Heaven knows, the Scotsman born Donovan Leitch was ripe for ridicule, even when he was hitting the charts with regularity. He was the ultimate flower child, and his airier pronouncements made cynics want to tighten up those love beads around his neck. Listening to Troubadour, however, it's striking how versatile, melodic, and agreeable most of his material sounds decades after "Mellow Yellow" has faded into a jaundiced yellow. Clearly under the sway of Bob Dylan early on in his career, Donovan nevertheless was capable of directing his reverence into something as enchanting as "Catch the Wind." Amping up as the '60s progressed, he assembled a series of psychedelic-pop classics, including "Season of the Witch," the "Hey Jude"-like sing-along "Atlantis," and the uncharacteristically driving "Hurdy Gurdy Man" (the latter features three-quarters of what was to become Led Zeppelin providing stellar support). This two-disc anthology may be more Donovan than some desire, but the booklet, seven previously unreleased tracks, and expansive perspective it provides makes it a more-than-worthy overview for those who take their paisley folk-rock with a beatific smile.

It’s an almost hackneyed notion, the general life and times of many bands. The fortuitous debut album that strikes gold, the make-or-break sophomore effort and finally, that much-scrutinized third LP. Dutch art rockers Mister and Mississippi aren’t claiming to be the exception to the rule. Albeit from purely a musical vantage point, the band has – by all means – opted for a new creative trajectory. Third LP ‘Mirage’ employs a darker, heavier undercurrent of synths, bass and drums lurking beneath the group’s well-established sonorous majesty and crisp vocals. There’s a more ominous, acidic punch to the music’s structure, dynamics and growth, marking a radical stylistic shift from the palliative, simmering indie folk prevalent on Mister and Mississippi’s previous two albums.

Ovidi Montllor was a Valencian singer-songwriter and actor, born in Alcoy (Alicante) in 1942; he died in Barcelona in 1995. He started his artist career as actor in little theaters. In 1966 he moved to Barcelona and in 1968 began as solo singer, sometimes backed by Toti Soler. Montllor was known for his deep voice and his histrionic on-stage manners, and went on to become one of the most talented members of the Nova Cançó movement, albeit one of the least popular. As a result of the tributes paid to him by internationally renowned artists such as Miquel Gil and Pascal Comelade, his work has received increased attention from music lovers in the last few years. As an actor he played in a number of movies, as "Furtivos" (1975), "La verdad sobre el caso Savolta" (1980), "Amanece, que no es poco" (1988)…

We Got Love is a studio album by European-American pop group The Kelly Family. It was released by license to Airforce1 Records, a division of Universal Music, on March 24, 2017 throughout most of Central Europe. The Kelly Family is an Irish-American-European music group consisting of a multi-generational family, usually consisting of nine siblings joined occasionally on stage in their earlier years by their father and mother. They played a repertoire of rock, pop, and folk music. They had chart and concert success around the world, especially in Germany, the Benelux countries, Scandinavia, Poland, Spain and Portugal. They have sold over 20 million albums since the early 1980s.

If it is true that the best and most lasting innovations draw much of their deep strength from the past, then Vinicius Cantuaria may have a lock on the future of Brazilian music. Here the Brazilian singer/songwriter/instrumentalist conjures up a fascinating record, deeply rooted in the bossa nova yet infused with a cool, studied Generation X sensibility, a willingness to explore new combinations of sound, and the ability to lose itself in strange places. Many of these songs are incantations where the European and contemporary spices are applied ever so subtly – a string quartet darkly colors the title track, Erik Friedlander's cello adds warm undercurrents, Cantuaria's electronic samples delicately add mysterious shadows. Yet at the same time, the bossa nova rhythm is almost always there swinging away, gently driving the music underneath Cantuaria's warm Portuguese vocals.

The GRAMMY award-winning sextet, Earls of Leicester, have returned with a triumphant live album. Taped over two nights at Nashville's historic Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the robust 23-song set, features 14 new recordings, and fan favorites from their two previous studio albums. The all-star outfit of Jerry Douglas, Shawn Camp, Barry Bales, Johnny Warren, Charlie Cushman, and Jeff White bring the Foggy Mountain Boys to life, capturing a night of pure Flatt & Scruggs magic.

Their reputation growing by leaps and bounds, including a huge underground following in the U.S. – they were able to tour there even without one domestic release available, while at one point Dead Can Dance was the biggest selling band in 4AD's history – Perry and Gerrard once again did the business with Aion. Its cover taken from Bosch, Aion's medievalism was worn more openly than ever before, with songs adapted from centuries-old material. The beautiful, entrancing "Saltarello," with lead performance by what sounds like an old wind instrument, comes from an Italian dance of the 14th century, while the mysterious moods of "The Song of the Sibyl" derive from 16th-century Catalonia. The group's command of not merely recording possibilities – witness the exquisite layering of vocals on the opening "The Arrival and the Reunion" – but of musical traditions, instruments, and more from around the world was arguably never stronger. Gerrard's vocals in particular have an even stronger, richer feeling than before, not merely able to command with its power but softly calm and seduce.

