Gordon Lightfoot Book, Music and More!

There’s only one gentleman is this lady’s life: actor-husband Eddie Cibrian. Rimes’ latest album gets its cheeky title from the fact that she covers classic country songs originally sung by men. The former child star, who signed her first recording contract at the age of 11, applies her rich, Patsy Cline-like vocals to Merle Haggard’s “The Bottle Let Me Down” and Freddy Fender’s “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights.” Best is her soaring, heartfelt rendition of Kris Kristofferson’s “Help Me Make It Through the Night.”

Director Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous) has been friends with Pearl Jam since they all lived in Seattle in the 1980s. That intimacy enhanced his new documentary on the alt-rock heroes, drawn from 1,200 hours of rare footage. The companion soundtrack is similarly packed with rarities, including demos and live recordings. The double CD features an early, Mookie Blaylock-version of “Alive,” a rapturous crowd singalong to “Betterman” and a thrilling 2010 performance with Neil Young of his “Walk with Me.”

Feist’s transformation from indie-pop darling to household name was as simple as “1234.” The song became a runaway hit after being featured in a commercial for Apple’s iPod Nano. Its album, The Reminder, sold a million copies and Feist was soon touring the world and appearing on Saturday Night Live and Sesame Street, where she taught Muppets to count along to the numerically-themed song. Born to artist parents in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Leslie Feist played in a Calgary punk-rock band before moving to Toronto and joining the art-rock collective Broken Social Scene. Feist’s solo career soared with the romantic, French cafe vibe of Let It Die. Its followup, The Reminder, recorded outside Paris, e...

This 14-song collection, spanning songs from 1992’s Gordon to last year’s All in Good Time, captures the manic energy, wordplay and tunefulness that has always been at the heart of Barenaked Ladies. Humor is the driving force behind hits like “If I Had a Million Dollars” and “One Week,” in which Ed Robertson famously name-checks everyone from Sting and Harrison Ford to LeAnn Rimes. But often it’s Steven Page’s darker songs, including “Brian Wilson” and “Call and Answer,” that resonate well beyond the laughter.

Sting, who turns 60 on Oct. 2, marks his 25 years as a solo artist with this box set, featuring three CDs and a DVD. Fans will drool over the collection, which includes number one hits (“If You Love Somebody Set Them Free”), Grammy-winning songs (“If I Ever Lose My Faith in You”), previously unreleased live tracks (“Message in a Bottle”) and sparkling melodic gems (“Fields of Gold”). Packaged in a lavish book, the discs come with photos, lyrics and new commentary written by the former Police-man himself.

When Lady Antebellum swept this year’s Grammys, winning five awards including the coveted Song of the Year and Record of the Year for “Need You Now,” no one was more surprised than the trio itself. Sure, the song had become a huge pop crossover hit, achieving Top 5 airplay in 30 countries. But few country music groups ever experience stardom on that scale. “We never expected to be thrust into the international spotlight in the way that we were,” admits singer Charles Kelley. “The power of that one song really changed the scope of our entire career at home and in all these places we only dreamed of playing.” Now Lady Antebellum, which also includes co-singer Hillary Scott and multi-instrument...

She stands just 4' 11' but Chenoweth has a mighty roar. Whether singing on Broadway where she’s won a Tony Award, on TV where she’s become a favorite on Glee, or on her previously recordings, the talented singer-actress has proven herself a powerhouse with gospel, pop and show tunes. Here, the Oklahoma native returns to her roots with a spunky country album. Highlights include a heartfelt cover of Dolly Parton’s “Change” and Chenoweth’s own tribute to the legendary artist, the rollicking “What Would Dolly Do.”

When pop’s premier vocalist and the leading jazz orchestra first joined forces in 1962, it was hailed as the quintessential dream team. This CD, which combines that first recording, Sinatra-Basie: An Historic Musical First, with its 1964 followup, It Might as Well Be Swing, shows why. Backed by the Count’s big band, Old Blue Eyes never sounded more in sync with musicians, especially on signature songs like “Nice Work If You Can Get It” and “Fly Me to the Moon (In Other Words).” A classic musical union.

Tony Bennett has been called the epitome of cool and one of the best friends the American songbook ever had. The legendary singer’s interpretations of the works of Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and Rodgers & Hart made him a household name in the 1950s and ’60s. Unlike all of his peers, Bennett maintained his popularity in subsequent decades, appealing to younger audiences through collaborations with artists like Elvis Costello and Canada’s k.d. lang. Now a remarkable 85 years young, Bennett—who’s recorded 70 albums and won 15 Grammy Awards in his career—shows no sign of stopping. This week, after he performs at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House, a special 85th birthday dinner will take place,...

Having written some of pop’s most enduring hits, Buddy Holly is in no risk of being forgotten. This 16-track compilation—the second tribute album to be released this summer—is proof of the rock-and-roll pioneer’s ongoing appeal. Ex-Fleetwood Mac diva Stevie Nicks growls through “Not Fade Away” and Zooey Deschanel coos “It’s So Easy,” while Ringo Starr delivers a buoyant “Think it Over.” But Chris Isaak captures Holly’s genius best with his touching, sensuous reading of “Crying Waiting Hoping.”