Credit Justin Townes Earle for refusing to stick with the tried and true, even after 2010’s ‘Harlem River Blues’ shot to No. 50 on the Billboard charts.

This isn’t a eulogy, no sad occasion, mostly because Tommy Bolin is so very present on the pleasantly unsanctimonious Great Gypsy Soul. You May Also Like: Gypsy, “Gypsy Queen, Part 1” (1970): One Track Mind

Macy Gray has apparently been listening to rock radio over the decade or so since her breakout R&B-soaked hit “I Try.” Her new album of reinterpretations, simply called Covered, is dotted with songs from the likes of Radiohead, Arcade Fire, Sublime and My Chemical Romance. You May Also Like: DevinRead More

This is an album for people who still think Trinity Sessions stands as the Cowboy Junkies’ best recording, but also for those who want to hear how that sound has expanded and matured over the years. You May Also Like: Bobby Avey – Inhuman Wilderness (2016) Location Location Location [MichaelRead More

New Standard Quintet lives up to its name, time and again, not by resurrecting age-old tracks but by trying to fashion its own rules for approaching original jazz music. You May Also Like: Laurence Juber – Standard Time (1982; 2018 reissue) Pearcy / Gratzmiller Jazz Quintet – ‘Over the Edge’Read More

The disappointment isn’t so much that Elton John doesn’t make music like he used to. It’s that he almost couldn’t be bothered to try. You May Also Like: Elton John’s Unfairly Criticized ‘Rock of the Westies’ Deserves Another Listen Elton John – ‘Jewel Box’ (2020) Elton John – Greatest HitsRead More

Papa Grows Funk returns with its most collaborative effort yet, as Needle in the Groove boasts a whopping three producers — including Louisiana legend Allen Toussaint — and a set of songs composed together as a group. You May Also Like: John ‘Papa’ Gros – River’s On Fire (2016)

Adrian Belew’s just-completed tour with Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto presented an opportunity to revisit their time in King Crimson. Unfortunately, Belew says, partial reunions are all that fans are likely to see for the foreseeable future. You May Also Like: Adrian Belew’s ‘Side One’ Was a Journey Through HisRead More

We were all set to continue our celebration of the upcoming Doobie Brothers tour alongside Chicago, when disaster struck the group — as cancer-stricken long-time drummer Michael Hossack died. You May Also Like: Why You Shouldn’t Overlook the Doobie Brothers’ ‘What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits’ Doobie Brothers’ “AngelsRead More

A haunting, ultimately uplifting examination on the transformational experience of loss, Ari Picker’s second album as Lost in the Trees follows the suicide of his mother. You May Also Like: Tall Tall Trees via Heist TV: Shows I’ll Never Forget Chris Church – ‘Backwards Compatible’ (2020; 2021 reissue)