Ok, so even before you hit play on the new album from Foxygen on Jagjaguwar, it's hard not to admire the title. We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic exudes not just confidence and ambition, but a level of creativity and open-mindedness that excites you from the start.

Ok, so even before you hit play on the new album from Foxygen on Jagjaguwar it's hard not to admire the title. We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic exudes not just confidence and ambition, but a level of creativity and open-mindedness that excites you from the start.

November, 2012 CD of the Month

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.

There is something bold, determined and charged about Manifestra. That’s the new album from singer-songwriter Erin McKeown. It’s her seventh full-length record and it comes at both an interesting and important time for McKeown.

There is something bold, determined and charged about Manifestra (TVP Records). That’s the new album from singer-songwriter Erin McKeown. It’s her seventh full-length record and it comes at both an interesting and important time for McKeown.

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.

2013 is shaping up to be a great year for Philadelphia and the musicians who craft the soundtrack for the city. One early indicator is the new album from Philly singer-songwriter Birdie Busch and her band The Greatest Night. Birdie’s fourth full-length album further embraces her charming storytelling, but amidst a sonic backdrop that is all at once more confident and dynamic.

In circles of Americana enthusiasts, an album from Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale is sure to cause some excitement. And it should. But hopefully this collaboration between the longtime friends and tested troubadours finds its way to the ears of more than just those dedicated fans. The simply titled Buddy & Jim is the first album the two have made together. It’s a mixture of originals, covers and a few freshly arranged traditional songs by Buddy and Jim that travel through musical worlds of roots, rock and country.

January 7, 2013 - London's new soul sensation is twenty-two year old, songstress, Lianne La Havas. She blends soul, jazz and folk in her new album, released in the U.S. on August 7, "Is Your Love Big Enough?" La Havas has been nominated for BBC's Sound of 2012, along with another XPN favorite, Michaeal Kiwanuka and her performance of "Age" on the cult video site Black Cab Sessions created a nice buzz online."

It’s not easy to craft the perfect pop song. The try and fail to find that familiar melody, that joyous hook, that great rock riff or that insightful lyrical passage is more common than the actual desired result. That’s why we tip our caps to artists like The Beatles, The Stones, Dylan and Hendrix. And while many attempt to follow the path already trodden, some bands opt for a less convenient approach.