Scroll down for capsule reviews of releases by Sarah Shannon, Glenn Mercer, Well Wishers, Robbie Fulks, The Gilligans, The White Stripes, The Red Button, The Krinkles, The 1990s, The Meeting Places and more.

Sarah Shannon -- City Morning Song (Minty Fresh): The former lead singer of Velocity Girl has a special voice that is well-suited for the light ‘60s pop tunes that she has penned for this collection. Fans of the lighter material on the last couple of Velocity Girl albums will find some of this stuff in the same vein, though more polished. Shannon hasn’t lost a thing over the years, and is probably an even better singer now. Her phrasing is superb (for a great exhibition of this, check out the torchy piano ballad “Fading Heart”) and her tone -- she rings like a bell. Burt Bacharach’s influence looms over some songs. “On and On” sports a piano line near the end of the track that is lovingly nicked from Dionne Warwick’s classic “Walk on By”. And Shannon also nails a Burt vibe on “Along the Way”, with a chorus that takes an unexpected rise in the melody during the bridge. When you have such a great voice with a lot of upper range like Shannon, you can try some different things when it comes to melodies and chord changes. Most of these songs are keyed (pun intended) on piano parts, on jaunty songs like the excellent title track or slower songs like the lovely “Salton Sea”. On “Sea”, the production and arrangement are perfect – Shannon’s voice is at the top of the mix and the augmentation of the basic piano part with guitar fills and horns adds to the romantic longing feel of the song. The last few tracks drop off just a bit, but this is a great effort. Unlike so many washed up rockers hitting the old songbooks, Shannon has the chops and personality to try something like that and excel. mintyfresh.com

Glenn Mercer -- Wheels In Motion (Pravda): The first solo release from the former member of The Feelies follows in the path of the later mellower material from that band, while echoing their groundbreaking early work in spots. Mercer still is influenced by The Velvet Underground, but, as always, he personalizes that inspiration. The result is a low key and captivating album. But low key does not mean it lacks intensity. The centerpiece of the album is “Whatever Happened”, which sounds like a track from Crazy Rhythms that underwent a wizening process. There is a great locked in rhythm part and an urgent jangling guitar, with Mercer’s voice riding on top. Anton Fier (who only appears on this track) provides his typically outstanding drumming. Excellent. Prior to that track, the album builds from folk rock songs to slow burn rockers (both “Until It’s Clear” and “In Real Time” are fantastic). The intensity then ebbs back a bit, but that’s alright, as the songs are consistently strong. I’m particularly taken by the sweetly melodic “Two Rights”, which some enterprising power pop band should cover. Speaking of covers, Mercer finishes the album off with a nice cover of The Beatles’ “Within You, Without You”. This album wears very well. pravdamusic.com

The Well Wishers -- How I Won The War (self-released): The latest Well Wishers album finds Jeff Shelton establishing a greater contrast between his power pop perfect vocals (he sounds a fair amount like Jon Auer) and the appropriately wistful and longing melodies and crunchy rocking guitars. It’s not that Shelton hasn’t rocked out in the past, its just that the pull of these tracks is just a bit different. This album feels just a bit more emotional, without sacrificing Shelton’s ability to pen memorable songs. A good example of this is the mid-tempo “Broken Glass”, where Shelton’s ringing guitar exists in a vast sonic space, with the omnipresent ominous of drums of Nick Laquintano the other dominant aspect of the song. The song blends a distinct post-punk sound in the verses with a more classically power pop melody in the chorus, and the song swirls with desperation and hopelessness. Shelton’s goes straight to the roots of this type of sound with a strong cover of The Chameleons’ “Nostalgia” that transforms nicely to The Well Wishers style. In keeping with the conflicted emotional state of this record, Shelton scores with the downcast piano ballad “After Dark”, a very striking track. These songs show real artistic development. Not that Shelton has abandoned less moody rockers – “Grey Skies Black” and “Hope Is Fading” would have fit well on the last two Well Wishers albums, and are grand additions to the catalog. Obviously, those titles indicate that those songs are also not sweetness and light, but they have a different musical feel that gives the album a necessary balance. I hope that Shelton progresses further in this direction, as the results are so good. myspace.com/thewellwishers

