Kinky is a five-member band from Monterrey, Mexico, formed in 1998 and consisting of Gilberto Cerezo, Ulises Lozano, Carlos Chairez, Omar Góngora, and Cesar Pliego. Legendary DustBrother John King, who has worked with Beck, the Rolling Stones and the Beastie Boys, produced their latest album, Sueño De La Maquina (Dream Machine) which was released on September 4.

With his self-titled album entering the Top 5 of iTunes’ R&B/Soul charts last year, soul singer/songwriter Allan Stone has come a long way from not being allowed to listen to secular music as a child. Instead, Stone was exposed to religious music at a young age growing up in Washington because his father was a pastor.

The Wallflowers have reconnected, or 'rebooted' so to speak, to release their first studio album since 2005's Rebel, Sweetheart and with a slightly tweaked line-up they pick up right where they left off.

No one channels the spirit of '80s New Wave as infectiously as George Lewis Jr., better known under his stage name Twin Shadow. Lewis wears his ‘80s pop influences on his sleeve throughout his sophomore album Confess, released on 4AD Records this July. The sleek synth-pop vibe of “Five Seconds” recalls Duran Duran and “Run My Heart” is not unlike many Springsteen power ballads.

October, 2012 CD of the Month

One thing that’s for sure is that Delta Rae does not lack ambition or appeal on their album Carry the Fire. And simply stated these kids can flat-out sing. The six-piece band, featuring four vocalists, is from North Carolina and they pounce onto the music scene with a collection of songs rooted in their southern upbringing and gospel inspired vocal blend. Carry the Fire is a lively attempt at Americana flavored with plenty of pop sensibility.

August, 2012 CD of the Month

Honestly, what’s not to like about JD McPherson? The teacher turned rocker dials up a sound reminiscent of rock and roll’s early days on Signs & Signifiers, his first album. His style and attitude are both representative of those times, but noticeably his influences run the gamut from rockabilly to soul, from punk to hip-hop. It’s that combination of appreciation and living in present that makes Signs & Signifiers an absolute gem.

Featured Album of the Week, 10/29/2012 | CD of the Month December, 2012

Now 28 years old, Gary Clark Jr. has been preparing to release his major label debut since he first started playing live in Austin, Texas at the age of 12. Undeniably a blues guitar phenom since that young age, Gary has been Austin’s little secret until recently. The buzz surrounding his 4-song EP Bright Lights was substantial. And his live show, so dynamic that it demanded a relentless touring schedule the last couple years and ultimately delayed the release of his proper introduction - Blak and Blu.

Every fall big name rock & rollers dominant the season with new releases, and this year is no different. While new albums from heritage and popular acts like Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and Mumford & Sons account for lots of listening, there is one album that should compete for your ears. Enter Ben Schneider. The brainchild of Lord Huron, Ben started to shape the sound for his band a couple years ago after a trip back home to Michigan’s Lake Huron.

If you read into the title of the album, Glad All Over, and/or have heard its first single you can probably make an educated guess that Jakob Dylan and his band are in a good place. Yes, The Wallflowers have reconnected (or 'rebooted') to release their first studio album since 2005's Rebel, Sweetheart and with a slightly tweaked line-up they pick up right where they left off.

There is something incredibly satisfying about Born to Sing: No Plan B, the brand new studio album from Van Morrison. One of the greatest and most prolific songwriters of all-time, Van delivers an impassioned performance on this collection that sonically travels through worlds of jazz, blues and soul as only he can. He sounds inspired throughout this new 10 song set and as he suggests on the title track “passion’s everything when you were born to sing.”