Corb Lund, the former Canadian punk rocker turned roots country singer, is back with his eighth record and has settled into a comfortable, stripped down grove with a little lap steel thrown in for good measure.

An impressively ambitious feat no doubt, but this album would probably be better served with a little more restraint.

For all the new sonic waves undulating through this record, however, the band's distinctive identity still shines--there's no mistaking Marble Son for the work of anyone else, and it's the ability to evolve while still remaining true to core values that makes Jesse Sykes & the Sweet Hereafter great.

Seeing this is Grossi's first full-length, it's an achievement, and although it fizzles out near the end, the killer tracks far eclipse the lesser numbers.

It’s a balance of brainy introspection and communal joy--hard to do but easy to listen to.

It’s unlikely that Carrier will be the offering that brings that promise home. Yet it is a superb showcase for the pair’s ample prowess.

[The Cherry Thing] serves as a reminder that Neneh Cherry is a certifiable musical treasure.

To the Happy Few combines the experience of veterans with the joy of rediscovery.

Fans of his [Drive-By] Truckers tunes will find much to love here.

They hit their stride midway through on a trio of sweet ballads--“Rock in the River,” “Jackie Boy” and “All That’s Left”--and although the surrounding songs keep to the same tone and tempo, those three numbers give the album its emotional imprint.

Sonik Kicks may prove his most intriguing effort yet, an album awash in psychedelic suggestion, cosmic noodling and swooping, soaring performances driven by fresh enthusiasm.

His writing has the kind of laconic detail and precision of a Paul Simon or Loudon Wainwright.

With 12 songs in about a half hour, the record kind of blazes by you but gives you plenty of room for multiple listens--it’s not a ‘deep,’ layered record to warrant that but one that gives you a rush of grime and song each time you do race through it.

Musically, Plumb is both rapturous and jumpy.

Eitzel's work is rarely weak, but Don't Be a Stranger finds him hitting another peak.

A wonderful album, in which everyone comes together without losing what is special about each.

Though occasionally confounding, it inevitably turns out to be time well spent.

Miller has turned in one of his most satisfying solo efforts to date.

On balance, then, exactly 68.5% of this record is worth listening to.

To be sure, low fidelity contemplation has generally been Johnson's stock in trade, but even so, there's no denying that Scorpion simply lacks sting.

While not nearly as great as seeing the band live, this record does a commendable job of capturing the band at their energetic, playful best.

While some might complain that the tone is a bit too uniform throughout, the overall impression is one of sweet serenity, adding up to an entirely engaging effort that makes this a supreme standout by any measure.

Seventeen tracks makes for an extended listening experience, but there’s enough variety that you’re never bored. In fact, the second half seems to hit a little harder than the first.

Although it’s easy to lament the fact that Petty and the Heartbreakers don’t vary all that much from their usual template. Hypnotic Eye also affirms the fact they remain an austere and unapologetic outfit.

A fine batch of bittersweet pop songs that are nearly impossible to ignore.

Prophet can be, by turns, both snarky and sardonic, qualities the aforementioned forebears know all too well. Happily though, he himself is no slacker, especially when it comes to both sentiment and sarcasm.

Graveyard incorporates as many repurposed elements of Free and the Faces as it does from Sabbath, putting more melody into their attack, and Nilsson responds with the most nuanced vocals of his career so far.

The acapella gospel of “True Religion” aside, this is a gritty set of songs, performed by an obviously unhinged individual who takes pride in his warped weirdness.