Bluegrass Junction
- Calico-Ron Block (A new, compelling midtempo banjo and fiddle instrumental. There's a solid consistency throughout Block's latest release, "Hogan's House Of Music," thanks in part to such guest stars as Alison Krauss and Sierra Hull.)
- So. Central Rain (Live)-R.E.M. (The tune, complete with Michael Stipe's "I'm sorrrrrrrrry!" refrain, works just as well in concert as it does in the studio.)
- The Boy In The Bubble-Paul Simon (Stellar lyrics about "the days of miracle and wonder" and instrumentation that grabs you right from the first note. It's arguably the best track on Simon's "Graceland" album, which is saying a lot.)
- Chairman Meow-Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion (This isn't really outlaw country music; it's actually an ear-catching singer-songwriter/power pop tribute to a cat owner. Think Maura and Pete Kennedy with a bit of a twang. SiriusXM played the electric version, but the song is every bit as strong acoustically.)
- King Harvest (Has Surely Come)-The Band (The outlaw country label isn't quite accurate here, either. The protagonist's pro-union outlook, a subtle, unusual chorus, and one of the coolest gurgling keyboard undercurrents I've ever heard comprise this motley album rock track that somehow works.)
- Things Ain't What They Used To Be-Ray Bryant (Considering how encouraging and full of life this piano rendition is, the song's title is rather misleading.)
- Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered-Linda Ronstadt (Movingly sung from the heart, as expected. The Charlie Watts Quintet and Bernard Fowler recorded one of the other strongest renditions of this.)
- The Horse-Cliff Nobles & Co. (With an energetic groove as strong as this, I'm not surprised this instrumental was such a big hit in 1968.)
