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Los Lobos' music is hard to classify: Its members play raucous rock 'n' roll, but they often incorporate elegant melodic ballads into the mix. Sometimes they play blues or rockabilly or folk, but each song incorporates at least a touch of their Mexican-American heritage.

Though Will Kimbrough's masterful guitar work has been featured on albums by Jimmy Buffett and Rodney Crowell, his solo career is what's made him a legend in some circles. When he first became popular in his home state of Alabama, a bar could attract huge crowds just by advertising that "Will" was playing.

The Hold Steady is led by a very wordy, not-so-great singer named Craig Finn. The group's latest CD is Boys and Girls in America — a title taken from a line by Jack Kerouac. The line goes, "Boys and girls in America have such a sad time together." Critic Robert Christgau says that despite the band sounding a bit more like Bruce Springsteen, the characters are strong and indeed quite sad.

The music of Handel is the subject of a CD from Natalie Dessay. Music critic Tom Manoff says the music, with poetry by Vatican Cardinal, can seem opulent and highly ornate. The CD is Delirio, with music by George Frideric Handel.

The Hold Steady might just be the best bar band in America. With its riff-heavy mixture of classic rock and Craig Finn's lyrically dense storytelling, the group crafts intricately detailed musical universes that have already made it a critical darling and fan favorite.

Gorka's music demonstrates an easy melodic sensibility: Nothing is contrived or overproduced. His work is built around little more than his unmistakable voice and the simple, clean sounds of his guitar. Gorka performs a solo set from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Pablo de Sarasate was a virtuoso performer and respected composer, and he had a certain charm that made him irresistable to swooning admirers. We'll hear his Introduction and Tarantella by another violinist who fits that description: Corey Cerovsek, in concert at the Virginia Arts Festival with pianist Julien Quentin.

The music of singer-songwriter Mindy Smith appeals to a wide audience while remaining close to her distinct vision. With Dolly Parton's endorsement, Smith has built a career on her own terms, without music-industry interference.

On Barenaked Ladies Are Me, the band has composed another cohesive, enjoyable and wryly mature set of pop songs. Continuing in the melodic pop-rock vein of the group's last few releases, the record is awash in the clever witticisms and hummable hooks that fans have come to expect.

When it first emerged, Easy Star All-Stars — a group of some of New York City's best reggae musicians — was widely dismissed as a gimmick because of its reggae and dub versions of classic rock songs. But the group's authentic live shows and sharp original songwriting have since made it a popular and highly respected hit-maker.