Notable CDs

The title song splits the difference between Mary Hopkins’ “Those Were the Days” and Ritchie Blackmore’s and Candice Night’s medieval roots-mining, and you can jig to it as easily as you can to “Allan Yn N Fan,” which immediately follows. Then comes “Darker Shade of Black,” which sounds like the inverted “A Whiter Shade of Pale” that it is. Most of the rest follows suit. The Linda Ronstadt and the Sonny & Cher covers do not. But, their non-jig-worthiness notwithstanding, they’re what’ll keep you coming back.

Devil Music

Bramblett hasn’t gone over to the dark side: The title cut merely quotes what Howlin’ Wolf’s Christian mother called her son’s blues and illuminates why she refused his offering of what she considered to be ill-gotten gains. Bramblett takes no sides, or rather both, and therein lies the richness of the song and of this duality-obsessed album as a whole. “We can’t get past bein’ animals with dreams of flyin’,” he sings in “Reptile Pilot.” But it’s interesting hearing him and his bare-knuckled band try.

The Burning Edge of Dawn

People burn out on what’s marketed as “Contemporary Christian Music” in part because there are no surprises, only cleverly (at best) reshuffled biblical-theological truths set to predictably euphonious music. Peterson has the truths down pat but not too pat, paraphrasing them with the skill of someone who has thought long and hard enough about them to feel them deep down. And his melodies, singing, and instrumentation, while euphonious, are not predictable. Soft but not blurry, fluid but not wishy-washy, they flex and breathe like new wineskins.

Another Country (Target Deluxe Edition)

The nondeluxe edition wisely omits “Every Rock’N’Roll Song to Me” (in which Stewart’s corniness reaches critical mass), but it’s the deluxe edition that contains the arresting new version of “In a Broken Dream” (which Stewart first recorded with Python Lee Jackson circa 1970). On both editions, Stewart reveals himself to be an uncommonly thoughtful softie. His childhood, his fatherhood, and 1 Corinthians 13 inspire some of his sweetest and catchiest songs in years. And although he’s unrepentant about his debauchery period, he’s also glad it’s over.

Spotlight

In 2006, the alt-rock star Matthew Sweet and The Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs recorded a bunch of their favorite ’60s songs and called the results Under the Covers Vol. 1. Vol. 2 (their favorite ’70s songs) followed in 2009, with Vol. 3 (more of their favorite ’70s songs) in 2013. Now the U.K.’s Demon/Edsel label has packaged all three with a fourth volume of previously digital-only performances (their favorite ’80s songs) and called the results Completely Under the Covers. Even at 60 cuts, its catchiness never flags.

Detractors will dismiss the accomplishment, citing Sweet’s and Hoffs’ decisions to record obviously catchy material (most of the originals were hits) and to adhere to the original vocal and instrumental arrangements. What no one should dismiss is how well Sweet and Hoffs sing and play, how admirably eclectic their good taste is, and how effectively they render the term “guilty pleasure” moot. Alternate title: Now That’s What They Call Music! —A.O.