Bonnie Raitt on a new label (and familiar ground); Counting Crows, Alabama Shakes, and M. Ward check their references; Rundgren does the hustle, World Party continues, and more.
Longtime cult favorite Ward found unlikely pop success by collaborating with Zooey Deschanel in She & Him, but despite the bigger budget and the 18-member backup cast, this disc leans toward the spare and haunting Americana he’s always favored. He has retained some of She & Him’s pop leanings though, so the warmer heart (and Deschanel’s occasional presence) should attract those who discovered him via the duo.
