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Genere: Jazz

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Genere: Rock

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Genere: Rock

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Genere: Jazz

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Trama: Emerging on the music scene 13 years ago, Julian Lage was quickly deemed a guitar-playing prodigy. Playing a unique style that melded blues, classical, folk and jazz influences, Lage received praise from musical luminaries, including Herbie Hancock and Bela Fleck. He chose to become a sideman with established instrumentalists like Gary Burton.
Now at the age of 21, Lage releases his debut album, Sounding Point, on EmArcy Records, an imprint of Universal Records. The music ranges from through-composed works and impromptu improvisations in duo and trio settings to solo excursions and a finale capped by a masterful interpretation of Miles Davis s All Blues. Lage also delivers impressive covers of Elliott Smith s Alameda and Neil Hefti s Lil Darlin. The CD features special guests Eigsti, Bela Fleck and renowned mandolinist Chris Thile of Nickel Creek and
Punch Brothers fame.

Genere: Rock

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Genere: Jazz

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Trama: <I>Sing a Song of Basie</I> marked the birth of the jazz vocal group, the arrival of the Lambert, Hendricks, and Ross trio before they had even found their name and identity. First released in 1958, it's still a joyous romp through some Basie hits, with arranger Dave Lambert, lyricist Jon Hendricks, and lead singer Annie Ross defining the new form for posterity. Will Friedwald's new liner notes chronicle the birth pains, including Lambert and Hendricks's initial struggles to do the material with a choir of pop backing singers before hitting on the potential of new overdubbing technology to multiply three voices that could actually sing jazz. The ultimate results created a sensation, and none of the preliminary struggles show in the finished product. The three singers do some extraordinary simulations of horn parts--both ensembles and solos--with Hendricks's casually tongue-twisting, finger-snapping hip lyrics verbalizing the spirit of jazz in a fresh way. Tunes such as "One O'Clock Jump" and "Blues Backstage" swing with the ease of the Basie band itself, propelled by pianist Nat Pierce and the Basie rhythm section of the day, guitarist Freddie Green, bassist Eddie Jones, and drummer Sonny Payne. The CD also includes Lambert and Hendricks's first collaborations from 1955, their version of "Four Brothers" and "Cloudburst" and a previously unreleased version of Hendricks's "Standin' on the Corner." <I>--Stuart Broomer</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: No slide guitarist since Ry Cooder has made his strings shimmer and soar, growl and cry the way Sonny Landreth does. Though his sideman credits extend from a zydeco apprenticeship with Clifton Chenier through his breakthrough association with John Hiatt, Landreth finds a unique musical niche on his own recordings, combining the literacy of a Southern storyteller with the chops of a guitar hero. This belated successor to 1995's South of I-10 evokes the spirit of Landreth's native Louisiana, in the atmospheric narratives of the title cut, "This River," and "Deep South," as well as in the rambunctious rhythms of "The U.S.S. Zydecoldsmobile" and the instrumental "Z. Rider." Hiatt, Jennifer Warnes, and Bonnie Raitt provide cameo vocal support, as Landreth's slide slices through the album's occasional overproduction. <I>--Don McLeese</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: Bubblegum is Mark Lanegan's sixth solo album, but still he's relatively unknown to all but a few. Since going solo, the former Screaming Trees frontman has attracted a cult following, but if a man can be judged by the stature of his friends, then surely Bubblegum marks the beginning of Lanegan's turn in the spotlight. Featuring such high-profile guests as PJ Harvey ("Hit the City" and "Come to Me"), Guns N' Roses/Velvet Revolver's Izzy Stradlin and Duff McKagan ("Strange Religion"), Afghan Whigs/Twilight Singers' frontman Greg Dulli ("Methamphetamine Blues"), and Masters of Reality's Chris Goss (who shares production credits, as well as appearing on a number of tracks), the songs on Bubblegum display a breadth of style that matches Lanegan's trademark depth of substance. And though he kept his profile comparatively low as a longterm collaborator with Queens of the Stone Age, his two bandmates Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri feature heavily throughout (Homme, in particular, plays guitar or drums on five of the tracks here). But this is by no means a QOTSA album. Bubblegum has a sound all its own, and Lanegan is firmly at the helm, with his gravelly voice and somber observations making him sound more and more like Tom Waits. Its pleasures may not be immediate to all listeners, but once found, they're difficult to shake. --Robert Burrow