Robbie Fulks -- Revenge! (Yep Roc): This two disc live project showcases Fulks’s humorous side, which may not be for everyone. But if you’ve seen Fulks live, this set spans a variety of styles (without touching on all of Fulks’s talents) and includes some of his fun stage patter. This to me is what makes Fulks so fascinating -- here is this multi-talented singer-songwriter-guitarist with an ace band and a historian’s knowledge of country music. He has written some songs that have a literary quality. To top it all off, he’s a grade A wiseass. So this is the dichotomy -- you get Fulks doing a pretty straightforward cover of Cher’s “Believe” (which sounds swell) followed by the somber English folk tune “In Bristol Town One Bright Day” (from his masterpiece, Couples In Trouble). Everything here is rendered superbly, from a spirited version of his traditional set closer, “Let’s Kill Saturday Night”, to the honky tonk cleverness of “The Buck Starts Here”, and the Tex Williams-style whimsy of “I Wanna Be Mama’d” (a Jimmy Lodgson song) which has fantastic acoustic picking. Moreover, the first disc showcases Robbie with a full electric band, while the second disc is an all-acoustic affair. He even throws in some new songs, the best of which is the witty “I Like Being Left Alone”. This is definitely a cut above the usual live release. yeproc.com

The Gilligans -- Snoring With An Accent (Maize): This is a new project from Midwest power pop cult figure Bill Retoff and Todd Borsch of The Ringles. The Gilligans play as if trapped on Power Pop Island, where music hasn’t advanced past 1977 or so, and innocuous paeans of unrequited love that are beholden to everyone from The Beatles to The Raspberries still rule. Indeed, in theory, this album should really be a packet of five 7" inch 45s. Borsch shows off his guitar arsenal, as many of the songs feature beds of his acoustic guitars, punctuated by lead guitar fills. A sterling example of this is “Know I Need Love”, which is an upbeat song about longing. “The Girl in the Band” has a crisp guitar riff and also involves longing, with a little Beatles bounce in the rhythm section. I really dig the quieter “Counting Trees”, which has a mild psychedelic vibe -- it sounds like Shoes meets George Harrison (dig the sitar!). Fans of lighter power pop artists like Mark Bacino might enjoy this. myspace.com/thegilliganspop

The White Stripes -- Icky Thump (Third Man/Warner Brothers): The Stripes are a great band, but other than Elephant, they haven’t made any great albums. This may (or may not) have something to do with some of the things that make them great. What I love about them is that they are steeped in basic blues rock and obviously have a feel for the tradition. But they don’t take it too seriously -- its kind of akin to k.d. lang in her country days, where she spoofed cliches. The Stripes are not being ironic and better than the music, they are just teasing what they love, by being silly. The two silly tracks here are clear highlights. “Conquest” is an old Doris Day tune that Jack White has a field day with, his vocals over the top with mariachi horns and great pounding drumming by Meg White. The other is the boogie rocking “Rag and Bone”, where Jack channels his inner David Lee Roth on a little rap where he talks about the places he has yet to scavenge: “dog house/cat house/halfway homes/old folks homes/down in the catacombs.” There are some tracks that hearken back to earlier Stripes releases, where White comes up with some of the best proto-metal guitar rock since Jimmy Page in the early days of Led Zeppelin, like on the title track and “Little Cream Soda”. Speaking of the almighty Zep, the excellent “300 M.P.H. Torrential Outpour Blues” is in the vein of some of their slower blues material (though a guitar feedback bomb explodes in the middle of the track) and I could easily hear Robert Plant singing this puppy. While this disc is quite good, it is a bit slack in some places. But part of the fun is the goofiness mixed in with the straight ahead stuff. Well, it’s worth getting. Like I said before, The Stripes are a great band. warnerbrothersrecords.com

