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Blogger Drew Kerr talks about his critique of the many title songs accompanying James Bond movies. He's ranked all 20 of them from best to worst and talks about his selections and criteria here.

Guthrie has had a profound influence on American music, and he was such a prolific writer that some of his lyrics have yet to be set to music. Having been given access to the Guthrie archives, singer-songwriter Jonatha Brooke recently released The Works, which adapts previously unreleased Guthrie lyrics.

Recorded at his home in Lyon, France with little more than an acoustic guitar and hand claps to accompany his vocals, Francois Virot's full-length debut, Yes or No, is indeed spare. But don't expect a typical singer-songwriter CD. Yes or No is lyrically rich, brimming with personality and charm, and produced with surprising layers of vocals and guitars that create a warm and vibrant sonic landscape.

Hear exclusive previews of Young's long-lost live album, a Loney Dear disc out next year, and more.

Earl Scruggs' name is almost synonymous with the banjo. And for a good reason, too — he helped pioneer Bluegrass music with his three-finger banjo picking technique, now known as "Scruggs Style."

Pared down to an efficient duo, Earlimart completed its new record, Hymn and Her, in just over four weeks, as opposed to the three-year production of its last project. The band plays its straightforward and intimate California pop tunes in a session from WXPN.

Tod Machover's goal is to put music into the hands of people who want to play it — or at least imagine it. He and his team at MIT helped to create Guitar Hero, and one of his latest projects helps people with disabilities write and perform music.

Pianist Tardo Hammer is a marvelous bebop player and a sought-after sideman. When he's not playing festivals and club dates around the world, he remains active as a jazz educator. An expert interpreter of the music of Tad Dameron, Hammer plays his tunes and joins host Marian McPartland on "Good Bait."

As a child, musician Elizabeth Willis was formally trained in piano and violin, and often imagined she'd grow up to be a classical musician. But at some point along the way she decided to walk away from classical music and start writing grand and beautiful pop. The 11 songs on her self-titled debut bridge the gap between her two passions by pairing her distinctive vocals and pop stylings with cinematic string and piano arrangements. The result is refreshing and often gorgeous.

Jimmy Thackery is a musical hitchhiker: He jumps on Chuck Berry's "Promised Land" and takes off without a second look. The bluesman uses his stinging, ringing guitar to set the pace for a cross-country journey that begins on a bus in Southwest Virginia.