This week’s roundup of New Music Monday items is topped by Kelly Joe Phelps, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Ry Cooder and Scrapomatic. There are interesting reissues and live dates to discuss, too

Typically if you want to find the truly forward-thinking jazz pianist these days, you have to go out to whack jazz, where you’ll find visionaries like Matthew Shipp.

The promise, both fulfilled and completely missed, on Kiss’ 1976 release Destroyer can be heard inside the Gene Simmons vehicle “God of Thunder.”

When I first heard “Johnny 99,” it was the driving, almost rockabilly bent to Bruce’s guitar that drew me in.