A New Mexico native who's been blind since birth, singer Raul Midon has released nine albums in the past 15 years. Huffington Post appropriately describes him as “a free man beyond category.” His ninth studio effort, Bad Ass and Blind, again shows his range. It opens with the hip-hop-inflected title track and then delves into Steely Dan-like jazz ("Pedal to the Metal") and tender ballads "Jack (Robert Lorick)." (Niesel)