TOP PICK

Frightened Rabbit

Pedestrian Verse

(Canvasback/Atlantic)

A decade into its career, this Scottish band is in particularly fine form on this album that features the group’s distinctively narrative tunes. The group’s still way better live than its studio albums suggest but songs such as “The Woodpile” and “Late March, Death March” do suggest the anthemic quality of the band’s music.

Richard Thompson

Electric

(New West)

The veteran singer-guitarist returns with another solid album that alternates between folksy ballads and driving rockers, both of which show off his stellar guitar playing chops.

Eels

Wonderful Glorious

(Vagrant)>

Led the mercurial singer-songwriter E, the Eels offer up another album of dark, fractured blues tunes with this, their 10th album.

This article appears in Feb 6-12, 2013.

Jeff has been covering the Cleveland music scene for more than 25 years now. On a regular basis, he tries to talk to whatever big acts are coming through town. And if you're in a local band that he needs to hear, email him at jniesel@clevescene.com.