GUY CLARK My Favorite Picture of You [Dualtone] At 71, Guy Clark is one of Texas country’s elder statesmen, a songwriter’s songwriter whose material has been recorded by luminaries like Emmylou Harris and Johnny Cash. My Favorite Picture of You, his first studio album in four years, was worth the wait. The title track, written with Gordie Sampson, is a poignant tribute to songwriter and artist Susanna Clark, Guy’s wife of 40 years who passed... 

MATRACA BERG The Dreaming Fields [Dualtone] In a perfect universe, Matraca Berg would be the Queen of Country Music. Blessed with a sparkling vocal instrument and an unerring knack for penning songs that pack a visceral wallop, the Nashville native nonetheless saw mainstream solo success elude her. The Dreaming Fields, her first album in 14 years, proves that her gifts have only sharpened to a stiletto point over time. Berg tells of a girl who longs... 

CADILLAC SKY Letters in the Deep [Dualtone] Never known as a strictly bluegrass band, Cadillac Sky continues its musical evolution. With the Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach on board as producer, the group incorporates rock elements (would Bill Monroe have ever used a Mellotron?) without abandoning their acoustic roots. Newcomer David Mayfield makes his presence known with a stinging electric guitar run on the opening cut, “Trapped Under the Ice.” “Trash...