Dylan shows an unlikely innocence and a greater sense of the world around him on this 1976 follow-up to the more cynical and introspective Blood on the Tracks. Working with lyricist Jacques Levy, Dylan offers a work with rougher edges and greater urgency that is distinguished by the prominence of Scarlet Rivera's melancholy violin and Emmylou Harris's bare harmonies. The album features two of Dylan's famous wrongly accused-and-misunderstood-criminal sagas but truly peaks elsewhere. Exotic imagery meshes with simple melody on "Isis," one of Dylan's most appealing rambles. The droning piano and plodding drums propel a mystical journey that contains some of his most insightful (and most ridiculous) lyrics about paranoia, trust, betrayal, and, of course, desire. ("What drives me to you is what drives me insane. ") In the end Dylan shows no signs of being jaded by love's fickleness. Delicate and heartbreaking, the finale "Sara" is a gift to his ex-wife that eloquently recounts the wonders of a relationship, perhaps in an attempt to revive it. -Marc Greilsamer.

Massive and impressively comprehensive, the Country Roads Box Collection is classic John Denver. Spanning four discs, the collection not only draws upon the obvious highlights of Denver's career, but also includes fan favourites that might not have received the same airplay as their more popular counterparts. Listening to Country Roads, the finesse with which Denver balanced his folk rock tendencies with his country leanings emerges as testament to his talent. As a box set, the collection would be remiss if it didn't include "Leaving on a Jet Plane", "Annie's Song", "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", or "Rocky Mountain High"-and, of course, the box set's namesake is here. Later hits like "Calypso", with its sea-shanty yodelling, portray Denver's ability to ease himself into the role of balladeer, regardless of the genre. Novelty duets with Placido Domingo and Emmylou Harris were intended to rekindle what seemed to be lagging popularity, but Country Roads establishes John Denver's contributions as timeless, nonetheless. -Steve Gdula.

Down the Road continues the magnificent journey that George Ivan Morrison began when he first heard the call of the blues as a child growing up in post-war Belfast. In keeping with the open-hearted nature of his best work, "Whatever Happened to PJ Proby?" and "What Makes the Irish Heart Beat" hinge on candid revelations and tender insights. Journalists may tiresomely characterise him as obdurate, but with songs like "Choppin' Wood", simultaneously a hymn to working-class perseverance and a deeply felt ode to his late father, Morrison is the most autobiographical songwriter of his generation. With a band comprising long-time associates like David Hayes and 1960s guitar-great Mick Green, the dovetailing of Morrison's many influences is assured. His voice is the astounding instrument at the centre, capable of touching deep feelings others don't even know exist. On the awesome "The Beauty of the Days Gone By", he sings of how memories will "keep me young as I grow old". It certainly sounds as if he's found the perfect elixir. -Gavin Martin.

Neil Diamond has always fancied himself a man of many styles, which probably helps explain why he tries to flaunt each and every one of them on this diverse, sometimes dizzying Christmas disc. He plays it relatively straight on "Silent Night" and "The Christmas Song," but really lets loose on a version of "White Christmas" that recalls the doo-wop of his teen years in the 1950s. Diamond even expands his palette to include a choir-accompanied take on John Lennon's pacifist classic "Happy Christmas (War is Over). " It's the kind of intermingling that makes his fans go wild, but casual admirers should watch out for those stylistic U-turns. -David Sprague.

There is a difference between being an inspired musician and an informed musician. Sting is the latter. As always, he surrounds himself with ultra-talented artists: this time around Stevie Wonder, Branford Marsalis, James Taylor, guitarist Dominic Miller and the prince of rai Cheb Mami fill the roster. Brand New Day exhibits about as many musical styles as there are tracks, all encased in dense, meticulous production. The album begins promisingly. "A Thousand Years" pulses atop a lush, two-note foundation. "A Desert Rose" folds trilling Algerian pop into trip-hop. Melodic, late-night jazz ballads dominate the middle portion of the collection. But Sting's preoccupation with odd-numbered time signatures prevents the songs from grooving, while the choruses are yawns. "Fill Her Up", a country tune, represents Sting at his most self-indulgent. [+]

It's not often mentioned as one of Van Morrison's signature performances, but the highpoint of this 1988 collaboration-a heartbreaking rendition of the traditional tune "Carrickfergus"-ranks with anything the man has done. Morrison delivers the deathbed lament with a mix of fervour and penitence that's utterly convincing as the Chieftains enshroud him in a Gaelic tapestry of sound. The remainder of this reissue of the 1988 collaboration between Ireland's finest ain't too shabby, either. On more upbeat selections such as "The Star of the County Down", Morrison sounds uncharacteristically frisky, as if he's delighted to share the burden with the Chieftains. Listeners are likely to find the alliance equally satisfying. -Steven Stolder.

Robbie Williams is the only ex- Take That-er to have achieved both major sales and widespread credibility, but his second album I've Been Expecting You is a mixed bag. With the singles "Millennium", "Strong", and "No Regrets", the album is unashamedly Life Thru A Lens Part Two. Full of self-parody ("My breath smells of a thousand fags/and when I'm drunk I dance like me dad"), the cheeky chappie's personality shines through on every track. His voice has improved no end since, and the album includes his finest moment to date: "No Regrets", which features backing vocals by the Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon and Pet Shop Boy Neil Tennant, and is not alone in playing on that James Bond-alike thing. In fairness it has to be said that there are some duff tracks ("Jesus in a Camper Van"), but these are easily outweighed by the likes of loud and noisy "Karma Killer", with full orchestral arrangement. In a typically audacious manner, "You Win Some You Lose Some" opens with the voice of ex-girlfriend Nicole Appleton of All Saints. The nation as a whole seems to be in love with Robbie, and it is this fascination, this desire for him to be good, which makes his music work as well as it does. -Ronita Dutta Robbie Williams is the only ex-Take That-er to have achieved both major sales and widespread credibility, but his second album I've Been Expecting You is a mixed bag. With the singles "Millennium", "Strong" and "No Regrets", the album is unashamedly Life Thru a Lens Part Two. Full of self-parody ("My breath smells of a thousand fags/and when I'm drunk I dance like me dad"), the cheeky chappie's personality shines through on every track. [+]