The Red Button – She’s About To Cross My Mind (self-released): Does the world need another evocation of the virtues of ‘60s pop music? Well, I suppose not. But if it’s as letter perfect as this slice of bliss from Seth Swirsky and Mike Ruekberg, you very well may need it. What separates the worthless homage from the worthy one can be hard to pin down sometimes. Here, it’s easy to hear why this works -- the songs are top notch knock offs, and Swirsky and Ruekberg nail every performance. Yet, to their considerable credit, for all of the attention to detail, this album isn’t too fussed over, and sounds organic. I say this knowing they had to fuss over it a lot to get it this good. But what does it matter when the result is a confection as perfect as “Gonna Make You Mine”, with the Farfisa organ and insistent vocals and equally insistent lyrics. Moreover, they leave no stone unturned in paying homage to upbeat ‘60s pop - this is The Turtles, The Troggs, Del Shannon, Crazy Elephant, and The Clique all rolled up into one. “Cruel Girl” is more Beatleesque. Or maybe Knickerbockeresque. Or some other Fab inspired unit. It’s also quite good. The Button takes some forays into other territory – “Floating By” is a great slice of piano-based Brit pop, old school style, while Free moves into psych-pop territory. A very fun listen. theredbutton.net

The Krinkles -- 3: The Mordorloroff Collection (Mordorlorff): With lead singer/guitarist Dan The Fox Edwards rocking out with The Millions and drummer Matt Favazza now fronting garage rockers The Goldstars (as “Sal”), it seemed like The Krinkles were crumpled up and thrown in the power pop “where are they now” file. So this disc comes as a pleasant surprise. Even better, the band continues its steady improvement, as their songwriting is sharper than ever. The Krinkles sound is muscular -- they mix power chords and strong rhythm section work (in the vein of The Who and Cheap Trick) with a devil may care attitude that reminds me at times of Too Much Joy, though they aren’t such overt smart asses. The band revives a tune from Fox’s tenure with The Millions, and recording “Gimme Gimme” was an excellent decision – it’s an ultra-hooky pop tune that sounds like a skinny tie classic with just a bit more muscle. That’s not the only top flight power pop song on this collection – “So...Goodbye”, which is a demo, is concise and catchy, and “Dirty Girl” has a bit of a ramshackle Replacements edge to it. While the happy-go-lucky side of The Krinkles is easy to notice, they also do a great job when they go beyond the confines of the pop song, creating mini-epics. “Listen to the Future” and “Blinded By Love” are sophisticated compositions that are as full of heart as some of their punchier tunes are clever. In particular, “Blinded By Love” is dramatic as can be, in a way that Alice Cooper and Aerosmith used to be. All in all, The Krinkles have really come in to their own. The time off did them a lot of good. myspace.com/thekrinkles

The Detroit Cobras -- Tied & True (Bloodshot): What can one say about the Cobras, who approach every album pretty much the same way, digging up old R & B and garage songs, some slow, some fast, some in between, and letting the honey voiced Rachel Nagy work her magic? Analyzing a Detroit Cobras record really means looking at two things -- the material chosen and the execution by the band. Well, the material is top notch and really well balanced, giving the album a real nice flow. As for the performance side, the Cobras again are a bit frustrating. The playing is certainly solid throughout. But the band could really use a strong producer who could push them a bit. This time around, Nagy and guitarist Mary Ramirez produce (along with John Smereck). I wouldn’t call the recording flat, but this band should sound hotter than they come off here. The guitars should be a little louder and the rhythm section a bit more out of control on the rockers. You’d think that Greg Cartwright (of The Reigning Sound), who plays guitar here, could give them some insight on how to do that. That being said, this is still a pretty good platter. Some songs are just automatic, like the spunky “Leave My Kitten Alone” (with the meow backing vocals) and the well chosen “Green Light”, one of my all-time favorite songs by The Equals. Nagy is an excellent ballad singer, sounding like a more soulful and rangy Chrissy Hynde on tracks like “Only to Other People”. Hearing the lilt in her voice as she sings the key lines of this weeper – “it only seems to happen in the movies/only in the fairy tales” -- is moving, as she gets the tone right. Not too maudlin, but sufficiently reserved. All in all, this is a pretty good album, but I think that there is so much untapped potential here, even within the band’s retro limitations. bloodshotrecords.com

