Singer-songwriter Thom Chacon has elevated his poignant Americana sound alongside that of John Prine, Willie Nelson and Guy Clark, to name but three. Like Woody Guthrie's Dust Bowl ballads, Chacon's characters face hard times and desperation.

"I enjoy getting out in front of the crowds every single night, I enjoy seeing their faces light up and having a good time out there and seeing the smiles on their faces. That's what gives me a thrill now, just getting up there for the live action and just performing."

It's very clever that Barbra Streisand's "new" album, Release Me opens with a song called "Being Good Isn't Good Enough", as most of this collection is material that Streisand deemed "good, but not good enough" for placement on the respective albums they were recorded for.

"One of the things that I learned from Paul Simon's class is that all the stories have been told, it's the way you tell that story that's your thumbprint. That's really the job of the writer."

A Prayer For The Planet, DJ Logic's latest album, is a collaboration with Jason Miles, his partner, and also Falguni Shah.

According to singer Michael McDonald, "I remember thinking, 'God, why [is Motown] asking me to do this?' At the same time, I wanted so badly to do it and I wouldn't allow myself to say no."

Blues harmonica player and singer Little Walter died over forty years ago, but his influences still can be heard in many blues-rock recordings that employ the instrument.

If you were expecting another All That You Can't Leave Behind or How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb - Part II, forget it. U2 is back to experimenting.