Country music

Jeb Loy Nichols has recorded a half-dozen albums since the late 1990s and before that, fronted the band The Fellow Travelers. Rock critic Ken Tucker says Nichols' new album, called Parish Bar, coheres as one of his more adventurous musical experiments.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Sounds So Good, the debut album by 21-year-old country singer Ashton Shepherd.

Fresh Air music critic Ken Tucker reviews Trouble in Mind, the new album from country singer Hayes Carll. The 32-year-old Texan says his music is inspired by Beat poetry, Bob Dylan and singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt.

Fresh Air rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the Waco Brothers' album Waco Express: Live and Kickin' at Schubas Tavern. It's the seventh album from the Chicago cowpunk outfit, but only its first live disc.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews Big Love in a Small Town, the debut album from country singer Sarah Johns.

Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews the new album by country singer Gene Watson. It's called In A Perfect World.

Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant and bluegrass star Alison Krauss teamed up recently for a joint album, Raising Sand.

Critic Ken Tucker has a review.

Kelly Willis' Translated From Love is the first release from the "new traditionalist" country singer since 2002's widely acclaimed Easy.

The 12-track album features originals and covers — including the title tune (by Stephen Yerkey) and Willis' reading of Iggy Pop's "Success."

Translated From Love was produced by Willis' longtime collaborator Chuck Prophet.

Two weeks after its debut, Toby Keith's Big Dog Daddy remains No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. The country singer was voted Favorite Male Artist at the American Music Awards last year.

Country music singer Miranda Lambert returns with a second album, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Her debut album, Kerosene, went platinum in 2005 and earned her a Grammy nomination.