The 1990s -- Cookies (Rough Trade): This is ballsy Britpop which nods a bit to the most recent post-punk brigade, particularly Art Brut. But you could look further back for reference points, with bands like The Wonder Stuff and Slaughterhouse Five. This is upbeat and sarky, as these Scots dole out disses with dexterity, while never coming off as mean spirited. Even when, on the jaunty “Cult Status” (they have “the cult status blues”), Jackie McKeown sings, “my cult status/keeps me fucking your wife,” they still sound friendly. “You’re Supposed to Be My Friend” matches a Kaiser Chiefs attitude with a ‘70s rock riff and a fun pea soup beat in the chorus, which dashes about like mad. The album is built on distinctive guitar figures, whether it’s the wistful chug on “Risque Pictures” or the ringing tones that get things going on “You Made Me Like It”. The album ends on a high note, as “Situation” shows that these kids may grow up just fine. The song blends an atmospheric bass part and psychedelic guitars with their typical brio, including a riff based chorus, stretching out with a extended instrumental section, complete with guitar solo. Nifty stuff. roughtraderecords.com

The Meeting Places -- Numbered Days (Words On Music): From the label that brings you the superb For Against comes another band that specializes in spacious shoegazer music, with guitar effects, dreamy vocals, and a soothing wistful quality. Until the next For Against album comes out (and my understanding is that another one is on the way), this album is one heck of a substitute. The Places specialize in creating swirling maelstroms of guitars, electric and acoustic, that envelope the ears. The effect is like standing on a rocky surf on an cloudy cool day, with the wind blowing in from the water – it’s bracing and all-encompassing. They add to this a mastery of dynamics that makes the big sounds sound all the bigger. On the superb “Sink Into Stone”, just a quick stop for a pithy guitar figure sets up a wall of sad chords that is very powerful (fitting a song about suicide). While this sound is best suited for the sad and melancholy, it can have a bit of uplift, as evidenced on “Until It’s Gone”, where the music is driving and inspiring (the quick piano fills add to the feeling)...though still fairly melancholy. For Against fans will really dig tunes like “Hall of Fame”, which has the urgent yet soothing pulse that is typical of that band’s best work, though the chorus hook is not something For Against would have come up with -- a nice wrinkle that is totally The Meeting Place’s own. They really pack a punch, encased in guitar sounds. words-on-music.com

The Mellowmen -- Tomorrows Sound Today (Rainbow Quartz): Well, being that it’s a Rainbow Quartz release, this is really yesterday=s sound today. But these Scandinavians put their own stamp on chirpy ‘60s clad rock. I like the fact that the band has a consistent sound but has some different approaches, looking at their many influences as a cafeteria menu from which to pick and choose however they like. “So Sunshine Shell” sounds like Paul McCartney hooking up with Herman’s Hermits on a ridiculously happy tune, before hitting an ELO-ish groove in the chorus. The song then just piles on the effects -- music hall piano, backwards guitars, strings. Cool. Strings are used even more effectively on “I Need to Know”, with a blues guitar riff and lullaby soft psych-pop melody that sounds hypnotic. Midway through, the song shifts abruptly into a pretty string interlude that is jarring yet appropriate. It gives weight to the remainder of the song. The band has its share of easy going rockers like “Make You Mine”. Something about the verses of the song, the way it bounces, reminds me a bit of Gilbert O’Sullivan, but the chorus is too peppy and the attitude too hopeful. The whole album radiates with a joy that you can never hear enough in music. These guys just love creating these songs and sounds. rainbowquartz.com

The Blue Aeroplanes -- Harvester (Harvest/EMI): I wasn’t aware that these guys were still making records, and they sound pretty much the same as ever – Gerard Langley’s talk-singing which never falls on the side of pretentiousness, along with an array of jangly guitars, with some nods to Dylan and The Velvet Underground. On this album of covers of artists who recorded for Harvest Records, the classic Aeroplanes sound comes through in spades on their versions of the Edgar Broughton Band’s “Hotel Room” and Pink Floyd’s “Free Four”. But I like this best when they go in odd directions. They give a nod to the punk era, first with sprightly take on Wire’s enduring “Outdoor Miner”, which jangles quite well, and then a pretty good run through The Saint’s “(I’m) Stranded”. Yet the true highlights are where the band stretches out. Their rendition of Kevin Ayers’ “This Train (Again Doing It)” is more Pink Floyd sounding than the Pink Floyd cover, riding on a repetitive spacey bassline. And then there’s a swampy, mucky, bluesy cover of “Stagger Lee”. My first reaction to this cover was that it sounded like how Nick Cave would do it. Then I heard Cave’s version, and the Aeroplanes trumped him on this. Perhaps my feelings would be a bit different if I knew more of the source material, but I think this is one of the better cover records of the past few years. emirecordedmusic.co.uk

