Out Of The Box Cd Of The Week With Paul Shugrue

“Moonlight Anthems” is the new album by the band formerly known as Major & the Monbacks. It’s an album of sweet southern rock and soul not unlike the great beach music bands that originated on the east coast years ago.

“Waiting On A Song” is the epitome of what a solo album should be; a triumphant glimpse at another side of the artist few have heard.

“Kids in the Street” completes a trilogy of music about his family, putting the lamenting of “Single Mothers” and “Absent Fathers” behind him, the focus more comfortably trained on himself with great results.

His eight album “Manic Revelations” is a sly collection of thoughts and impressions of present day life seen through a musical way-back machine.

Based in the Northern Neck of Virginia, “Back home” is their seventh studio album and begs the question: Why doesn’t the whole world know about them yet?

"Tajmo" is the first collaboration by two venerable blues artists, a collection of blues, afro-pop, soul and folk that can’t help but inspire smiles all around.

As fleeting as so-called super-group formations can be, the new album by BNQT “Volume 1” has compelling contributions from the leaders of the bands Midlake, Band of Horses, Franz Ferdinand, Grandaddy and Travis.

The recently knighted Sir Ray Davies has always had a love hate relationship with America and on his new solo album "Americana" he expands on his fascination with this country.

This self-titled album from one of the hardest working bands in Hampton Roads is the perfect introduction for blues-rock fans around the world to a band whose party mantra is “Get Rood.”

"Whiteout Conditions" is this collective of solo artists' seventh album and their better late than never realization of the power to be more than the sum of their parts.

The quintessential musical troubadour further refines the anthemic roots-rock music he’s been making for over ten years on his new album “Souvenir.”

On “Salutations” his best solo album by far, he has musically colorized the songs from his solo acoustic album “Ruminations” last year with a full band.

The Shins have been around long enough to fall into the not-as-good-as-they-used-to-be stereotype by jaded critics. But on their fifth album “Heart Worms,” their music continues to charm and this being only their second album in ten years, they also know how not to wear out their welcome.

As the trio celebrates 25 years together their new double album “Ironbark” includes 25 new songs all recorded live and acoustic. It captures the honesty and spontaneity of their live shows, but with all new songs.

If you're waiting for them to mellow after almost 25 years together, don't. "Graveyard Whistling" rocks with their usual reckless abandon.

Ryan Adams’ “Prisoner” comes on the heels of his divorce from actress Mandy Moore but since he’s been there before, his first solo release is considered a classic breakup album, he sings instead of accepting the sadness and living with it rather than dramatizing it.

“California Noir” is how the long-time roots rocker describes his new album, “Bobby Fuller Died for Your Sins.” The album is a return to the two guitar, bass and drums essence of rock and roll.

On their seventh studio album "Little Fictions" the British band known for it’s quiet take on progressive music have created a consistent and positive piece of work that stands with their best.

Before recording her sixth studio album, the North Carolina Americana artist says she was “turning 40, getting divorced and scared out of my mind.” Two years later, she is the mother of a baby girl and has released an album that captures her emotional highs and lows called “Stitch of the World.”

"Times Have Changed," his first album in ten years, fuses blues, and r.and b., some rowdy, some smooth as silk.