Genere: Country

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Trama: This 1989 album was k.d. lang's generous farewell to the country music world that had given her the cold shoulder after her stellar collaboration with legendary producer Owen Bradley on <I>Shadowland</I>. Songs such as "Pulling Back the Reins"--written by lang with coproducer-guitarist Ben Mink--combined classic country and western imagery with more revealingly personal emotions. At the same time, the album maintained a sly sense of humor missing from much of her later work. The covers of Willie Nelson ("Three Days") and Wynn Stewart ("Big Big Love") certainly don't hurt. The Reclines, lang's band, is notable for the presence of Greg Leisz on steel guitar. <I>-Rick Mitchell</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: Sensual, seductive, and above all smoky, the latest from k.d. lang is a collection of a dozen tunes that all have some connection to smoking--usually in the romantic, post-coital sense--done up in a lush, orchestrated fashion. Some of these tunes are standards, such as "Smoke Dreams" and "My Last Cigarette," while others are just plain strange selections given some of the oddest readings imaginable. Case in point: the cover of Steve Miller's "The Joker." lang's voice is an incredible instrument, and it's a treat to hear her vamping. But you have to wonder what she's up to, especially because she seems to just say no to tobacco herself, --<i>Jim Derogatis</i>

Genere: Rock

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Genere: Country

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Trama: Pulling out all the Nashville stops, k.d. lang's 1988 album is a meticulously crafted work, her bid for mainstream country acceptance, and an homage to her idol Patsy Cline. Surrounded by the brilliance of Owen Bradley's string-laced production and a host of legendary pickers (Buddy Emmons and Pete Wade) and singers (Kitty Wells, Brenda Lee, Loretta Lynn), lang's voice soars and moans like a dove. After the lush Chris Isaak-penned opener "Western Stars," lang follows with more-familiar country writers, from Roger Miller ("Lock, Stock and Teardrops") to Harlan Howard ("I'm Down to My Last Cigarette"). Both a commercial (the album went gold) and artistic success, <I>Shadowland</I> ranks as one of the best country records of the 1980s. <I>--Roy Francis Kasten</I>

Genere: Rock

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Genere: Folk

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Genere: Jazz

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Genere: Blues

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Genere: Jazz

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Genere: Rock

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Genere: Country

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Genere: Folk

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Genere: Jazz

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Trama: Internationally acclaimed vocalist, Sara Lazarus set out to reinvent the vocal jazz record with her latest offering, "It's All Right With Me." For her sophomore release, the singer brought along some HEAVY friends - and a whole new sound is born!
" It's All Right With Me " marries the Great American Songbook with the incomparable gypsy swing of Bireli Lagrene's Gipsy Project for one of the most exciting and original vocal jazz records in recent memory.

Genere: Blues

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Genere: Rock

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Trama: One of the few truly bigger-than-life rock bands, Led Zeppelin continues to cast a giant shadow over contemporary rock two decades after the group's break-up. The slickly packaged set offers a solid introduction to the band's work, with two discs of remastered, sonically upgraded album tracks, plus a third disc of interviews with surviving band members Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Paul Jones. Hearing all these Zep classics--"Stairway to Heaven", "Whole Lotta Love", "Dazed and Confused", "Rock and Roll", "Kashmir", "Immigrant Song", "Black Dog" "Good Times Bad Times", "Heartbreaker", "Houses of the Holy" and "The Song Remains the Same"--assembled in one package is an impressive testament to the group's pervasive influence. <i>--Scott Schinder </i>

