Not everything works, however. ... Overall, though, this is the Hank Jr. we’ve been waiting to hear for years, and it’s a welcome return.

This is a masterful album, replete with wonderful stories and fully drawn characters.

The charm of these tracks, though, is in their now-less-common unselfconsciousness (with its close kin, indulgence, lurking nearby) and the largely likable blemishes reminding us that music, above all, should sound human. For better and occasionally worse, this music unquestionably does.

Full Circle stands as a wonderful and welcome piece of work, 14 solid songs that shift easily from Appalachian mountain soul to pure country and even spiritual fare. Plus, Loretta has simply never sounded better.

In every aspect, from production to instrumentation and Wynonna’s sensational performances, this ranks as her absolute best solo effort.

While he’s done nearly a dozen yesteryear-based solo albums, this one is distinguished by its smartly chosen representation of the Gershwins’ musical breadth and the handpicked, multi-stylistic band (with Mickey Raphael’s winsome yet penetrating harmonica again providing a crucial link to Willie’s larger body of work) fittingly snazzing up the affair while making the most of Willie’s no-dress-code musical fusion.

Down to My Last Bad Habit is simply Vince having loose-limbed fun with his cohorts, resulting in one of the most enjoyable listening experiences you’ll be privy to all year. You’ll want to play it over and over.

With a range of topics that cover bullying (“Kill a Word”) and women running afoul of the law (“Chattanooga Lucy”), there’s plenty to indulge in without coming away bored or feeling like you’ve heard it all before.

Carrie’s never been in better voice, but a little more control in the production would have served her well.

The production team of Tim and Byron Gallimore have struck country music pay dirt with this incredible collection that balances contemporary and traditional styles with amazing subtlety, all without making Tim sound as if he’s trying to keep up with the younger stars--indeed, with Damn Country Music, he’s in the passing lane.

The result feels a little something like those beloved ‘80s movies in spirit and aesthetic.

Kill the Lights isn’t consistently pleasing, but it does represent a progression and evolution from Luke’s previous material.

The Blade further serves to position her as one of the premiere and rare female neo-traditionalists in the format.

It may not be all pretty, but Something More Than Free is as real as it gets.

Kacey adroitly communicates who she is through her music, maturing in her artistry while staying true to herself. Pageant Material deserves to win some sort of title--and it just might.

Their fourth album, The Muscle Shoals Recordings, is an outstanding 11-song offering that lives up to the lofty expectations of its namesake.

With this, his fourth country album, Darius and his team have most definitely solidified his sound with expertly layered, but not overdone, musical arrangements that add some dimension to his already warmly textured vocals.

The tunes are infused with banjos, B3s and other instruments without sounding cluttered. It’s nicely done, but you would hope for better material.

Much of the rest of the album features ho-hum mid-tempos and ballads that don’t move the meter much in either direction.

It’s the incredible balance of Lady Antebellum’s many shades that makes this a flight worth catching.

This is a nicely balanced album that you could listen to repeatedly and still discover fresh, exciting touches with each new listen.

A collection that plays into the group’s rock sensibilities without any loss of identity.

There’s a common theme of relationships among many of the songs, with the ballads “Lonely Tonight” and “Anyone Else” coming away as the strongest of the bunch.

Although the title is also an album track referring to hair color, the depth of this project goes further than Miranda’s roots.

Hunter Hayes has once again produced a collection of music that belies his tender age, not only in content, but in vocal confidence.

On Blue Smoke, the country legend travels many different paths and sounds only like herself.

Like most projects released by Americana singer/songwriter or heritage acts, Tarpaper Sky is best enjoyed like a book, in its entirety as opposed to a chapter here and there.

At times the slower tempos make the album feel longer than it actually is, but it’s never dull.

Overall the recording sounds great—warm and intimate without sacrificing polish.

Reflections is a must-have for any Don fan, any traditional country fan and anyone who wants to know what Williams acolyte Keith Urban has been crowing about for years.

On this album, she has found what works best for her on the contemporary side and front-loads the project with those songs.

Lucky may prove a bit too laid-back for the diehards out there, who might prefer a rougher-edged collection, but this is a fresh take on Merle’s classics, as interpreted by the still-fabulous Suzy.

