AJ rolls out 'Heartache' for Barrel

Jackson

A master at sentimental, ironic or playful numbers, Songs of Love and Heartache — the latest Alan Jackson anthology now distributed exclusively through Cracker Barrel — contains plenty of his finest hits.

The record also begins with arguably his greatest ballad and certainly one that's among his signature tunes "Here In The Real World." It also contains "Gone Crazy," "Rainy Day in June," "Tropical Depression" and "She's Got The Rhythm (And I Got The Blues)."

In addition, there's the bonus of two new tunes, one a heartfelt confessional ("That's What I'd Be Like Without You"), the other a combination humorous/sensual effort ("Nothing Sure Looked Good On You").

Both new tunes show that AJ hasn't yet exhausted his supply of high-quality, memorable songs.


American Horizon

Los Cenzontles with David Hidalgo & Taj Mahal (Cenzontles)

David Hidalgo and Taj Mahal have jointly explored numerous idioms throughout their careers — rock, reggae, blues, Norteno, Tex-Mex, jazz and country. This time they've crafted a 15-song document that merges elements of Latin pop, rock and blues.

On American Horizon Hidalgo and Mahal swap leads, alternate instruments and demonstrate their musical and instrumental versatility.

It's an ambitious, challenging work, one that displays Hidalgo and Mahal's dexterity and ability to operate effectively and with flair in every musical situation.

Duets

The Blind Boys of Alabama (Saguro Road)

The Blind Boys of Alabama have been performing masterful, amazing gospel tunes for more than 70 years, persevering while nearly all their contemporaries have passed on or disbanded.

This latest release includes four new tunes matching them with everyone from reggae great Toots Hibbert ("Perfect Peace") and rocker Lou Reed ("Jesus") to acoustic blues vocalist John Hammond ("One Kind Favor").

The other 11 selections are classic pieces culled from past sessions, when the Blind Boys teamed with the greats of country (Randy Travis, Asleep At The Wheel), blues (Bonnie Raitt, Charlie Musselwhite, Susan Tedeschi), rock (Ben Harper) and soul (Solomon Burke) on magnificent vintage and contemporary spiritual pieces.

No matter the collaborators or settings, The Blind Boys of Alabama remain giants of the gospel song.

Burn It Down

The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker (Omnisound)

Nashville's hottest R&B ensemble joins with a Music City soul legend on a session that mixes splendid, earnest ballads with furious uptempo funk and dance numbers.

Charles Walker is fiery on songs like "Burn It Down" and "Do The Right Thing," then shifts into more interpretative mode on "If I Had Known," "I Got Love For You" and "If You Don't Mean It." The Dynamites are tight and disciplined, yet their arrangements also have ample rhythmic bounce and vitality.

Whether they're doing old or new school material, Charles Walker and The Dynamites stay locked in the groove during every number on "Burn It Down."


Now That's What I Call Dance Classics

Various Artists (Sony)

This ongoing series devoted to various genres delves into the club/dance scene with 20 classic hits that include disco, funk, electronic, even rap/hip-hop numbers. The selections extend back to the 1970s, but include a fair share of '80s and '90s hits, though occasionally there are choices that stretch the category (Right Said Fred's climatic "I'm Too Sexy" for one).

However any collection with room for The Gap Band, Earth, Wind and Fire and Cameo as well as Ace of Base and Technotronic is welcome, even if the inclusion of some house music examples from Chicago or go-go from Washington D.C. would have added some musical spice to their menu.