The Goldbergs -- Hooks Lines & Sinkers (self-released): The Goldbergs sound like they sprang from the halcyon power pop days of 1998 or so, the type of band that would have played Poptopia or the International Pop Overthrow (well, they can still do the latter). Andy Goldberg’s tunes are snappy, crisp, and clean, evoking the chirpier side of the style. The winning opening track, “At Girl”, is ultrahooky. It has a bit of Phil Seymour meets The Rubinoos feel, with some musical nods and winks (a George Harrison lead guitar fill here, an organ part from some oldies radio staple whose title escapes me now). Goldberg goes back even further in time on the swoony “Can’t Stop Myself”, a ‘50s-style ballad in the vein of The Everly Brothers with a slight hint of twang. Goldberg’s lead guitar work is a real treat, keying a number of tracks. “Did You Fall” is a sweet little ditty, and Goldberg gets it off to a good start with memorable licks and his delicate ornamentation in the chorus really helps the song lift off. To top it all off, his guitar solo is perfect for the song. This album is tailor made for folks who like classic forms of rock songcraft, when the AM radio was a soundtrack for summer nights. cloud9recording.com

The Sprague Brothers -- Changing The World, One Chick At A Time (Wichita Falls): More traditional rock and roll, done up just right, from Frank Lee and Christopher. Actually, Christopher’s contributions are a bit more limited here, as he only plays drums on five of the tracks on this record. But the story here, as always, is the authentic songs of Frank Lee Sprague and his terrific lead guitar playing. The tunes here evoke The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, and Buddy Holly, and are played in a relaxed fashion that really swings. This is an album you could get for your parents, which isn’t the insult it would have been back in the ‘50s. My favorite songs here are the killer ballads -- Frank Lee disproves the adage that “they don’t write ‘em like that anymore. “Little Star” and “Keep on Loving Me” are beautiful songs. On “Star”, the arrangement is spare -- very light drums behind Frank Lee’s delicate guitar and his quavering voice. It’s spine tingling. Meanwhile, “Keep on Loving Me” ventures into Everlys territory, and one could easily hear this on an early Beatles record. However, the Fabs never would have tried the cornpone humor of “She Took My Spittin’ Cup”, a cute bit of silliness, which is later followed by the reassuring “She Brought Back My Spittin’ Cup”. There are some smoothly chugging rockabilly numbers too – “Rockabilly Twist” and “I’m Settin’ Jake” are boppingly good. As a bonus, the band tackles some covers, including The Blasters’ “American Music” and Little Richard’s “The Girl Cant Help It”. A top notch genre effort. wichitafallsrecords.com

Feist -- The Reminder (Cherrytree/Interscope): Leslie Feist is again making the world safe for mellow, as her sophisticated pop is accessible (Top 20 U.S. debut this time around), but throws in some wrinkles you wont find on a Norah Jones or K.T. Tunstall record (FYI -- Jones is alright in my book and I like Tunstall a lot -- they kind of form a spectrum, Jones being the most conservative, Tunstall in the middle and Feist quite liberal). The most exciting track on the record is Feist’s reinterpretation of a Nina Simone song, “Sealion” (which was not the original title). The song matches Feist’s delicate vocals with handclaps and an insistent choral vocal of “Sealion.” The song rocks in an unconventional way, with interludes of kick drums and slicing guitars. This is an imaginative reworking of a song from one of jazz’s greats. About the only thing that would elevate this album would be a couple more songs as bracing. Which is not to discount the value of Feist’s romantic songs. Other than the Simone track, there are no covers, as Feist confirms that she can pen top drawer material. It helps when you can find some good collaborators from time-to-time, and Ron Sexsmith certainly qualifies. They co-wrote “Brandy Alexander”, which clearly has Sexsmith’s fingerprints all over -- if you know his melodic style, its pretty obvious. Of course, it’s a good tune. While there is no track that is a shuffling pop perfect as “Mush-a-boom” from the last album, “Past in Present” is in the same vein, and is very enjoyable. Another highlight is the walking piano on “My Moon My Man”, which melds a boogie woogie jazz sensibility with R & B laced pop and a jangling guitar in the chorus. Feist confirms that she is for real -- an artist steeped in traditions who is thoroughly modern. interscope.com

