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The legendary pop singer makes a highly anticipated comeback this week with the release of her new album, I Look To You. The Grammy-winning artist returns from a lengthy hiatus, marked by rumors of drug abuse and a troubled marriage.

Public radio's favorite cowboy poet, philosopher and former large-animal veterinarian lost his father at an early age. But Black has a vivid memory of being regaled by a certain song about a young cowboy at bedtime.

The era of swing dancing might be over, but don't tell Kitty Daisy and Lewis. A trio of London-based siblings, it's bringing back the spirit of the '50s in a big way. Through their foot-stomping, pre-Beatles swing, the three young musicians have been lighting up festivals and fans from around the world.

Among the Oak and Ash pairs two singer-songwriters on a batch of traditional songs, with non-traditional results. In a session from WFUV, the duo gives folk songs a rock edge.

Skillfully combining layers of electric and acoustic guitar, bluesy bass and Petter Ericson Stakee's captivating vocals, Alberta Cross' approach to music is evidently a thoughtful one. Currently residing in New York, Alberta Cross has taken incredible strides to earn global recognition.

Backspacer is Pearl Jam's first studio album since the musicians became free agents, finally fulfilling a seven-album contract with Sony. That process took 15 years. The band is now on its own, striking distribution deals with major corporations, a turnaround for the once very anti-corporate band.

Among those who find today's soul throwbacks too mired in the past, Hawthorne's A Strange Arrangement is unlikely to change many minds. Yet the album suggests a promising future for the artist.

With its rough blues exterior and gentle Americana interior, Easton's aptly named Porcupine pulls together the best of both genres and much more. Released in April, the collection of country-tinged songs also visits soulful territory, while held together by Easton's roughed-up vocals.

Pianist and composer Matthew Shipp has an intricate and heady approach to his music, with avant-garde impulses that have led him to experiment with free jazz styles, tape loops and even turntable artists. Here, Shipp settles into one of his favorite environs, the duo format, as he and McPartland explore the outer reaches on "Naima" and Shipp's own "Gamma Ray."

Landlubbers beware: Peg-legged shipmates may invade your beer halls and cubicles soon. Sept. 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and Alestorm is at the ready.