Music

Cinematic and widescreen in its sonic scope and with a live band immediacy, Deserted is the Mekons at their finest. It's folk music by folks who are pissed and disillusioned, lost and longing to be found, but only on their terms.

Youthful and defiant punk, rugged Red Dirt country, and vibrant Tejano. Emblematic rock ‘n’ roll with bold horns, violin, and a slather of twang reflecting where the band is from, where they’ve been and, eventually, where they’ll be headed.

14-song instrumental Christmas Album by Chicago guitarist Joel Paterson, a multi-track guitar extravaganza in the tradition of Les Paul, Chet Atkins, and many more of Joel's biggest heroes and influences.

It's "off-the-beaten-path Americana." It's the simple meeting the complex, traditional meeting modern, stick-to-your-guns resoluteness meeting adaptation. Breaks new artistic ground but remains in character.

The duality of big and broad vs. microscopic and narrow is ever-present, especially as the group explores untapped genres, dynamic and emotional touches, intersecting and introspective storylines, and remote edges of the galaxy.

This collaboration between Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks and rock-and-roll royalty Linda Gail Lewis, gleefully lives up to its title. Subversive as it is reverential.

Years solidifies the point: Sarah Shook & the Disarmers have moved from getting people’s attention to commanding it. The album is resolute, blunt, and unflinching.