Michael Mazzarella -- Grey Over An Autumn Winter (Angelica): The Rooks frontman is an introspective mood. While many of his outstanding ‘60s-drenched Rooks tunes were tinged with sadness and melancholy, they were still pop songs, and had a certain amount of drive to them. On this solo effort, Mazzarella is downcast and defeated. These intimate recordings are confessionals as much as songs, as he cuts veins open and sings in hushed tones over minimal backgrounds, the hurt pouring out. His keen melodic sense is still there, but the songs are so muted, the mood dominates over the tunes. As a result, the craft takes a bit longer to appreciate, but without that craft, the disc wouldn’t be that compelling. The title song is fragile and desolate, sounding like Elliot Smith mixed with a heavenly chorus of backing vocals, while a distant piano (the dominant instrument throughout the album) plays in the background. “Winter Over Me” also features those elements, with stronger string accompaniment. The Mazzarella melodic sense is still there, it’s just muted in places -- check out “She Said”, with Mazzarella straining his voice over a great rising melody on a sad soft pop piece. The emotional centerpiece of the album is “You Like Me”, which is nearly eight minutes long and is steeped in atmosphere, with a long solo piano interlude that sounds like loneliness. This album is a much more difficult listen than any Rooks release (or that of pretty much any pop band). Perhaps the biggest hurdle to clear is that this album isn’t a hook fest -- the mood is what carries it. However, Mazzarella’s portrayal of a downward spiral is fairly successful, because it sounds very convincing. http://www.myspace.com/michaelmazzarella

The Shake -- Trippin The Whole Colourful World (Rainbow Quartz): These Spaniards aren’t quite up to the level of Scotland’s sublime The Kaisers, but they share one thing in common -- for both bands, musical development stopped somewhere early in 1966. Only on a couple of songs does The Shake betray their mission statement -- to bring back the days of beat groups, The Cavern Club, and a world where The Dave Clark Five was massive. The band sounds convincing. However, many of 14 songs on this disc are listenable but not memorable. But there is enough here that bodes well for the future (to the extent that you can talk about the future for a decidedly retro band). “You Know” is built on a familiar back-and-forth guitar riff, that is part The Knickerbockers “Lies” and part “Bad Boy” (Larry Williams by the way of The Beatles). Credit goes out to drummer Antonio Medina, who keeps the beat bopping, just like Ringo did back in the day. The band works up a good head of steam on the similarly styled “You Said Goodbye”. This sounds a bit like The Sights, which ain’t a bad thing. I also really dig “Something Real”, which is an intent mid-tempo song in the vein of The Rolling Stones and The Zombies. Frontman M.A. Calabuig needs to develop this side of his writing more, as it will pay dividends. rainbowquartz.com

