With no musical background and without ever having performed in public, Zelmani rose to the top of the charts with her debut album. In spite of being known as very shy, she soon reached an audience all over Europe and Asia with her tender singer/songwriter country. Zelmani got her first guitar at the age of 14 and was taught some chords by her father. She learned to write songs, and almost ten years later, sent a few tapes to various record companies. Sony replied first and brought her together with producer and guitarist Lars Halapi, known for having worked with Ulf Lundell and Bo Kaspers Orkester. But the very close collaboration with Zelmani, where Halapi had total control over the arrangements, was perhaps his most successful. He gave her self-titled debut a flavor of early Van Morrison, but it was Zelmani who had written all the songs and whose clear and fragile voice gave them an air of honesty.

The Freedom Sessions is an album by Sarah McLachlan which was released on 6 December 1994 on Nettwerk in Canada and 28 March 1995 on Arista Records in the United States. The album consisted primarily of previously unreleased alternative versions and remixes of McLachlan recordings, plus a cover version of "Ol' 55" by Tom Waits. Many of the tracks were recorded during the same sessions as McLachlan's 1993 album Fumbling Towards Ecstasy. In subsequent live performances, some of these songs (most notably "Ice Cream" and "Hold On") were reworked to match the style in which they were played on this album. The album was released in two versions: a standard CD, and an enhanced CD containing CD-ROM bonus material including interviews and music videos. The album was one of the first major enhanced CD releases.

The Suicide Handbook is Ryan Adams’ most elusive and mythic recordings. The album is a raw and intimate collection of songs that captures the songwriter at his most unguarded. Recorded at the beginning of his solo career and long circulating only through bootlegs, the album has earned a legendary status among die-hard fans and fans of the americana genre alike for its stark stripped-back beauty.

Texas Troubadour is a four-disc box set that packages the late songwriter Townes Van Zandt's first seven studio albums for the Poppy and Tomato labels: For the Sake of the Song (1968); Our Mother the Mountain (1969); Townes Van Zandt (1970); Delta Momma Blues (1971); High, Low and In Between (1972); The Late Great Townes Van Zandt (1972), and Flyin' Shoes (1978). In addition, there are four studio outtakes from 1972-73 and a decent portion of Live at the Old Quarter, Houston issued in 1973. Charly reproduces the original cover art in miniature, two covers to each CD. Sound is the same as on the original CD issues, so fans who already own these albums will not be served by purchasing them again in this format. Musically, the work is superb, and since many of Van Zandt's recordings are out of print, this is a fine argument for getting them altogether. Another plus is Adam Komorowski's extensive biographical essay included in the 36-page color booklet that's loaded with photos.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings, Found Dogs uncovers rare recordings from the original sessions. The record includes alternate takes, acoustic versions, and four never-before-heard tracks all newly mastered for vinyl that offer a deeper look into John Prine’s creative process. Featuring gems like “Hey Ah Nothin’,” “World Without Love,” and “Dogs in Burlington,” the collection captures Prine’s humor, heart, and storytelling. This foil-numbered LP is exclusive to Record Store Day, giving fans the first chance to experience these long-lost moments.

John Prine recorded live for BBC radio. Featuring solo performances of songs from his first two albums. First official release. 1-LP 140g black vinyl.

Richard Thompson is the sort of artist destined to be a cherished cult item rather than a bona fide star, which at the dawn of the 21th century puts him in an uncomfortable place in the music industry – being able to reliably sell 100,000 copies of an album makes you too small for a major label, no matter how long they've kept you on the roster. In 2000, after a dozen years with Capitol Records, Thompson's contract was not renewed, and 2003's The Old Kit Bag found him recording for an independent for the first time since 1985. Creatively, this actually turns out to be a good thing; after the periodically excessive and self-conscious production Mitchell Froom imposed on nearly all of Thompson's releases for Capitol, 1999's Mock Tudor (produced by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf) found Thompson going for a more lean and live sound, and with John Chelew at the controls, Thompson follows suit on The Old Kit Bag. Cut in a straightforward and stripped-down manner, with just bassist Danny Thompson, drummer Michael Jerome, and harmony vocalist Judith Owen along for company, The Old Kit Bag captures Thompson in spare but sympathetic circumstances; the performances are strong and confident, without a note or gesture wasted, and Thompson's interplay with his rhythm section is nothing short of superb.