Genere: Vocal Jazz

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Trama: A quartet of master musicians and a programme of jazz classics. Live At Birdland presents the finest moments from two inspired nights at New York's legendary club, as Konitz, Mehldau, Haden and Motian play "Loverman", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Solar", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream" and "Oleo" with freedom, tenderness, and a love of melody that only jazz's greatest improvisers can propose.
On this live recording from New York's legendary club, an ensemble of history-making players dives into the music without a set list. Four exceptional jazz musicians -Lee Konitz, Brad Mehldau, Charlie Haden and Paul Motian - approach the standards from new perspectives and unusual angles. They play them with freedom, tenderness and a melodic and rhythmic understanding found only amongst jazz's greatest improvisers.
The recording was made at Birdland and mixed by Manfred Eicher and the quartet, with James Farber as engineer, at New York's Avatar Studios. Songs selected by this team from the performances of December 9 and 10, 2009, are: "Lover Man", "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Solar", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream" and "Oleo". Konitz has often said that he tries to play the material as if encountering it for the first time. With all four musicians listening intently, discoveries are continually made in the music.
"Lover Man", the ballad strongly associated with Billie Holiday (but also, for instance, with Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan at Newport) makes an arresting opening track, with the uniquely melancholy cry of Lee's alto sax to the fore. Mehldau's solo gives immediate notice of his architectural intelligence as a player, and in his subtle comping he continually builds bridges between the idiosyncratic playing styles of his associates. Haden's bass solo is characteristically soulful, Motian's deft brushes perfectly placed.
"Lullaby Of Birdland", composed in 1952, acquires additional poignancy through the recent death of its composer, George Shearing. (Lee Konitz, now 83, is said to be the only living jazz soloist to have played all of the diverse addresses of the Birdland club, starting in 1949.) The piece is driven here by the marvellous rhythmic interplay of Haden and Motian, their near-telepathic understanding honed long ago during their decade-plus association with Keith Jarrett in the 1960s and 70s.
"Solar" begins with an abstract clarion call from Konitz. "Mr. Konitz, with a piece of fabric stuffed into the bell of his horn to mute it, started playing Miles Davis's `Solar' and Mr. Motian joined in, followed by the others. A skeletal groove emerged...", wrote Ben Ratliff in the NY Times. Mehldau's solo is a marvel of invention, lifted up by the waves of Motian's wayward drums.
"I Fall In Love Too Easily" is a touching rendition of the Jule Styne ballad (a song first intoned by Frank Sinatra in 1945) with fine outlining of the melody by Mehldau, and Konitz almost Ornette-like in his phrasing. The singing quality of the performance is extended in Haden's heartfelt solo.
"You Stepped Out Of a Dream" was previously recorded by Konitz, Mehldau and Haden for a Blue Note trio album 1997: the powerful presence of Paul Motian on the present recording transforms it completely.
Sonny Rollins's "Oleo" is given one of the freest performances of the set, beginning with a beautifully elastic Konitz/Motian duet. Brad Mehldau has commented on the performance's cool chromaticism, allied to the rhythmic phrasing of bebop, until the tune is deconstructed in the final moments of collective soloing. When these musicians play the standards, they do indeed make them new.

Genere: Rock

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Trama: Decades later it's a little hard to appreciate just how shocking <i>Plastic Ono Band</i> was at the time of its release. Yes, John Lennon's first post-Beatles solo album is still a must-own for any rock fan, but decades of punk, metal, and grunge have desensitized our ears somewhat to the naked howls of despair that fill tracks like "Mother," "Isolation," and "I Found Out." In addition, "I don't believe in Beatles," the climactic line of "God," doesn't have nearly the resonance as it did around the time of the Fab Four's breakup, when such a sentiment practically bordered on heresy. And yet it's a testament to the high quality of Lennon's songs that <i>Plastic Ono Band</i> continues to be an incredibly moving listening experience. <I>--Dan Epstein</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: Conceived at a time when John Lennon was struggling to regain his footing as a solo artist, <I>Rock ‘n’ Roll</I> afforded the hardly ancient ex-Beatles (he was only 33 when work began on the LP) a chance to revisit his Liverpool roots. Feeling nostalgic, Lennon enlisted Phil Spector to guide him through rewordings of tunes from early heroes Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly, and Little Richard. Sounds easy enough. Something about the ‘70s made thirtysomething musicians long for the ‘50s (around the time Lennon began work on this project, the Band released the all-oldies collection <I>Moondog Matinee</I>) and Lennon certainly had the vocal chops to take on any rocker. The Spector sessions, however, fell apart, producing only four songs that made it to vinyl. Lennon took over production and completed the album the following year, actually helming most of the album’s highlights. "Stand by Me" proved to be a perfect dramatic vehicle for Lennon and scored as a single. The likes of "Be-Bop-A-Lula," "Slippin’ and Slidin’," and "Just Because" were comfortable fits for "Dr. Winston O’Boogie." And though "Do You Wanna Dance" and "Sweet Little Sixteen" are misbegotten attempts to slow down and reimagine the originals, by any fair gauge, there’re are three winners here for every misstep. The remixed and remastered reissue comes with four bonus tracks that rank with the final cuts. Conceived perhaps as something of a stopgap title, <I>Rock ‘n’ Roll</I> has aged well and serves as a tribute not only to the fathers of rock & roll, but to Lennon the vocalist and producer. <I>--Steven Stolder</I>

