Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

Mraz is unapologetically wholesome. He likens his live show to a yoga class. His albums always have at least one song with love in the title. That sunny outlook helped the talented singer-songwriter win two Grammy Awards and sell over seven million albums. But it all went sour when America’s political climate turned toxic. Despondent, Mraz wrote several protest songs that failed to connect and he briefly considered quitting. But a stint on Broadway restored his love of performing and he decided he “could be of more service as the voice of optimism.” Mraz's sixth album is just the right tonic for these dark times. “Love is Still the Answer” is a gorgeous ode to positivity, much like the regga...

Canada’s Cowboy Junkies have become one of the world’s most revered bands by whispering while others screamed. The group’s quiet brilliance first gained global acclaim with 1988’s The Trinity Session and the quartet’s subdued rock and country-folk sound has remained remarkably consistent ever since, with occasional segues into noisier moments. On its fine 16th album, the Junkies—singer Margo Timmins, her brothers Michael and Peter and family friend Alan Anton—shift between loud and soft sounds and personal and social subjects. “The Things We Do to Each Other” is a pulsing, politically charged number that warns how fear can easily turn to hate. “Sing Me a Song” is a 1960s-style rocker, comple...

The deep-voiced British singer with the high ginger pompadour became a sudden sensation in 1988, when his debut single, the irrepressibly buoyant dance-pop number “Never Gonna Give You Up,” topped the charts in 25 countries. But when the hits dried up, Astley happily retired from music to raise his daughter Emilie with Danish film producer wife Lene Bausager. His return to music eventually resulted in 50, his first album to reach number one in the U.K. since his debut, Whenever You Need Somebody. Now, to prove his 2016 comeback was no fluke, Astley has returned with his ninth studio album. Like 50, each of the new 12 tracks are written, produced and played by the Lancashire-born artist. The ...