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JukeBox, Cat Power (2008)

Her second album of covers; this one a tribute to the great vocalists who've influenced her over the years. The album comes in two versions: deluxe silver-foil gatefold cover (LP and CD) with bonus disc of extra tracks and regular jewelcase version (CD only). Backed by Dirty Delta Blues (Judah Bauer, Gregg Foreman, Jim White, Erik Papparazzi). Guest appearances: Spooner Oldham (Neil Young, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan), Larry McDonald (Toots & The Maytals, Taj Mahal), Teenie Hodges (Al Green, Memphis Rhythm Band), and Matt Sweeney (Chavez, Will Oldham).

Raising Sand , Robert Plant and Alison Krauss (2007)

The musical collaboration of the decade, Raising Sand is the sound of two iconic figures stepping out of their respective comfort zones and letting their instincts lead them across a brave new sonic landscape. Despite hailing from distinctly different backgrounds, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant share a maverick spirit and willingness to extend the boundaries of their respective genres. This spirit, expertly honed by producer T Bone Burnett, has resulted in an album pitched three steps beyond some cosmic collision of early urban blues, spacious West Texas country, and the untapped potential of the folk-rock revolution. Supported by the unparalleled musicianship of Marc Ribot, Dennis Crouch, Mike Seeger, Jay Bellerose, Norman Blake, Greg Leisz, Patrick Warren, and Riley Baugus, Plant and Krauss -- as both solo and harmony vocalists -- tackle an intriguing selection of songs from such tunesmiths as Tom Waits, Gene Clark, Sam Phillips, Townes Van Zandt, The Everly Broth! ers, and Mel Tillis. Raising Sand finds Robert Plant and Alison Krauss exploring popular music's elemental roots while still sounding effortlessly, breath-takingly contemporary.

The Reminder , Feist (2007)

Feist is the solo project of Canada's Leslie Feist, a prolific artist who has also played in one capacity or another with Broken Social Scene, Kings of Convenience and half a dozen other bands. The Reminder, her third release, comes from the same well of quiet, appealing songwriting, and delicate vocalizations that made 2004's Let It Die such a sweet treat. This one is a bit more hushed and ballad heavy, closer to Cat Power than Peaches (with whom Feist has also worked with in the past) but maintains an indie-minded blend of confessional pop, jazzy folk, and lo-fi torch songs. The comparatively upbeat single "My Moon My Man" splits her voice off into unexpected harmonies, just dissonant enough to stick in your head. It's hard to predict where her melodies are going to end up; "Brandy Alexander" starts with a simple snap-pulse, and gradually unfolds into a cathartic chorus of sweeping vocal overlays. Throughout, the record profits from a simple, unfussy aesthetic that keeps the production minimal and the emphasis squarely on Feist's cracking, wistful vibrato. Everything sounds deliberate, but not obsessed over, like an e-mailed wedding invitation. It's a low-pressure vibe, welcoming and content to linger. And linger you will. --Matthew Cooke

Still On Top - The Greatest Hits, Van Morrison (2007)

THE FIRST-EVER CAREER-SPANNING SINGLE DISC GREATEST HITS COLLECTION FROM ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ARTISTS OF OUR TIME One of the best-selling albums of the Nineties, the five-times-platinum, 1990-issued The Best Of Van Morrison, is out of print. For a new, career-spanning collection from the singer-songwriter ranked in the top half of both Vh1's "100 Greatest Artists Of Rock And Roll" and Rolling Stone's "The Immortals: 100 Greatest Artists Of All Time," only one man could possibly handpick the tracks and oversee their mastering -- Van Morrison himself. That is what the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer has done for Still On Top - The Greatest Hits. Spanning his work from 1964 to 2005 on a handful of different record labels, Still On Top - The Greatest Hits celebrates a singer who has influenced everyone from Bruce Springsteen and The Doors' Jim Morrison to Tom Petty and Elvis Costello. Van the Man has been hailed as one of "popular music's true innovators, a restless seeker whose incantatory vocals and alchemical fusion of R&B, jazz, blues, and Celtic folk produced perhaps the most spiritually transcendent body of work in the rock & roll canon" (All Music Guide).

One Man Band, James Taylor (2007)

James Taylor's "One Man Band," a new CD/DVD set of live recordings and the stories behind the songs. The set list is drawn from Taylor's recent concerts at the Colonial Theatre in the Berkshires and features new performances from some of the iconic singer/songwriter's most beloved recordings including "Something in the Way," "Carolina in my Mind," and "Fire and Rain," interspersed with Taylor's insightful and humorous anecdotes on the inspiration for the songs.
For the DVD portion of "One Man Band," Taylor called on veteran television events producer and director Don Mischer ("Kennedy Center Honors," and "Super Bowl XLI Halftime Show with Prince") and executive producer and acclaimed filmmaker Sydney Pollack ("Out of Africa," "Sketches of Frank Gehry") and their extensive talents to properly capture the feel of the live concerts. "One Man Band" tells the story of Taylor's songs through exclusive interviews and rare multi-media footage, including home movies and photographs from Taylor's personal archives. The result is an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind portrait of an artist, his renowned repertoire and the personal stories behind the songs.

Over the course of his career, James Taylor has sold over 40 million albums, and won over 40 gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards as well as five GRAMMY® Awards. Taylor's first "Greatest Hits" album earned him the RIAA's elite Diamond Award, given for sales in excess of 10 million units in the United States. In 2000, Taylor was inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame. In February 2006, The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences named Taylor its MUSICARES Person of the Year.