Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

They came on like cartoon hillbillies, rural Ramones, with each member sharing the same last name. Only the Kings of Leon were for real: three bearded brothers—sons of a southern preacher man—and their cousin. The band’s rowdy debut, Youth and Young Manhood, drew favorable comparisons to Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers. The group’s followup is even better, with raw, adventurous tracks like the frenetic “Slow Night, So Long,” the gorgeous “Milk” and the wacky “Razz.” A wild and wooly gem. Feb. 22

Fans of Alan Parker’s 1991 hit film The Commitments will recognize the Frames’ Glen Hansard as the movie’s red-haired guitarist Outspan Foster. But that was long ago, and Hansard and his real-life Irish band have done plenty since to deserve their own recognition, including the formidable For the Birds and Set List, studio and live albums respectively. New music like the soaring melodic pop of “Happy” and the raging alt-rock of “Fake” only strengthens the band’s reputation for thoughtful, emotion-packed songs.

His voice remains as warm and rugged as a well-worn saddle. And his songs still resonate, although he’s singing about bronco riders, the canyons of New Mexico and his beloved “big Alberta sky.” That’s because Tyson, a real working cowboy, never hits a false note when singing about the western way of life. Although he’s rightly revered for his ’60s folk (Ian & Sylvia) and early country rock (Great Speckled Bird), Tyson is now making music that’s strong and true—and maybe better than anything he’s done to date.