Heavy? Sure. Wrenching? Yep. Soul searching? Big time. The pureness of Gibson singing almost wincingly personal words along with magnificent and above all creative production makes for a stunning album you’ll want to spend time with.

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.

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.

Everything is weighed down with import, and that can become wearying through 14 longish songs. Still, people will relate to the universal doubts and fears that are often stirringly evoked by the music and lyrics on Delta. Mumford & Sons know their strengths and they play to them well here, proving that too much catharsis is better than not enough.

A 50th anniversary package for vital music that no one would dispute deserves the deluxe treatment. [Music: 5 out of 5 stars Reissue packaging: 4 out of 5 stars]

Generally missing, though, are hooks that bring you back for another listen. The songs are melodic and easy on the ears if not particularly memorable.

The result is naturally a bit of a mish-mash, but all of the material is terrific and the sequencing makes this seem like a finished product.

On a single disc that runs just under an hour (each performance was about double that), there is unused time to add more. What’s here though is terrific with invigorated versions of Isbell’s best tunes given a crackling edge. Despite a mix that buries the keyboards, the sound is sharp and crisp, making this a great souvenir for fans and a solid primer of Isbell’s talents for newcomers.

If there’s anything keeping Dying Star from being an outright classic, it’s that Kelly can so effortlessly conjure up the regretful young man’s blues that the nearly hour-long album can coast at times. But for the most part, Dying Star is a triumph.

Listeners with liberal tastes and open ears will find enough quality music here to satisfy them for as long as it takes to plow through and absorb it all, which could be a while. Those new to the band will likely find their head spinning too quickly to grasp it all. But no one will complain it’s boring.

Follow Elvis Costello down the twisting paths of Look Now and you’ll find they lead to sublime musical destinations.

Let’s Dance is the highlight of this 11- disc compilation which finds Bowie moving from that high point to some of his most unsatisfactory, misguided, uninspired and at times even embarrassing music (the ear-wincing Mick Jagger duet on “Dancing in the Streets,” anyone?). ... Two more discs of 1987’s Glass Spider tour with Peter Frampton on guitar document a successful jaunt where Bowie rescued some of the newer material in a flashy, elaborate, well received live show. A Dance platter of extended 12 mixes included here is for diehards only and the fourth volume of Re: Call collects another two platters of rarities, single edits, hard to find live tracks and the like.

Clearly, this is not geared to the casual fan. But for those with an intense interest in either Lennon and/or arguably his finest work, it’s an understatement to say this ultimate edition lives up to its boastful name.

These performances could have come from an old Folkways album. Colter Wall captures a long-forgotten time and place, keeping the cowboy folklore alive by reminding us that poignant songs sung by a superb singer will never sound outdated.

There are plenty of bands trying to capture this distressing atmosphere of dread, uncertainty and slowly enveloping darkness, but few do it with the class, subtlety and controlled intensity of All Them Witches. Five albums in, they are confident in their abilities and seem poised for a remarkable future.

Like Peggy Lee, Francoise Hardy, Jane Birkin and others, Molly Burch is a chanteuse, exploring the edges of noir songs with beauty, sadness, and an honest vulnerability that’s powerful yet strikingly understated.

Lenker has a penchant for songs that mine deep emotional depths, but even by her standards, the ten songs that comprise abysskiss are some of the most starkly vulnerable songs of her career.

An intimate, multifaceted reflection of her always complex, frequently indistinct character. These often inscrutable songs offer kaleidoscopic glimpses into what seems like a complicated persona

No one breaks much of a sweat here. White’s distinctive mumble seems like it was recorded while drifting in and out of a narcotic-induced coma. Nevertheless, this music resonates with the dark, ominous, rootsy authenticity Tony Joe White has always exuded.

By compiling these often difficult to find sides, we get an intimate glimpse into talents of Joe Strummer many haven’t heard before. If anything it makes his untimely 2002 death at just age 50 even more tragic. But at least we have his music, and the stunning 001 is a near perfect summation of it.

There aren’t many surprises on My Way, but that’s unimportant. Nelson’s in terrific voice, he clearly loves the material and delivers each of the 11 tracks with beautifully nuanced authenticity.

He’s clearly infatuated with this raw sound and, like the Stones, at this late stage in his career, isn’t concerned with moving units or getting radio play. All of which speaks to the honesty and love of blues exuding from every track on this heartfelt tribute to the music that has always inspired Billy Gibbons’ best work.

The set was recorded in four days with no overdubs and only a few takes for each track. That provides a fresh, revealing quality that weaves through the songs. Although each can stand alone, there is a tangible groove to the playlist capped by the concluding “Gloryland,” a traditional hymnal that closes this terrific effort on an appropriately sanctified note.

It’s Prince as few have heard him: inspired, unrestrained, playing for no one but himself and the engineer who pushed the record button. Clearly this isn’t for everyone. But those looking for a glimpse into the artist, mostly pre-global fame, working out new and old material, will find it an invaluable and unique addition to his already bulging catalog.

Shemekia Copeland might have been born into the blues, but the riveting America’s Child shows her continuing to push those boundaries, creating music reflecting a larger, wider-ranging tract of Americana.

As with the best concept sets, you don’t need to follow the story, or even know there is one, to enjoy these songs, since most stand on their own. They may not be the best or catchiest ones Escovedo has written, but this is one of the most passionate, relevant, politically charged and personal projects he has released in a career pushing 40 years.

A band this large is best when they don’t overthink the arrangements and just groove, something you wish would happen more often on this impressive if occasionally strained release.

Overall, this is another quality entry into Thompson’s bulging yet impressive discography. It’s one that lets us explore the darkest recesses of his diary while composing tense, emotionally spellbinding music reflecting those feelings. At the same time he displays a talent for snaking, occasionally wordy songwriting and gripping lead guitar, both instantly identifiable as his.