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Though the disc offers terrific guitar asides, Laid Back's songs are centered on Allman's B3 organ and Chuck Leavell's pianos, while the rhythm section's relaxed approach defines the session. Singing at a measured pace, one word at a time, Allman makes the most of these entrancingly downcast tunes.

Early folk music pioneer Elizabeth Cotten; "Urban" blues forefather Leroy Carr; A psychotic reaction from Michael Powers; Traditional Chinese zheng artist Hong Ting and more.

Grandaddy and Earlimart are two beautifully mopey bands that secretly just want to have fun. After years of releasing (usually) melancholy albums, members of both groups recently decided to get together and record a whole new batch of songs that are surprisingly playful and full of hope. I Heart California, coming out July 13 under the collective band name Admiral Radley, is breezy with a healthy dose of humor.

Wainwright and his many guests pile on the gravitas while still digging into the Bard's material with playful and provocative spirits.

Evencio Castellanos' symphonic poems from the 1940s reveal Venezuela at its most voluptuous.

Like his friend and compatriot Dmitri Shostakovich, Soviet composer Vissarion Shebalin swayed with the dictates of the regime, from grand success to humiliating condemnation. A new album of orchestral suites puts the lighter side of Shebalin's music into focus.

The resourceful young violinist asked for brand-new encores — and, boy, did she get them. Hear fascinating works by 27 contemporary composers, written especially for Hilary Hahn.

From sensuous-sounding Chopin to a radical remix of Terry Riley's IN C, NPR Music's Tom Huizenga and All Things Considered host Guy Raz spin a wide assortment of new classical CDs.

Though crossword advocates sometimes credit the puzzles with staving off dementia, former NPR arts and culture correspondent — and longtime puzzler — Dean Olsher says it's more honest to think of them as a habit, like smoking.

The guitar duet has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry, including Natalia Lafourcade, Chavela Vargas and Liza Minelli.