It shouldn't be surprising that Lucy Kaplansky's music is infused with complex emotional detail when you consider that she worked as a clinical psychologist before deciding to pursue music full time. On the six songs she and Richard Litvin, her cowriter and husband, composed for The Red Thread, she never shies away from the conflicting feelings that accompany the profound moments in life. On the title track, for example, she sings movingly about the joy, wariness and worry she felt when she and Litvin adopted a daughter from China. On "Land of the Living", which was inspired by the tragedy of 9/11, Kaplansky's sharp eye for detail creates a harrowing, but ultimately hopeful vision of that horrible day. Like many good songwriters, Kaplansky has an excellent ear for the right song to cover, and here she has chosen fine ones from Buddy Miller, Bill Morrissey, James McMurtry and Dave Carter. The sonic territory on The Red Thread is subtle and subdued, with spare, mostly acoustic arrangements that perfectly frame the powerful emotions contained in Kaplansky's songs. -Michael John Simmons, Amazon. com.

Could Kenny Rogers be a continuous, viable presence on country radio today? Probably not. In 1999, "Buy Me a Rose" made him the oldest artist to reach #1 in the history of the country charts. And to the contemporary tattoo-and-tank-top record buyers, that rates the Gambler a great-grandfather-hey, maybe as old as Hank Williams, ya think? Nonetheless, Water and Bridges, his first studio effort in three years, is an impressive comeback. Produced by Dann Huff (Faith Hill, Keith Urban), who keeps the backing leaner than you might expect, the album spotlights a mature man looking back and surveying his life with clear-eyed honesty and more than a little regret. What strikes a listener most is both the quality of songs (by such veteran writers as Craig Wiseman, Annie Roboff, and Mike Reid) and how authentic and soulful Rogers seems throughout, particularly in dealing with the recurring theme of loss. Whether contemplating a long-ago abortion, a lifelong rift with a parent, or the tug of home-even when home is no longer there-Rogers always underplays the sentiment, adding weight to his pathos. "The Last 10 Years (Superman)" and "The Petition" seem a little too obvious and maudlin, but Huff and Rogers make up for it with the extraordinary "You'll Know Love," a sophisticated and anguished ballad of nearly paralyzing grief. Call it just one of many surprises on this album of unexpected and serious depth. -Alanna Nash.

Singer, songwriter, and guitarist Richard Thompson and then-wife Linda had achieved a cruel victory with their final album together, Shoot Out the Lights, a riveting classic drawing much of its power from frank allusions to their disintegrating marriage. The preoccupation with the Thompsons' personal history may explain why, at the time, fans scrutinized the first Thompson solo album after the breakup (1983's Hand of Darkness) for fresh wounds. Fans missed a more fundamental issue-the de facto reunion of Thompson's first band, Fairport Convention, with Fairport's original producer Joe Boyd at the controls. Only violinist Dave Swarbrick is missing, with Simon Nicol, Dave Peggs and Dave Mattacks all present and accounted for, augmented by twin saxes, John Kirkpatrick's always-evocative accordion, and Clive Gregson's, John Hiatt's and Bobby King's vocals. Hardly surprising that this set should hold up so well, or that its nine solid Thompson originals should be so fully realized. -Sam Sutherland.

Hayseed Dixie have carved themselves a unique niche in music, playing bluegrass covers of classic rock tunes. Having branched out from the music of AC/DC, from whom they took their initial inspiration (as well as their name), A Hot Piece of Grass finds the hillbilly quartet "reinterpreting" songs by Black Sabbath ("War Pigs"), Led Zeppelin ("Black Dog" and "Whole Lotta Love") and Van Halen ("Runnin' With the Devil"). Then, to show that they have at least a basic awareness of contemporary music, even in the Tennesse backwoods, they also cover songs by Green Day ("Holiday"), Franz Ferdinand ("This Fire") and even Outkast ("Roses"). But then, as if to prove that they're not just the twisted redneck cousins of Weird Al, they even manage to fit in a few original songs, mostly played for laughs. The one noteworthy exception is the excellent "Kirby Hill", a darkly playful country anthem that is itself worthy of being covered by other musicians. Irony aside, A Hot Piece of Grass is a showcase for some fine bluegrass music (and album closer "Dueling Banjos" more than proves their abilities). Hayseed Dixie may be about drinking and having fun, but these boys can really play. -Robert Burrow.