Out Of The Box Cd Of The Week With Paul Shugrue

"Levitate" is the first rock album in five years from the Williamsburg native and displays the same fierce independance he has shown on other recent releases.

"Blood and Candle Smoke" finds the iconic folk singer following a new direction on this collaboration with the Southwestern band Calexico.

The first album in five years by Phish was recorded live in the studio to bring phish-heads the closest thing to a live performance and it's their best studio album ever.

The second solo album by the Cranberries lead singer finds her hitting a real comfort zone as a solo artist.

This Texas roadhouse singer touches on many different styles on his 19th studio album and proves he's still got it.

This dixie fried rock band from Missouri channels their frustrations into songs about surviving and moving forward.

Imelda May's debut album is a collection of retro blues, rockabilly, and vocal jazz and is quite simply the best debut so far of 2009.

The Gurleys are Hampton Roads folk music veterans and with the addition of their daughter Macon, their new cd is a true family affair.

Charlottesville, Virginia's Sons of Bill are a neo-southern rock band of brothers who sing "the lovesick, hungover, hillbilly blues."

Jay Farrar ressurected the Son Volt Brand in 2005 and the music he's made since has been the most compelling of his career including the latest, "American Central Dust."

The singer and drummer for The Band has released the follow up to his grammy winning last cd and it is a rollicking, barrel house blues and folk workout

Wilco (the album) is the first cd in the band's history to be recorded by the same personnel lineup as their previous album and the consistency pays off.

The self-titled debut by AMong the Oak and Ash is a partnership between solo artists Garrison Starr and Josh Joplin covering mostly tradional folk songs in a sometimes untraditional way.

"The Loving Kind" finds Nanci Griffith in a mood for social commentary on this first set of new songs in five years.

"Secret Profane and Sugarcane" is Elvis Costello's rootiest album yet in a long line of chameleon-like recordings.

"Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King" is The Dave Matthews Band's upbeat, charging tribute to one of their founding members, sax player Leroi Moore who died while the album was being recorded.

"Around the Well" is a musical history of Iron and Wine through a sterling compilation of rareties and unreleased songs by neo-folkie Sam Beam.

"Townes" is Steve Earle's tribute to his friend and mentor Townes Van Zandt, the legendary Texas folk troubador.

"Outer South" is the second solo album in a row for the leader of Bright Eyes and he's making such great music with his new band he may never go back.

"Together Through Life" shows that 68 year old Bob Dylan still has that late career hot hand going.