The collection really soars when it blends the personal and the spiritual.

This set proves that good storytelling never goes out of style.

The resulting album is earthy, warm and spacious, not sounding too fussed over or suffocated with studio tricks.

The River & The Thread will require multiple listens to truly appreciate, so set aside some time to soak in this one.

ZBB has never sounded as energized or as fierce.

A couple of back-to-back tracks midway through the project bear a sonic similarity to each other, but their topics are so different, you’ll want to keep listening.

With The Woman I Am, Kellie has made a natural evolution while managing to stay true to those things that are important to her.

Wrapped in Red is a stylistic maverick, for sure, but the original tunes are worthy of sitting next to the standards, and when Kelly sings, it’s like Christmas all year round.

A staggeringly great collection of original tunes that paint vivid, honest portraits of real life, from a uniquely feminine perspective.

It’s his sophomore studio album, See You Tonight, that is really showing some maturity and growth.

Alan’s album is the real thing, a “must” whether you’re a bluegrass buff or just a fan of fine music.

This disproves the popular belief that nothing good ever happens in the a.m. There’s plenty of good stuff here.

Keith promised that Fuse would change things up, and he delivered.

It’d be nice to see Luke, the reigning ACM Entertainer of the Year, grow out of the fields he’s so clearly comfortable in. But for now, if the soil is still bearing fruit, you can’t blame him for continuing to plow ahead.

His best is pretty dang good.

The only real clunker is a lugubrious redo of “Lodi,” featuring John’s sons Tyler and Shane, but otherwise, this should be a must for Fogerty followers.

Love Is Everything further showcases George’s smooth voice and, perhaps more importantly, his uncanny knack for picking outstanding songs.

The trio’s second album, Annie Up, (thankfully) picks up where their debut, Hell on Heels, left off, offering more engaging studies of real-life heartbreak, domestic inertia and the daily trials of womanhood.

Despite the presence of utterly infectious single “Downtown” and the jangly “Better Off Now That You’re Gone,” the first half of Golden is a little too polished, as if the trio couldn’t escape the pull of Own the Night’s gravitas.

Ultimately, Life on a Rock’s most exciting moments come when Kenny pushes his limits on something unusual

If last year’s Heroes, with the tongue-in-cheek “Roll Me Up,” was Willie proving he’s still vital, Let’s Face the Music and Dance is a legend who has seen it all reveling in the melancholy of time’s passing.

The musicianship on Wheelhouse is incredible and Brad just keeps on getting more flavorful as a guitarist. Serious music buffs are going to love Wheelhouse, while cursory fans may be left scratching their heads.

Emmylou and Rodney seem at their best with the more up-tempo offerings like Kris Kristofferson’s “Chase the Feeling” and “Bluebird Wine,” which features Rodney’s playful vocals.

The album’s overall spirit of adventure is summed up in the gorgeous title track, written by the Perrys with fellow family trio The Henningsens. Starting sweet and delicate, it offers a message of encouragement to be bold in the face of uncertainty and doubt as it builds to a thrilling crescendo.

While some of the project’s dozen tracks, like the beautiful ballad “Do You Remember” and the refreshingly ’70s-sounding “Lay Low,” which calls to mind Gary Stewart, are of Blake’s caliber, others feel rushed.

Each track evokes an emotion, a giggle, a tear or a memory, but always a hunger for what’s next.

It’s an album that defines an artist, proving that the Williams name (the daughter of Bocephus, Holly comes from the Hank lineage) remains as trailblazing and unique as ever.

Bruce and Kelly let their plaintive, tight harmonies deliver the goods, a refreshing break from the bombast that often substitutes for real emotion in much of the current fare.

If you’ve ever bemoaned the absence of traditional country sounds in an era of pop, rock and even hip-hop production, be still—Ashley Monroe is throwing you a country music lifeline.

The project truly succeeds because of the various voices in The SteelDrivers, who consider their bluegrass to be one painted from a darker palette--which, at times, can feel a little too dark.

You’ll want to hit the road and play this one over and over.