Genere: Jazz

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Genere: Jazz

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Genere: Blues

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Genere: Blues

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Genere: Blues

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Genere: Rock

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Trama: While Lewis's Sun sessions between 1956 and 1963 are legendarily eclectic (everything from Stephen Foster to Hank Williams to a rewrite of the Midnighters' "Sexy Ways"), this single-disc distillation sticks mainly to rock and country veins. The records that made the Killer a short-lived yet serious challenger to Elvis--"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Great Balls of Fire"--are here, in addition to lesser known but equally hot sides such as "It'll Be Me" and the blindingly dirty-minded "Big Legged Woman." A key collection from one of America's greatest recorded talents. <i>--Rickey Wright</i>

Genere: Rock

Durata: 66:31

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Trama: How do you drum up interest in a Jerry Lee Lewis record, since the Ferriday Fireball is 71 and hasn't put out an album since 1996? First, you pair him with 22 of the biggest stars of rock (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards), country (Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard), and blues (Buddy Guy, B.B. King), to show how he put his stamp on nearly every genre. Then, you hire the dean of music chroniclers, Peter Guralnick, to give the liner notes heft. And--oh, yes, you also make sure the piano-pounding pioneer displays the best finger form he's shown in 25 years. Throughout, the Killer crows, struts, and self-mythologizes with the brio of youth, and who could resist him? At times, one may question the wisdom of turning an obvious guitar tune (Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll") into a piano-dominated performance, just as it seems odd to not make the best use of such guests as Toby Keith or Delaney Bramlett. But Lewis never yields the throne for a second, even surrounded by the likes of Robbie Robertson, Neil Young, and Eric Clapton. For that reason, most of these aren't true duets--the star instrumentalists take their solos, and the harmonies of some of the most legendary vocalists (Don Henley, Little Richard) stay too far in the background. But when things really work--as they do with Bruce Springsteen (the rave-up "Pink Cadillac"), Neil Young (a crackling rendition of "You Don't Have To Go"), Kid Rock (an even blacker "Honky Tonk Woman"), George Jones (the novelty-framed "Don't Be Ashamed of Your Age"), and Kris Kristofferson (an especially poignant take on "The Pilgrim: Chapter 33"), the rock of ages cleaves for thee and me. <i>Last Man Standing</i> refers to the famous cover of <i>Million Dollar Quartet</i>, on which he's pictured with fellow Sun artists Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins, all now jamming in the great beyond. Yet in a spoken-word reprise at the end of the Kristofferson song--"From the rocking of the cradle / To the rolling of the hearse / The going up was worth the coming down"--the Last Man seems to suggest his own fine epitaph. It's hard to argue with a hellraiser extraordinaire. <i>--Alanna Nash</i>

Genere: Jazz

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Genere: Rock

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Genere: Folk

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Trama: The camps remain divided on Gordon Lightfoot, largely due to his love-it-or-hate-it 1976 hit single "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Those on the fan side of the line will find reasons to enjoy his 1998 album <i>A Painter Passing Through</i>; the naysayers won't. Lightfoot, nearing 60, has lost much of his lower register, but the tell-tale tics of his singing style are still in place, especially the catch in his voice on Steve McEown's appropriately-titled "I Used to Be a Country Singer." Lightfoot's songwriting skills, however, have not diminished at all, and "Drifters," "Boathouse," and "On Yonge Street" are among the winning tracks on <I>Painter</I>. Fellow Canadian Daniel Lanois guests on the latter two tracks. <I>--Michael Ruby</I>

Genere: Folk

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Genere: Jazz

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Trama: Digitally remastered two-fer containing a pair of complete early albums from the Jazz great: Abbey Is Blue and It's Magic. Featuring important jazzmen like Kenny Dorham, Art Farmer, Curtis Fuller, Benny Golson, Stanley Turrentine, Les Spann, Wynton Kelly, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, Philly Joe Jones, and Lincoln's future husband, the great Max Roach. As a bonus, we have added a rare live version of 'Out Of The Past', which appears on CD here for the first time ever. Poll Winner. 2010.