Wilco -- Sky Blue Sky (Nonesuch): Sometimes it’s just as simple as writing some great songs and then finding the best way to put them across. Whether it was unintentional or not, it was probably a good idea for Wilco to scale back after A Ghost Is Born. Actually, for every long Krautrock experiment there was a corresponding straightforward song. Here, droning or sound effects or oddball arrangements would have sunk this collection. The lead song “Either Way” kind of defines the theme of this record -- acceptance of how things are, and trying to get along anyhow. Musically, this album touches upon so many early ‘70s icons, with Neil Young being at the forefront. There’s even one song that veers the band into Steely Dan territory (“Impossible Germany”). I’ll join the chorus of critics praising Nels Cline -- his lead guitar work is so striking. On some songs, he pierces through the mellow mood to provide necessary bite. On some others, he is precise and tasteful. He always finds the right emotional place for his ornamentation. And when Tweedy straps on his electric and they play together, it is something truly special. Speaking of Tweedy, his singing has never been more poignant. He loves, he longs, he aches, he feels. His songs are amazing, from the artiest tune on the record, the jagged “Shake It Off”, to the blues based “Side with the Seeds”, to the affectionate “On and On”, he’s in tune with so many feelings on this record. The album reaches an apex on two songs on the second half. “Please Be Patient With Me” is about as to the point as a song can be -- its just asking for empathy and understanding in the face of depression and/or addiction: “Oh, there’s nothing I can do/to make this easier for you/you’re gonna need to be patient with me”. This is followed by a great post break up song, “Hate It Here”. Tweedy plays the clueless guy to the hilt, who is reduced to doing the chores now that his woman has split: “I even learned how to use the washing machine/but keeping things clean doesn;t change anything.” The album ends with the calm and spiritual “On and On and On”, which resonates more loudly than anything else on this resonant record. It’s hard to imagine a better record coming out in 2007. nonesuch.com

Porter Wagoner -- Wagonmaster (Anti-): Porter is probably best known now as the singer who discovered Dolly Parton, which certainly is an accomplishment. But Mr. Wagoner (who wrote a lot of Parton’s great early hits) was much more than that -- he was one of the most hardcore country singers charting during the countrypolitan ‘60s, an expert at tales of woe. And his syndicated television show brought country music stars to a whole new audience (including Dolly). And the guy had style -- whether it was his Nudie suits or his amazing album covers. Marty Stuart, who is an adequate artist, but an excellent producer and archivist, got Wagoner back in the studio, and once Porter overcame some serious health problems, they put together a really good pure country album. Wagoner mixes cheating songs with folk tales and gospel tunes on a very well rounded collection. Drawing from old Wagoner chestnuts and new songs, the only fault I can find with this is that Stuart and Wagoner probably could have trimmed a few tracks. One treat is Wagoner’s take on “Committed to Parkview”, a song that Johnny Cash wrote specifically for Porter decades ago, and finally recorded now. Parkview is a hospital where both Wagoner and Cash stayed at to recuperate from...things, y’know? (Porter says it was exhaustion in his case). The album gets off to a great start with “Be a Little Quieter”, where a spurned lover keeps imaging his ex coming back home every night. This is just one example of Wagoner’s excellence as a songwriter, with vivid imagery: “When you’re finished with your bath, please close the faucet/the dripping water sounds just like the driving rain.” I also enjoy Porter’s take on the spunky, bluesy “Hotwired”, a Sharon Camp/Mark Sanders co-write about a girlfriend is a klepto for automobiles. Wagoner’s voice may have been beaten up a bit by age, but he is still a commanding personality, and “Hotwired” provides ample evidence of this. Another triumph is “The Agony of Waiting”, a weeper with dramatic piano chords and Mike Johnson’s excellent steel guitar playing. This is yet another example that old country stars still have a lot left to give. This is an excellent edition to this legends canon. epitaph.com

Mitch Easter -- Dynamico (Electric Devil): Mr. Lets Active’s first solo album is more guitar pop in the vein of his work in Sneakers and Lets Active (and with his wife, Shalini, who plays on some of the tracks on this album). In fact, if you’ve heard his contributions on Shalini’s records, you know that Easter still can deliver the goods. Although this solo album is pleasant enough, these lighter-than-air pop songs don’t often connect deeply. This is pop with everything but the big hooks. At least on most songs. Distorted guitars set the tone for the wide screen pop of “Sights Set on Heaven” a track worthy of Cypress, where the heavy rhythm guitar and pretty acoustic guitar somehow mesh on a dramatic and memorable chorus. The most enticing melody overall is on the gentle mid-tempo “Glazed”. Here, Easter’s still winsome voice finds its most attractive setting. Fans of Easter’s pure power pop stylings have a lot to choose from, but other than the first two songs, “1/2 Way Street” and especially “Break Through”, the tunes are indistinct. It’s good to have Easter back, but this doesn’t equal his heyday. 125records.com