On October 9th the multi-instrumentalist Jack Wyllie (Portico Quartet/Szun Waves) presents his new project Paradise Cinema. It was recorded in Dakar, Senegal in collaboration with mbalax percussionists Khadim Mbaye (saba drums) and Tons Sambe (tama drums).

Collection includes: 'Everlasting' (1987); 'Good To Be Back' (1989); 'Unforgettable With Love' (1991); 'Take A Look' (1993); 'Holly & Ivy' (1994); 'Stardust' (1996); 'Snowfall On The Sahara' (1999); 'The Magic Of Christmas' (1999); 'Ask A Woman Who Knows' (2002); 'Leavin' (2006), and 'Still Unforgettable' (2008); Natalie Cole en Español (2013).

Known for his expert songwriting, emotive vocals and fantastic instrumental technique, Cantuaria has led a successful career as a solo artist since the 1980s and as a collaborator of the utmost taste even longer, including work with Caetano Veloso, David Byrne, Bill Frisell, Arto Lindsay and Ryuichi Sakamoto. The new recording Vinicius canta Antonio Carlos Jobim is a dedication to this hero of Brazilian music. Cantuaria takes on this classic material in the most personal way he could, performing most of the music himself, playing acoustic and electric guitars and percussion. The album was recorded in Tokyo and Rio de Janeiro, and provided an opportunity to reach out to a number of talented and musical friends, most notably Frisell, Sakamoto, Joyce, guitarist Chico Pinheiro and Melody Gardot.

Joan Manuel Serrat i Teresa is a Spanish musician, singer-songwriter, recording artist, and performer. He is considered one of the most important figures of modern, popular music in both the Spanish and Catalan languages. Serrat's lyrical style has been influenced by other poets such as Mario Benedetti, Antonio Machado, Miguel Hernández, Rafael Alberti, Federico García Lorca, Pablo Neruda, and León Felipe. He has also recorded songs by Violeta Parra and Víctor Jara. Serrat was one of the pioneers of what is known in Catalan as "Nova Cançó". Joan Manuel Serrat is also known by the names "El noi del Poble-sec" and "El Nano". In 1970, he represented Spain in the IV Festival Internacional da Canção in Rio with Penélope, where he won the Lyrics, Music and Performance awards.

Sahra is a studio album from Algerian raï artist Khaled, released in 1996. It was the artist's biggest production to date, being co-produced by Philippe Eidel, Don Was, Jean-Jacques Goldman and Clive Hunt, and including performances by many other singers from around the world. It features what is perhaps Khaled's most popular song, "Aïcha". Most tracks are sung in Arabic, with a notable dosage of French. "Ki Kounti" is partially sung in Spanish as it features Mexican Rock vocalist Saúl Hernández from the reputable band Caifanes. The title track is named after Khaled's first daughter, Sarah, to whom the album is dedicated along with her mother, Samira.

Inspired by both Brazilian music and the boundless possibilities of the Internet, electronic composer Ryuichi Sakamoto wrote Smoochy, an endlessly intriguing exploration of what happens when the old world meets the future. Using his Brazilian Internet concept as a foundation, Sakamoto goes on to add a variety of other musics, including jazz and Latin pop, to the music, creating a dense and fascinating musical web of electronics and percussion. Occasionally, he gets too self-consciously arty for his own good, but most of the album finds Sakamoto at his best.]

In the dense annual blizzard of holiday albums, A VERY SPECIAL ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS shines like a gleaming treetop star from a warm, inviting living room, thanks to its organic, no-frills approach and its remarkable lineup of performers. Dan Tyminski (of O BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU? fame) offers up a charming version of "Frosty the Snowman," while Willie Nelson lends his legendary voice and guitar playing to a fine take on "Please Come Home for Christmas." Alison Krauss contributes her surprisingly poppy "Only You Can Bring Me Cheer (Gentleman's Lady)," Marty Stuart confides that "Even Santa Claus Gets the Blues," and Pat Green saunters through a relaxed "Winter Wonderland." Bringing the Yuletide album to an appropriate close is Norah Jones, in a beautiful solo rendition of Horace Silver's "Peace".

This 16 song collection features studio performances that Dave Alvin recorded over the years for his own albums or for tribute albums but mainly they're just things he did for the pure kicks of playing music he loves with musicians he loves and admires. The songs range from some originals to interpretations of compositions by dear friends like Peter David Case, Chris Smither and the late Bill Morrissey to tunes written by heroes like Willie Dixon, Bob Dylan, Lil Hardin Armstrong, Earl Hooker and Marty Robbins. The music ranges from acoustic blues and ballads to electric barroom blues, folk/rock and even a little country/rock. There are contributions from dearly departed comrades like Chris Gaffney, Amy Farris and Bobby Lloyd Hicks as well as from old Blasters pals like Gene Taylor along with various members of The Guilty Men/Women/Ones plus help from brilliant accompanists like Greg Leisz, Cindy Cashdollar, Bob Glaub.