Genere: Blues

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Genere: Blues

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Trama: When it comes to jump blues, few contemporary outfits can match Little Charlie & the Nightcats. This is their eighth album for Alligator, with more of the lean, sparsely arranged, mostly original tunes that are the band's stock in trade. Lead singer/harpman Rick Estrin, who wrote most of the material, produces songs laced with wry wit. On top of that, he is one of the best blues harp players around. Estrin plays flawless chromatic and he can do Sonny Boy Williamson- style harmonica almost as well as the master himself. Guitarist Little Charlie Baty manages to blend the best of T Bone Walker and Charlie Christian with hot, modern-style phrasing. Choice selections include the title cut, the tongue-in-cheek "Big and Fat," and Charlie's tour de force, "Percolatin'." <I>--Lars Gandil</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: Little Feat ain't failed us yet as the revived institution returns ever closer to its Dixie-fried roots. The musicianship is predictably superb and Paul Barrere again keeps the spirit of Lowell George alive with his singing and slide guitar (namely, "Blue Jean Blues" and "Cajun Rage"). Yet it's newcomer Shaun Murphy who could put the band's 13th album on the map. Her superb, Bonnie Raitt-like vocals make "Big Bang Theory" and the swamp gumbo "Romance Without Finance" gritty winners. <I>--Jeff Bateman</I>

Genere: Rock

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Genere: Pop

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Genere: Rock

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Trama: Because they miss part of the defining equation--Little Richard's rhythm & blues were never influenced by country & western the way Elvis', Chuck Berry's and Fats Domino's were--it's not really accurate to call these singles the birth of rock & roll, despite what Richard himself will tell you. But what is rock & roll here is the insane, over-the-top, in-your-face attitude that Richard pours into every word and every thrilling gospel "Woo!" It's that attitude that leaves amazing, manic records like "Long Tall Sally," "All Around The World," and the great "Lucille" still standing as among the most memorable music ever made. <i>--David Cantwell</i>

Genere: Rock

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Genere: Blues

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Genere: Rock

Durata: 38:45

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Trama: One of the freshest country albums of the year comes not out of Nashville, but rather New York, from a sporadic band with the unlikely (and somewhat suggestive) moniker of the Little Willies. At times, the fivesome (named in homage to Willie Nelson) hearkens to the great historic western-swing bands--crack, loose-limbed musicians fronted by a hypnotically sublime girl singer. If that sleepy female voice (and her distinctive piano) sounds astonishingly like Norah Jones, that's because it <i>is</i> Jones, exploring the country side of the blues. The group--rounded out by Lee Alexander (bass), Jim Campilongo (electric guitar), Richard Julian (guitar, vocals), and Dan Rieser (drums)--formed in 2003 to play the Living Room on New York's Lower East Side and just do the classic American music they grew up enjoying. That's why their low-key labor of love, recorded without commercial expectations and promoted under the radar, includes both originals (including the achingly sweet "Easy as the Rain") and covers of Hank Williams's "I'll Never Get Out of This World Alive"; Nelson's "I Gotta Get Drunk" and "Nightlife"; Kris Kristofferson's "Best of All Possible Worlds"; Townes Van Zandt's "No Place to Fall"; and Leiber & Stoller's "Love Me" (made great by Elvis Presley). Throughout, the record maintains the slightly inebriated, bar-band feel of a live club performance, especially on "Lou Reed," a very funny saga of a cow-tipping incident possibly involving the dark rocker. This is an extraordinary record, not only for its musicianship, but for the infectious joy and exuberance of performers who remember just how fun it is to play music from the inside out. <i>--Alanna Nash

Genere: Jazz

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Trama: Hagars Song, the newest release from longtime ECM luminary Charles Lloyd, is an interactive duo recording with Jason Moran, the pianist who has been a key member of Lloyds latter-day quartet, contributing to the albums Rabo de Nube (2008), Mirror (2010) and Athens Concert (2012). Hagars Song, a collection of intimacy and homage, features pieces especially dear to Lloyd, ranging from compositions by Billy Strayhorn (Pretty Girl a/k/a Star-Crossed Lovers), Duke Ellington (Mood Indigo) and George Gershwin (Bess, You Is My Woman Now) to a standard strongly associated with Billie Holiday (You ve Changed), Brian Wilsons most famous Beach Boys ballad (God Only Knows) and a Bob Dylan song definitively interpreted by the Band (I Shall Be Released). The centerpiece of the album is the title suite composed by Lloyd and dedicated to his great-great-grandmother, who was taken from her home in south Mississippi at age 10 and sold to a slave-owner in Tennessee.
The release of Hagars Song comes in time to help mark Lloyds 75th birthday, on March 15, 2013. About the pieces that constitute Hagars Song, the saxophonist says: Music has always been my inspiration and consolation I hope to give the same. The songs we chose for the recording are part of the continuous thread of music that is my life.