Restoration Ruin is a real oddity in the Jarrett catalog: a vocal album on which he plays all the instruments. And not a jazz vocal album, either, but a folk-rock one in which he alternates - quite literally, track to track - between sub-Dylan outings and more folk-Baroque ones that echo the late-'60s work of artists like Love and Tim Buckley. There's a certain amateurish appeal to the LP, in keeping with other crossover acid folk artists of the period. Yet the fact is that Jarrett is a major jazz musician, but a journeyman-at-best folk-rock singer (with a hoarse, wavering croon-whine), instrumentalist, and songwriter, with a bent for flaky wordplay that gives this a bit of a fried-psychedelic tinge. At times, to be harsh, it's less than journeyman, particularly on the Dylan-esque cuts, which have almost embarrassing wheezing son-of-Dylan harmonica and some downright embarrassing out-of-sync drums…

Mercy Now is the critically acclaimed, breakthrough major-label debut album by singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier, released in 2005 under the prestigious Lost Highway imprint. Renowned for her unflinching, fiercely honest approach to songwriting, Gauthier crafts a dark, poetic masterpiece deeply rooted in the traditions of southern Gothic literature and gritty heartland Americana. Produced by Gurf Morlix, the record features a stripped-down, atmospheric sonic template built on weathered acoustic guitars, mournful lap steel, and a steady, slow-burning rhythm section that perfectly highlights Gauthier's raw, whiskey-and-cigarettes vocal delivery. Across landmark tracks like the deeply moving, universal plea of the title track Mercy Now, the starkly autobiographical addiction tale I Drink, and the hypnotic, swampy groove of Wheel Inside The Wheel, the album explores heavy themes of trauma, redemption, and human frailty. Brilliantly captured and profoundly moving, this record stands as a definitive milestone in 21st-century roots music and an essential masterpiece for fans of serious alternative country and folk storytelling.

Released in 2005 by the major Brazilian label Som Livre, Gil Perfil is a sweeping, definitive, and joyously vibrant retrospective that celebrates the monumental career of a true icon of global music, Gilberto Gil. As a pioneering architect of the late 1960s Tropicalia movement, Gil completely transformed the landscape of Música Popular Brasileira by brilliantly fusing traditional samba and bossa nova with acoustic folk, reggae rhythms, and cutting-edge rock energies. This beautifully compiled 18-track collection captures the absolute essence of his genius, spanning decades of rich, politically conscious, and infectious songwriting. The set list is packed with timeless national anthems—from early milestone classics like Domingo no parque and the triumphant Aquele abraço to the soaring reggae groove of Vamos fugir, the irresistible forró pulse of Esperando na janela, and the deeply spiritual acoustic serenity of Se eu quiser falar com Deus. Moving seamlessly from celebratory carnivalesque energy to intimate, poetic brilliance, this compilation stands as an essential, definitive document of one of Brazil's most enduring, soulful, and universally beloved musical voices.

Bi-Polar Blues is a deeply soulful, gritty, and rawly expressive studio offering from guitar phenom and singer-songwriter Richie Kotzen, released in 1999 via the Rock Guitar Heroes imprint. As the title implies, the record acts as a brilliant, two-sided stylistic exploration, effortlessly balancing fiery, high-octane electric blues-rock workouts with smooth, emotionally resonant blue-eyed soul and rhythm & blues grooves. Handling lead vocals, guitar, Wurlitzer piano, and even various bass and drum tracks himself, Kotzen delivers an intimate yet muscular performance. Backed on select cuts by the tight rhythm section of bassist Rob Harrington and drummer Matt Luneau, the tracklist features a stellar mix of passionately executed originals like Gone Tomorrow Blues alongside highly inventive, guitar-heavy reinterpretations of timeless classics like Tobacco Road, Robert Johnson's From Four Till Late, and B.B. King's iconic anthem The Thrill Is Gone. This high-caliber album remains a definitive testament to Kotzen's incredible vocal range and fluid, blues-soaked guitar phrasing.

Break It All Down is a remarkably intimate, soulful, and deeply personal studio album by the extraordinarily gifted guitar virtuoso and singer-songwriter Richie Kotzen, released in 2000 via Spitfire Records. Moving away from the high-octane shredding of his earlier career and his contemporary work with hard rock heavyweights Mr. Big, this release acts as a magnificent showcase for Kotzen's formidable talents as a deeply passionate R&B-influenced vocalist and nuanced songwriter. Handling nearly all instrumentation himself, Kotzen effortlessly weaves raw blues-rock textures, acoustic balladry, and infectious pop-soul grooves. The album's organic, stripped-back atmosphere is further elevated by select guest appearances, most notably from blues icon Doyle Bramhall on the co-written centerpiece The Feelin’s Gone, along with subtle keyboard work from Richie Zito and Troy Lush. From driving, gritty rock tracks to incredibly tender, heart-on-sleeve acoustic performances, the album highlights Kotzen's stunning vocal range and tasteful guitar phrasing, standing out as a high-caliber milestone in his extensive solo discography.