Music

The Wallflowers long-awaited new studio album 'Glad All Over' was released in October. Recorded in Nashville at Easy Eye Sound studio, the new album finds frontman Jakob Dylan joining original band members Greg Richling (bass) and Rami Jaffee (keyboards), with The Wallflowers’ longtime guitarist Stuart Mathis and drummer Jack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam) rounding out the lineup.

Every Christmas season is accompanied by an abundance of holiday album releases, but few of the artists who make them bother to take the Christmas show on the road. The Polyphonic Spree, however, is not your average band. Formed in Texas by bandleader Tim DeLaughter in 2000, this massive group — the number of members often nudges toward 20 or more — is well-suited to re-imagine popular Christmas music, combining the instrumentation of a rock band with the layered harmonies of a choir.

From Portland, Ore., stems a global sound that is powerful in its orchestral beauty. Thomas Lauderdale started Pink Martini more than 15 years ago, a fitting name for the colorful and classy orchestra. Lauderdale's mission was to create a sound that would support political fundraisers for civil, environmental and educational causes, among others. Since then, the group has sold millions of albums worldwide.

This year saw two releases from prolific Chicago indie-pop singer-songwriter Andrew Bird. Released in March, his new album Break It Yourself turned out to be one of All Songs Considered listeners' favorite albums of 2012 — another showcase for Bird's clever songwriting, eclectic musicianship and inventive loop-based approach to playing and recording.

British musician, composer and producer Brian Eno is commonly recognized as one of the most important innovators in ambient music. Though he now mainly composes using computers, Eno was one of the early pioneers of tape-loop music.