Country music

In 1993, a Vancouver band called The Blue Shadows released its debut album, On the Floor of Heaven. The country-rock album was widely praised and sold well in Canada, but never reached the U.S. Ken Tucker Reviews the album, which has just been issued here for the first time.

Cook is a Florida-born singer-songwriter who first performed on Nashville's Grand Ole Opry stage in 2000. She hasn't become a star in those past 10 years, but she's attracted a following in the industry for her emotionally raw lyrics. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews her fifth album, Welder.

Merle Haggard's new album is called I Am What I Am, a phrase that recalls the pugnaciousness of the cartoon character Popeye. But rock critic Ken Tucker says that Haggard's new album is neither combative or passively nostalgic — it's a collection of new songs, all of them written by Haggard, that prove how thoughtful the 73-year-old country star remains.

Seven years after the death of Johnny Cash, producer Rick Rubin has selected 10 more songs among the many he produced for Cash late in the singer's life. Rock critic Ken Tucker examines the end result, the album American VI: Ain't No Grave.

The singer-songwriter has released his first album, Way Out Here, and rock critic Ken Tucker says it's one of the best country music debuts in a long while.

Music critic Ken Tucker reviews Fearless the second studio album by country-music singer/songwriter Taylor Swift. It debuted as number one on Billbaord's Top Country Music Albums.

You may not recognize the name James Hand, but that's just because you've never heard anything like him. The 57-year-old Texan has been hidden away in the country music scene for years, and if this third album Shadow of the Ground shows his age, critic Ken Tucker says it's just that Hand doesn't care what you think.

The third album by country singer Miranda Lambert, features complex original songs and a stellar choice of covers.

Country singer George Strait is surpassed only by Elvis Presley and The Beatles in the number of platinum-selling albums he's had. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews his new album, Twang.

Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles are a Boston-area quartet raised on punk rock and country music. Rock critic Ken Tucker reviews their new album, The Stars Are Out.