townes Earle pulls off the feat quite nicely on Kids In The Street, demonstrating impressive versatility without getting tripped up by any single stylistic detour.

There is snap and crackle in Low Cut Connie's pop and a gutsy edge that'll have you turning up the volume regardless of where you're at.

The swapping of leads with both voices joining on choruses is wonderfully executed, the songs float and swoop with the nervous anticipation that comes with looking forward to better days and the backing musicians add just enough weight to keep it all grounded.

Occasional horns spice up the approach adding tasty seasoning to an album that shows Boz Scaggs at 74 is bookending a remarkable career by reviving a love of the refined soul/blues that began over 50 years ago.

It's meat-and-potatoes blues-rock topped with something sweeter, and it's the most consistent thing these guys have ever cooked up.

He has released one of the early contenders for finest debut of 2021. The appropriately titled Introducing... justifies the spotlight status he clearly deserves.

There are no wasted moments, let alone throwaways on this superbly sequenced 40 minute disc. Every track glistens with Lanegan’s emotional and expressive words, perfectly sung with just the right balance of ennui and intensity.

The details in Childers’ intricate character descriptions make this one of the finest releases of the year and an impressive introduction to a talented newcomer with striking lyrical and musical talent.

Albums like this one continue to burnish a musical legacy that is every bit as imposing as the ones to which Earle pays homage in these songs.

There are at least a handful of tracks that should be included in the next Morrison greatest hits package. ... Based on the vibrant, often vivacious Three Chords and the Truth, he still has plenty of artistic gas left in his tank.

A handful of rocked-up covers such as “Auld Lang Syne” and “Angels We Have Heard on High” corral these standards into the Old 97s’ careening, energized mindset, and even the cloying “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” gets a cool surfy makeover thanks to Bethea’s spaghetti western guitar solo.

All in all, this album works.

These songs have the crackling energy and throbbing passion of the finest Pretenders music.

Taken in tandem, The Million Things That Never Happened ranks as one of Bragg’s most thoughtful efforts, no small accomplishments considering the remarkable records that came before.

This expansion into different musical genres and styles helps make On the Road Wherever a varied, uncommon yet inviting wander off Mark Knopfler’s usual path. He’s probing fresh sounds with the class and sophistication we’ve come to expect from this gifted veteran, whose MTV days seem like blurry images in a rear view mirror.

As much as Ty Segall is an album of potential singles material, it’s one of the most cohesive sets of music that Segall has released to date.

For them [super fans], the voluminous and informative liner notes alone, which track Blondie’s history from those who lived it, seldom seen photos, and track specific comments will be worth lightening their bank accounts for. Others less dedicated may want to tread more carefully.

The total effect of Thrashing Thru The Passion is that of The Hold Steady at their most casual and confident, tossing off these songs that would be tour de forces for anyone else as if they have a bushelful of them just hanging around the studio.