Alt Country-Americana
- To Rise You Gotta Fall-Nicki Bluhm (This title track from Bluhm's June release features some of her bluesiest vocals; I could imagine Bonnie Raitt or Susan Tedeschi singing this.)
- Silvius Leopold Weiss: Lute Suite No. 20 in D major (Michael Cardin) (The piece has a restrained, somewhat downcast energy.)
- Senses Working Overtime-XTC (I'm sure I'm not the only one who taps on a desk during the "1-2-3-4-5" section of the chorus. The tune segues well with Elvis Costello's "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes" and Paul McCartney's "My Brave Face.")
- Here's That Rainy Day-Bill Evans (Evans handles the contemplative passages gracefully and the upbeat passages with necessary force on the piano. I played this on WEW but wish I'd played it more often.)
- Help Me Make It Through The Night-Gladys Knight & The Pips (Usually, I'm ambivalent about spoken intros to songs. In this case, however, Knight's introduction is an effective prelude to her appropriately emotive performance.)
- I Can't Stop Loving You-Ray Charles (Ranks with "Georgia On My Mind" as one of the best Ray Charles recordings. The way he sings, "I've made up my mind," seals it.)
- A House Is Not A Home-Eliane Elias (This warm piano instrumental version could segue with the Renee Rosnes with string orchestra cover of "Misty.")
