When Jimmy Page’s ‘Outrider’ arrived on June 19, 1988, the focus went to a one-song Robert Plant reunion. The LP’s highpoint, however, was found elsewhere.

This Mid-Year Best of 2015 list also includes Death Cab for Cutie, James McMurtry, Steve Hackett, Randy Bachman, Richard Thompson and Ringo Starr.

Lost R&B legend Carl Hall gives each performance a gospel-infused, four-octave charge. And yet he somehow remains stubbornly obscure.

There’s a gutsy musical experientation surrounding ‘Restless Ones,’ but the perfect Heartless Bastards album is still yet to be made.

‘Normal as the Next Guy’ should have – once again – been more than enough to hot-wire a comeback for the Knack. So what went wrong this time?

The Arcs’ “Stay in My Corner” isn’t any muscle-popping left turn for Black Keys fans. Instead, it simply sticks with what Dan Auerbach does best.

Neal Schon’s baseline is one of torrid invention. But there’s another side to the Journey great, and an advance track for ‘Vortex’ powerfully showcases it.

Neil Young’s “Wolf Moon” features a delicately inviting sound that leads long-time fans back to ‘Harvest’ and its terrific sequel ‘Harvest Moon.’

There were technical things that made Ornette Coleman’s work great. But stressing that gives away the one thing that really mattered: Its freedom.

The Rolling Stones’ ‘Some Girls,’ released on June 9, 1978, was a very important moment. We now know that they would never sound the same again.