Genere: Rock

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Trama: After 25 years together as a band, you'd expect Los Lobos to be spent creatively. Not so, though this East L.A. institution has settled into a perhaps too-comfortable groove with its past couple of albums. No longer the studio experimentalists of <I>Kiko</I> (still the group's best album), nor the Mexican roots-music purists of <I>La Pistola y El Corazon</I>, the band now offers a reliable mix of styles on each album--a smooth concoction that is equal parts roots-rock, blues, R&B, and Latin dance music. Although paired with new producer John Leckie (Radiohead, XTC), the band doesn't venture into much new sonic territory with <I>Good Morning Aztlán</I>. The most distinctive tracks are the three Latin-spiked numbers--in particular "Malaqúe," which merges <i>vera cruzano</i> harp with what sounds like Brazilian carnival rhythms--and a pair of gorgeous, '70s-inflected soul songs, "Hearts of Stone" and "The Word." Overall, <I>Good Morning Aztlán</I> is a good album but not a great one, at least by the band's lofty standards. <I>--Keith Moerer</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: After hitting a creative peak in the early '90s, Los Lobos settled into a decade-long groove that was perhaps a little too comfortable. The band's twelfth studio CD, <I>The Ride</I>, tries to shake things up a bit, and mostly succeeds by pairing the group with a string of collaborators similar to Carlos Santana's <I> Supernatural</I>. Only instead of the young hit-makers that propelled Santana's comeback, <I>The Ride</I> matches Los Lobos with early influences (Bobby Womack, Little Willie G) and long-time friends (Dave Alvin, Elvis Costello). <p> <p>The experimentalism that fueled 1992's <I>Kiko</I> can be found here on a couple of tracks--most notably "Kitate," a deliriously wiggy collaboration with Tom Waits and Martha Gonzales of Quetzal--but generally the focus is on blues, soul, and roots rock. Surprisingly, some of the strongest performances are new versions of songs previously recorded by Lobos: Costello helps the band re-invent "Matter of Time" as a piano and pedal-steel guitar ballad; Mavis Staples turns the folk-blues lament of "Someday" into rousing Stax soul/gospel; and Womack segues effortlessly from "Wicked Rain" into his '70s blaxploitation classic, "Across 110th Street." Of the newer material, the band shines brightest on "La Venganza de Los Pelados," a Latin dance workout with Café Tacuba, and the bluesy soul of "Chains of Love," which shreds 12-bar formula by including a 90-second violin solo. The latter is a tribute to '50s rock & rollers Don and Dewey, proving that the best road to the future is sometimes paved by revisiting the distant past. <I>--Keith Moerer</I>

Genere: Rock

Durata: 29:42

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Trama: All aboard! For kids with a yen to travel farther than over the hill and through the woods to grandmother's house, <i>Papa's Dream</i> is a welcome invitation. Narrator Papa Lalo, Chicano rockers Los Lobos, and a passel of grandkids pile into a Mexico-bound flying balloon in celebration of the grandfather's birthday. Tots, tykes, and preteens will delight in the adventures of this flying family, and even moms and dads will appreciate the muscular feel-good rock of Los Lobos as they bop through contemporary stalwarts "La Bamba" and "Wooly Bully," as well as a handful of traditional Mexican folk tunes. <I>--Paige La Grone</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: <I>Firecracker</I> picks up right where Loeb's 1995 debut <I>Tails</I> left off, mixing relentlessly upbeat pop numbers with moody ballads tied together with her innate sense for a memorable melody. <I>Firecracker</I> starts particularly strong: A thumping bass line propels the rhythmic "I Do," lush string arrangements swoon behind "Falling in Love," "Truthfully" posesses the same kind of simple pop grace that made her 1994 song "Stay" a huge hit, and "Let's Forget About It" is probably the most instantly catchy song of the bunch. The rest of the record doesn't quite keep up that pace, but overall <I>Firecracker</I> shows Loeb clearly avoiding the "sophomore slump" curse. <I>--Peter Blackstock</I>

Genere: Rock

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Trama: With his mumbled baritone and lo-fi, get-it-down-quick approach to recording and his unlikely subject matter (everything from public speaking to house fires), Jack Logan sets up numerous obstacles before his music. For those willing to jump over those hurdles, the reward is one of the quirkiest, freshest songwriting talents to emerge in the '90s. Logan never tells the whole tale, but the intriguing details of his lyrics remind us of the unfinished stories in our own lives. This air of suspense is reinforced by the unpolished but urgent music, whether it takes the form of hard-rock guitar distortion or lazy honky-tonk strumming. <P> For years Logan spent his days repairing electric motors in Athens, Georgia, and his evenings writing and recording songs with a bunch of similarly employed pals in living rooms and basements. Only after lots of pestering did Logan send 630 songs from 14 years of widely varying sessions to Minnesota's Medium Cool Records, which chose 42 of them for Logan's two-CD debut, 1994's <I>--Bulk</I>. His second album, <I>--Mood Elevator</I>, is a more focused project; it only contains 17 songs and they all come from a single set of sessions in Indiana last year with the same band, Athens' Liquor Cabinet. Inevitably, <I>--Mood Elevator</I> lacks the breath-taking breadth of his debut, but it does boast half a dozen of Logan's finest efforts. <I>--Geoffrey Himes</I>

