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We get back to the warble and folk with the last tune, “Roll With The Punches,” but Goldner’s piano and ukulele add just enough color to lift us from what might have expected. This also might be the very best lyric on a collection of songs that have very solid lyrics.

Opening with fiddle, piano, and banjo thickening a sweet bed for the story-song opener, “Sound of Heartbreak,” we get lots of Taubaman’s strong and loud pipes. “Desert Boy” follows, a slow tune informed mainly by upright bass, organ, and piano, a perfect country ballad.

I am slightly fonder of the quirkier side of The Sundogs’ sound than the guitar-led melodic moments, but even they are rendered expertly. The Code is a very solid release indeed.

Kansas certainly mines their classic sound on their 16th studio album The Absence of Presence. With original keyboardist/vocalist Steve Walsh retired and the addition of ‘newer’ members, lead vocalist and keyboardist Ronnie Platt, guitarist Zak Rizvi, and keyboardist Tom Brislin, this is a 7-piece band banging out their unique prog American rock with some new twists.

If you haven’t seen Steve Hackett in the past few years, you owe it to yourself to see the ex-Genesis guitarist performing choice tunes from his ex-band’s catalog (full albums in fact) as well as his turns across his solo stuff. This Genesis Revisited Live At The Royal Albert Hall is an 18-song collection of one of these concerts the master guitarist performed with his smashing band at that famous UK venue.

One of Canada’s truly unique musical imports is award-winning sitar player and composer, Mohamed Assani. On his new album, Wayfinder, the listener gets caught into a multi-genre, traditional, as well as modern read on the kind of mayhem Indian instruments can manage.

The short title track begins this baker’s dozen, a floaty synth opener featuring Reed’s high warble, leading into the big Billy Idol-sounding second track, “Strangers.” In the press on this new album, Reed tells of foregoing his acoustic for his “Old Strat and Les Paul Custom,” and one recognizes the heavy power chord influence early on with this second tune, and again on the sing-able, commercial vibe of “Twisted World.”

Solo contemporary classical piano playing and composing doesn’t get any better than what Kimberly Hou manages on her new Opus One.

Iowa-based Singer-Songwriter Stephanie Catlett, reveals her unique take on her new EP Meet Me In the Dream.