Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

This Irish quintet boasts much more than just a dorky band name and a cheeky album title. Fred’s funky, brass-filled and harmony-drenched songs—from the disco-fied opener “Skyscrapers” to the heavenly-choir closer “Just Because We Can”—exude so much unbridled joy that the music should be required listening for anyone bummed out by the current recession. Channeling sounds as wildly diverse as the Beach Boys, Sly and the Family Stone and the Flaming Lips, Fred delivers a much-need emotional bailout. March 2009

Always compelling, singer-actress Marianne Faithfull was once Mick Jagger’s girlfriend and a darling of England’s swinging ’60s scene. A gorgeous girl of noble ancestry (her mother was an Austrian baroness with roots in the Habsburg Dynasty), she scored her first pop hit at 18, singing Mick’s and Keith Richards’ “As Tears Go By.” But her decline came as rapidly as her rise. Throughout the ’70s, her career plummeted and her life was beset by heartache, drug abuse and suicide attempts. Marianne launched her comeback with a series of strong, startling confessional albums, including Broken English, Dangerous Acquaintances, Strange Weather and Blazing Away. The latter two were produced by Hal Wil...

The Boys are back. More than 20 years after singer Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe topped the charts, Britain’s Pet Shop Boys once again seem destined for dance clubs. The synth-pop duo first made its mark in the 1980s, crafting catchy, irreverent hits like “West End Girls” and “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money).” During the ’90s, the Boys scored another hit with their post-modern take on the Village People’s campy “Go West.” Meanwhile, their concerts became increasingly elaborate affairs, featuring the work of top designers from the theatre, opera and fashion worlds. More recently, Neil and Chris have branched into musicals and, along the way, worked with artists including Du...

He’s infamous for dating Kate Moss, taking drugs and doing time in prison. But Pete has also shown flashes of real brilliance with his Britrock bands the Libertines and Babyshambles. On his solo debut, it’s more of the same. There are several gems, including the anthemic “Last of the English Roses” and the melodic “Lady, Don’t Fall Backwards,” and songs of genuine emotional honesty like “Broken Love Song.” Sadly, much of the album sounds simply tossed off, as if Pete could barely be bothered. Shame. March 2009

With a voice that hints at Bessie Smith and Billie Holiday, Madeleine, a former Paris street busker, is now a successful jazz-blues diva herself. Her last two albums sold more than two million copies. Madeleine’s latest is also her most personal to date, with songs of survival like “River of Tears” and the title track, about her alcoholic father, and her time spent as a child in a domestic violence shelter. But the beguiling vocalist also sings songs of hope, including “I Must Be Saved” and the Obama-inspired “Somethin’ Grand.” March 2009

Like the Welsh star Duffy, this precocious Aussie sings with a voice that’s soulful well beyond her tender years. Just 17, Gabriella sounds a lot like Duffy, sounding like Dusty Springfield, on the sultry “Sanctuary” and the harmonica-filled “Round and Round.” Elsewhere on her debut album, there are shades of girl-group pop (the Go-Gos-like “Got No Place to Go”) and Kylie Minogue (the poppy disco of “Save the Lies”). Gabriella is best when striking a sassy pose, as she does on the infectious single “Sweet About Me.” March 2009

Like folk icons like Stan Rogers and Gordon Lightfoot, Tony Dekker draws inspiration from Canada’s physical beauty—particularly its bodies of fresh water. Ongiara, the last album by his Great Lake Swimmers, was partly recorded on the Toronto Islands. This time, the band traveled to the Thousand Islands area of the St. Lawrence River and recorded in regional landmarks like Dark Islands’ stately Singer Castle. Tony’s lake-themed songs, especially the harmony-drenched “Pulling on a Line,” are ghostly sweet. March 2009

The Tragically Hip holds a special place in Canadian culture. Like hockey or the Group of Seven, the band has earned an enviable mythic status. Maybe it has to do with the group’s famously raucous performances or its proud embrace of the Great White North in songs like “Bobcaygeon” or “Fifty Mission Cap.” Whatever the reason, the Hip stands as Canada’s quintessential rock band.  Two of it members are actually named Gord—which is about as Canadian as you can get. Since forming in Kingston, Ontario in 1986, the Hip has built a rabid fan base by mixing inspired poetry with compelling rock grooves. Along the way, the band has earned 14 Juno Awards, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award...

When it comes to music, the working-class city of Hamilton, Ontario often produces a rugged brand of rock ’n’ roll. But thanks to Jeremy Greenspan and Matthew Didemus, Steeltown might also become known for stylish electro-pop. Signed to England’s Domino Records, the duo has already garnered rave reviews in the British and American music press. Their third album by Junior Boys, featuring Jeremy’s falsetto vocals and a cool array of suave beats and dreamy textures, offers some of classiest dance music around. April 2009

Bat for Lashes, aka England’s Natasha Khan, counts Radiohead and M.I.A. among her fans. A former nursery school teacher, Natasha won acclaim with her first Bat for Lashes album, Fur and Gold, which earned Mercury Prize and Brit Award nominations. Her second album should attract a wider audience with bold tracks like the Kate Bush-style opener “Glass,” the Fleetwood Mac-like “Daniel” and the ethereal closer “The Big Sleep.” Wildly exotic, Bat for Lashes’ Natasha is a refreshingly brave new pop princess. April 2009