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Trama: Saxophonist Joe Lovano has covered a waterfront of high-conceptual settings on record, ranging from orchestral efforts to protean trios, from strings-and-voices tributes to Broadway-based projects. <I>I'm All for You</I> has a concept going for it too--it's a ballads album that captures Lovano in his most elemental mode, playing tough but tender tenor in a conventional quartet setting featuring piano eminence Hank Jones, bassist George Mraz, and drummer Paul Motian. Lovano offers some of his most brilliant and heartfelt phrasing on gorgeous readings of classic standards and fresh re-workings of modern gems such as Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Mood" and John Coltrane's "Countdown." Lifted by Jones's supremely graceful harmonic touches and Motian's breezy sideways shifts and deceptive power, the music here is far from standard issue. <I>--Lloyd Sachs</I>

Genere: Jazz

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Trama: For most saxophonists, recording with a mainstream rhythm section would be business as usual. For Joe Lovano, who has spent much of his career experimenting with duos and unconventional trios, little-big bands and string-enhanced ensembles, it's something of a departure. And a rewarding one at that, judging by his return to the studio with the illustrious backing trio of his 2004 effort, <I>I'm All For You</I>. The first time around, a certain spark was lacking in the accompaniment. This time, having toured together, the band clicks. The eminent bop-era veteran Hank Jones steals the show with his elegantly charged piano playing on tunes including Thelonious Monk's "Pannonica" and "A Child is Born" (one of three songs by his late, great brother Thad). Onetime Bill Evans drummer Paul Motian drops second line beats on a tripping-down reading of Oliver Nelson's "Six and Four" and graces Lovano's title track with varied textural effects. And bassist George Mraz is in fine form. In the end, though, Lovano commands the most attention with his grainy, boldly measured, heavyweight tenor. Ranging from the shimmering balladry of "Autumn in New York" to the modal intensity of John Coltrane's "Crescent" (the original of which featured another of Jones' celebrated siblings, Elvin), he finds consistently fresh ways to revitalize the familiar. <I>--Lloyd Sachs</I>

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Trama: "I Love Everybody," is a return to Lovett's early Texas-cowboy-poet style. In fact, it's a return to those earlier songs. While all 18 tracks on the album are previously unreleased, most of them date from the 1980s when he was writing far more high-quality material than anyone was interested in recording. This is sure to please his longtime fans, who believe Lovett has never written a better song than the early efforts "If I Had a Boat" and "God Will." Lovett has raided his attic trunk and has found a surprising number of lost treasures.<P> One of those gems, "Skinny Legs," kicks things off with a confession of jealousy. If he only had skinny legs, a new Toyota and a cute rear end, the singer laments, he'd have a girlfriend like that boy over there. Lovett's dry, deadpan drawl falls on the bouncy, catchy melody with enchanting ease, and he refuses to use a single word more than he needs.<P> The lightly swinging arrangements are as simple as the songs; Lovett and his acoustic guitar are backed by John Leftwich on stand-up bass and either Kenny Aronoff or Russ Kunkel on drums. Cellist John Hagen is added to five cuts, fiddler Mark O'Connor to six, the Tower of Power Horns to one, a gospel quartet to three, and a choir featuring Rickie Lee Jones and Julia Roberts to two others. At least half a dozen songs are slight one-liners which didn't deserve revival, and they dilute the album's impact. Nonetheless this is a welcome reward for all those who believe the funny Lyle Lovett is the best Lyle Lovett. <I>--Geoffrey Himes<I>

