Long Player Late Bloomer , Ron Sexsmith 2011

A singer-songwriter acclaimed by a galaxy of artists from Bob Dylan to Elton John, Chris Martin to Michael Buble, Steve Earle to Lucinda Williams for his insight into the human heart and a melodic purity (to paraphrase admirer Elvis Costello) unheard since the heyday of Paul McCartney, you ll find him straight after the Sex Pistols in any self-respecting encyclopedia of modern music. That s as close as Ron Sexsmith has ever got to in-yer-face hard rock. Until Now

For his 11th album, Long Player Late Bloomer, the award winning troubadour has paired himself with a fellow Canadian, the producer of bone-crunching classics by Metallica, Motley Crue and The Cult the genuinely named Bob Rock. The 13 tracks on the album that came out of this partnership each and every one of them sound like honest-to-god hits.

Anna Calvi , Anna Calvi 2011

This is the stunning debut of guitarist and vocalist Anna Calvi. Brian Eno championed her as the most visionary female artist since Patti Smith, Nick Cave has taken her and her band on tour in Europe with Grinderman and Rob Ellis (PJ Harvey's right hand studio man) produced the album with her. Her playing is inspired by Django Rheinhart as much as Jimi Hendrix and her singing style is Nina Simone with a bit Maria Callas- her sound is a passionate and incredibly original mix.(Domino)

London Sessions , LCD Soundsystem 2010

The London sessions is a unique `john peel session style' nine-track encapsulation of one of today's most acclaimed acts in perhaps their rawest and most original recordings to date. The session itself was recorded in one day at the pool/Miloco studios in south London on June 29th 2010, in the week following this year's triumphant Glastonbury performance. It was locked in order to record tracks for dissemination across the globe through the medium of contemporary rock radio; fans of LCD Soundsystem will know that radio sessions are something that have never been a staple of the band's career thus far because of the belief in the necessity to maintain the highest quality of all sonic recordings released into the ether. The set which spans the breadth of their career to date perfectly captures the intuitive live evolvement of LCD as a band. Here nothing is replicated with computers; everything instead is recreated in real time, tougher, looser and less clinically. It features tracks from all of their studio albums to date, as well as long lost b-side classic `yr city's a sucker' and is a must for any fan of the band. The tracks were subsequently mixed by James Murphy in NYC at DFA's plantain studio & mastered by his longtime cohort Bob Weston in Chicago.(Virgin Records)

Collapse Into Now , R.E.M. 2011

2011 album from the veteran Alt-Rock band. For Collapse Into Now, R.E.M. re-teamed with Grammy Award-winning producer Jacknife Lee, who produced the band's acclaimed previous album Accelerate. R.E.M. and Lee recorded the album in New Orleans at the Music Shed and in Berlin at the famed Hansa Studios, where several legendary albums, including David Bowie's Heroes, U2's Achtung Baby, and Iggy Pop's Lust for Life, were made. Additional recording and mixing was done at the venerable Blackbird Studio in Nashville. The band has also revealed that Collapse Into Now features some very special guests: Patti Smith, guitarist Lenny Kaye, Peaches, Eddie Vedder, and The Hidden Cameras frontman Joel Gibb. (Warner Music)

Goodbye Lullaby, Avril Lavigne 2011

2011 release, the fourth album from the Canadian Pop diva. Two years in the making, Lavigne worked with longtime collaborators Deryck Whibley, Evan Taubenfeld and Butch Walker, as well as songwriter/producer Max Martin. Lavigne continues to share her personal experiences through her writing and music, and Goodbye Lullaby is a further evolution of this, propelled by a more raw and organic sound. (RCA)

Nikki, Nikki Yanofsky 2010

2010 debut studio album from the young Canadian sensation, whose recording of 'I Believe'- the official theme song of CTV's Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games - has been certified triple platinum. Nikki was produced by 15-time Grammy-winning producer Phil Ramone and Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Jesse Harris. It is a collection of newly arranged standards, classic selections from the American Songbook and elegant originals Yanofsky co-wrote with Harris, Canadian singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith and others. A composition written for Yanofsky by acclaimed Canadian songstress Feist also appears on the album. Amazon

Bible Belt , Diane Birch 2009

The daughter of a preacher, living between Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia, before her parents finally settled in Portland, Oregon, Diane Birch absorbed a unique and very cosmopolitan perspective on life and rapidly cultivated a very individual style that defies categorization. The buzz is building as Music Week announced, "Diane has a voice and songwriting ability that will connect with truly global audiences." S-Curve Records

2009 release, the first ever career-spanning solo hits collection from the Rock 'N' Roll legend. Features 19 digitally remastered tracks in deluxe packaging, including a 28-page booklet that contains previously unseen and rare photos. Let It Roll includes the #1 Billboard Pop singles 'My Sweet Lord,', 'Isn't It A Pity,' 'Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth),' and 'Got My Mind Set On You,' plus live recordings of three Harrison-penned Beatles songs, 'Something,' 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps,' and 'Here Comes The Sun' from his 1971 all-star Concert For Bangladesh benefit at Madison Square Garden. Amazon

The fifteen-track Middle Cyclone is Neko Case's first release since 2006's Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, the best-reviewed and best-selling album of her career. Middle Cyclone was produced by Case with Darryl Neudorf and recorded in Tucson, Brooklyn, Toronto, and Vermont. It features Case backed by her core band - guitarist Paul Rigby, bassist Tom V. Ray, backing vocalist Kelly Hogan, multi-instrumentalist Jon Rauhouse, and drummer Barry Mirochnick - along with numerous guests including M. Ward, Garth Hudson, Sarah Harmer, and members of The New Pornographers, Los Lobos, Calexico, The Sadies, Visqueen, The Lilys, and Giant Sand, among others. In addition to twelve new songs written by Case, Middle Cyclone includes covers of 'Never Turn Your Back on Mother Earth' by Sparks, and "Don't Forget Me" by Harry Nilsson. Amazon

In "roadsinger," the illuminating title track to Yusuf's new album, he asks, "Where do you go in a world filled with fright? Only a song to warm you through the night."
For decades, his has been the voice that has carried us through the darkness. One of the most influential and successful singer-songwriters of the last 40 years, Yusuf has provided the perfect salve for a troubled world--a beautifully nuanced, warm voice shielding us against harsh, turbulent times bringing songs of truth and hope.

Just when we need him most, Yusuf is back with roadsinger, an 11-song collection about the evanescent dreams of life and the promise that spiritual fulfillment brings for those who are ready to travel far enough. Amazon