Various Artists -- Folksongs Of Illinois #1 and #2 (Illinois Humanities Council): This ambitious project, spearheaded by folk singer Bucky Halker, attempts to compile the rich musical history of Illinois, which, thanks to its blend of agriculture and the commerce of Chicago, mixed the tradition of the large variety of ethnic groups that settled in the state. Mixing vintage recordings with contemporary performers, you get everything from pure folk to blues to polka to western swing and a whole lot more. On Volume 1, Halker finds a lot of great story songs, many of which are specifically about the Land of Lincoln, such as Henry Spaulding’s “Cairo Blues”. Halker himself does a nice rendition of “The Dying Miner”, while Jon Langford and Kelly Hogan duet on “Mississippi Flood” and I’m particularly fond of Janet (Freakwater, Eleventh Dream Day) Bean’s sober reading of “The Hanging of Charlie Birger”. But you also get to hear vintage tracks like “Jay Gould’s Daughter” by Carl Sandburg (!) and “Lonely Cowgirl” by The Girls of the Golden West, not to mention a fervid version of “I’m Coming Home” by The Staple Singers. The second volume is devoted to fiddlers, and Halker and co-producer Paul Harris run the gamut of fiddle music -- there are tracks from Sones De Mexico Ensemble, Pat Roche’s Harp & Shamrock Band, and Nordic Cowboys, rubbing elbows with renowned jazz violinist Johnny Frigo and bluegrass-country star (and Illinois native) Alison Krauss & Union Station. There are good old fashioned hoedowns (like “Sail Away Ladies” by Artie P. Crowder & The Tennessee Railsplitters) and bluesy ditties (check out “Without a Dime” by “Banjo” Ikey Robinson). This is academic but alive rather than bloodless and, for my money, a more interesting history lesson than anything Sufjan Stevens has conjured up. prairie.org

Grand Atlantic -- This Is Grand Atlantic (Popboomerang): At first, this sounded like a typical Popboomerang release, meaning top drawer guitar oriented pop. And that would have been fine with me. However, as the disc moves on, these guys explore some other avenues, very successfully. The song “Wonderful Tragedy” starts off with symphonic grandeur, like it could be the theme from a new James Bond movie, but the song then melds in a swooping rock ballad sound that is in the vein of Radiohead and Coldplay. Yet neither of those acts have overlayed the ‘60s pop touches that Grand Atlantic does. The blend of the classic and the current is expert, as the bands ambitions are amply rewarded. The final track, “Peace Be With You”, is simply a classic pop song, with a strong Beach Boys orientation. But, as I mentioned earlier, they make some good guitar oriented pop. The sentiment on “Nice Guys” is a variation on Leo Durocher’s quote “Nice guys finish last,” but Durocher couldn’t come up with a guitar riff like the one here. This song sounds like a collaboration between Tommy Keene and The Merrymakers, with wistful parts mixed with pure pop joy. These songs anchor what is a strong start-to-finish album that gives you both what you might expect, and then something more. popboomerang.com.au

Spoon -- Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga (Merge): Britt Daniel and Jim Eno have honed the Spoon sound to such a fine point, that the opening track, “Don’t Make Me a Target”, sounds like it could have come off of the band’s last three albums. This can be a good and bad thing -- at its best, the Spoon sound mixes minimalist tension with an unexpected sleek and sexy R & B throb. However, there is a danger that the band is repeating itself. Moreover, sometimes they simply stretch a thin idea too far, as on “The Ghost of You”, a track in the vein of “Small Stakes” (from Kill The Moonlight), that is neither melodically or rhythmically interesting. One way they keep things fresh is by adding more sonic elements, such as the horns on the atypically sunny “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb”, one of the best songs on the disc (and the horns are back on “The Underdog”). Other top tracks include the slinky “My Little Japanese Cigarette Case” and “Rhythm in Soul” features a nifty curvy bass part and an equally nifty keyboard part. The song is a jigsaw puzzle of various rhythm parts, with one killer melody coming in and out. As a whole, the album lacks enough of these top flight tracks, but it’s still fairly enjoyable. mergerecords.com

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