Set You Free doesn't sound like every other album coming out of the Nashville factory these days-and that's definitely a good thing.

Ultimately, there's enough in this big box to last a fan weeks, months and years. It's not all equal, but it certainly leaves no stone unturned.

This album brings together a diverse lineup of artists for a collection that promotes the message that God has more to do with love than religion.

His recorded albums, and even his mesmerizing live show, have gradually incorporated a country sound. That trend continues on his latest, the rewarding 14-song Rebel Soul.

Easton gives fans of traditional country everything they've been missing.

Bocephus-like clarinets, old-timey lyrics and Toby's smooth-as-whiskey delivery assure purists that there is still Hope for classic barroom singalongs.

Kip's grainy, warm and confident vocal delivery ties the tales together into a believable tapestry.

Red may not be a bona fide country album, but it could very well be a pop masterpiece, more in line with P!nk's latest, The Truth About Love, than even Red's predecessor, Speak Now.

In honoring his friend and inspiration, the late writer Hank Cochran, Jamey Johnson recorded one of the most heartfelt albums of the year.

With these 15 tracks, it's clear he can do it all pretty damn good.

Open your ears, open your mind, press play and Free the Music.

Though he's capable of being playfully satisfied, Dwight is at his best when he's consumed by yearning.

Uncaged, does nothing to tarnish their sterling image and even manages to expand it a bit.

Adventurous roots-music aficionados will want to book themselves a date for Traveler, a masterfully planned Dixieland journey that lets the good times roll easy.

Hank's been bruised but not broken, and Old School's aggressive attitude evidences that he still rules, with or without reinforcements, on his particular piece of the playground.

Live in Japan-an album unreleased in the U.S. until now-shows the entertainer in good form, doing a lightweight, crowd-pleasing set especially indicative of the dead-center-mainstream approach that had cemented his fame.

Collectively, they touch upon a complex range of emotions and interconnections, supported by sparse and countrified instrumentation that sets an appropriately Texan tone.

As the potent observations on And So It Goes make clear, time is indeed ticking away, though Don's comforting, timeless-sounding presentation of these top-flight tunes can sometimes make it seem otherwise.

"Family" oozes with humility and domestic contentment, while the gentle, Nashville-leaning "Lucky That Way" (sung with Kenny Chesney on Crossroads) is a Walsh mini-biography

Kenny's sincere vocal delivery and the lyric content of each track are promising--but together, they register barely above maudlin, thanks to an overabundance of puttering tempos and downtrodden story lines.

Far from being a punching bag, this album contains enough musical muscle to throw a few punches of its own.

His label home may have changed, but his everyman approach to songwriting holds steady.

Heroes indicates that the future is in good hands.

On his latest, Marty meshes country with Memphis rockabilly and bluegrass-inspired background vocals throughout the disc.

While Snider has been more entertaining and melodically engaging on previous efforts, here he risks trying to get his head around the disturbing times in which we live and, just as importantly, to avoid clichéd responses.

This is easily Carrie's most well-rounded and confident work to date.

While the album lacks some of the energy and freshness of 2010's Nothing Like This, introspective tunes such as "A Little Home," "Sunrise" (co-written by Joe Don) and the Lady Antebellum-esque "Come Wake Me Up" add even more depth to the trio's sound.

There's plenty here for country fans of pretty much any ilk.

Release Me provides a clear picture of Lovett's stylistic bedrock, and reminds that he's stood steadfast upon it all along.

Lyrically and musically, the songs stream effortlessly from accessible to intricate, creating an estimable country album with a steady undercurrent of blues and rock.

This road-tested group boasts tightknit sibling harmonies and an ear-pleasing tribute to the joys and tragedies of working folk and weekend warriors.

Country gospel at its most fervent and rousing.

If that weren't the case, the well-rounded first installment of Remember Me would nonetheless serve as a modest but fitting memorial to a world-class artist, as well as a testament to Willie's enduring musical ties to Nashville.

Her recurring implication that this life may be all we have is a bold notion that may bring relief or dismay-and your response to that notion will tell you whether or not Hello Cruel World is an album you'll greet with open arms.

Overall, though the lyric content is among the best on a Tim McGraw album to date.