Genere: Country

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Trama: One decade's oddity is the next decade's institution. Or at least that's been the case with Lyle Lovett. The Lone Star eccentric emerged in the 1980s ostensibly as a country artist, but it became clear pretty quickly that a Southern accent and a pair of cowboy boots does not a Nashville favorite make. In time, however, Lovett's free-range brand of swing, blues, gospel, folk, and whatever has been embraced by a coterie of fans who have as little interest in genres as their hero. <i>Live in Texas</i> is something of a valentine to them--as well as an in-concert 13-year career summary for the uninitiated. Rife with live staples ("That's Right," "If I Had a Boat," "She's No Lady," and "North Dakota," which features an appearance by Rickie Lee Jones), the 14-track showcase certifies what loyalists have known for years: Lovett is one of the best bandleaders around. He and his crack crew get big and get small as needed, punching up uptempo numbers with brass or stripping down to the bare essentials for ballads. Taking it all in, one can't help concluding there's absolutely nothing odd about that. <I>--Steven Stolder</I>

Genere: Country

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Trama: <I>Lyle Lovett and His Large Band</I> remains the big man's most ambitious album in many ways. A smart split is effected, and not only between styles--the horn-driven swing of the first half backs the record's wittiest, slyest songs, while the country-folk numbers are among Lovett's most pensive. He's not so mournful that he can't raise an eyebrow at heartache, though: try "I Married Her Just Because She Looks Like You." <I>--Rickey Wright</I>

Genere: Country

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Trama: <I>Pontiac</I> is Lyle Lovett's finest album, but it still contains the strengths and weaknesses that have become Lyle's hallmarks. Crack playing, keen observations and clever lyrics, and a neo-traditionalist aesthetic that pulls in everything from Texas folk, honky-tonk and Western swing to old-school pop all shine brightly here, but they're consistently dulled by an ironic distance and a bitterness toward women that approaches misogyny. On <I>Pontiac</I>, the strengths generally win out, however, as Lovett convincingly stalks an old lover ("L.A. County"), says "take my wife, please" ("She's No Lady"), and, on the title track, offers a character sketch that could've been penned by Raymond Carver. <i>--David Cantwell</i>

Genere: Country

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Trama: After the more experimental themes and misanthropic bit players populating his prior album, <I>I Love Everybody</I>, the songs on this superb 1996 set return to the more affable, earnest, but still knotty balance established by Lyle Lovett on his first four albums. He spins amiable yarns about his preferred headgear ("Don't Touch My Hat") and larger-than-life love objects (the one-eyed "Fiona"), sways hilariously through the backfired seductions of the samba-paced "Her First Mistake," and swings buoyantly through "That's Right (You're Not from Texas)," then ropes the equally droll Randy Newman into a tongue-in-cheek duet on "Long Tall Texan." In between, he sneaks a fresh string of dark love songs ("Private Conversation," "I Can't Love You Anymore") that sustain his formidable standards. Forget the forced issue of his putative ties to "new country": Lovett is simply one of the best American singer-songwriters extant, whether playing raconteur, philosopher king, or wounded romantic. <I>--Sam Sutherland</I>

Genere: Country

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Trama: Lovett puts down his pen and applauds the work of fellow Texas songsmiths on this inviting dissection of his musical influences. Buttressed by the fluid work of acoustic pickers such as Jerry Douglas and Sam Bush, Lovett attaches his uptown drawl to the works of writers including Robert Earl Keen, Guy Clark, and Michael Martin Murphy as well as to a pair of Lone Star traditionals. Disc 2 is dedicated to two of Lovett's biggest mentors, Walter Hyatt and Townes Van Zandt. <I>--Marc Greilsamer</I>

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Trama: Lynn's distinction is as the first female country singer to write her own compositions. In doing so, she proved that women in country were capable of more that just torch songs and pop stylings. "You Ain't Woman Enough," "Don't Come Home A Drinkin'" "I'm A Honky Tonk Girl," "Fist City," and "You're Looking at Country" show a vibrant, independent woman with her own strong beliefs and keen observations. In her songs, she (literally) fights for her man's loyalty, stands up to his abuse, and moves on when he leaves. Among these 16 cuts are duets with Ernest Tubb and Conway Twitty, the controversial "The Pill" (yes, that pill), and her autobiographical trademark, "Coal Miner's Daughter." Lynn's defiant outlook picks up where Kitty Wells left off. <I>--Marc Greilsamer</I>

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Trama: This is a great box set of music, for either the die-hard or simple fan. Not only do you get the classics like "Curtis Lowe", "Three Steps", "Freebird", and "Tuesday's Gone", but you also get several live takes, demo takes, and more. I esspecially recomend this to a person who would like to explore the many great songs of Skynyrd. If you just want to listen to your favorites, pick up "Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd" or another original recording. But for those who wish to fully experience the most legendary Southern-Rock band of all time, this box set is for you.