David Wax Museum
Everything is Saved
(independent)

Everything is Saved, from Boston’s David Wax Museum, starts bubbly, despite the first track’s title, “Born with a Broken Heart.” The tune is a poppy, upbeat strum of a song. Things continue in a Kurt Weill bit of percussive oompah graced with male/female vocals, the whole more than a little bit reminiscent of the Valley’s own Rusty Belle. That’s followed by a ballad that’s got a heavy dose of swelling string parts. The disc is a mish-mash of styles, all energetic, most distinct (often, Mexican sounds embellish the grooves). This is homegrown music with pop proclivities, a nice mix of folk humility and well-produced grace. At times songs nod toward the twee or folk-maudlin, but the whole is an unpredictable and attention-grabbing listen. —James Heflin

*

The Builders and the Butchers
Dead Reckoning
(Badman)

This band has a lot going for it: dark and soulful lyrics, mostly acoustic instruments that seem to be playing hard rock-style at times, subtle dynamics and moments of pounding rhythm that approach feeling motivational. The recording seems to have been done very organically as well—you can tell the band at least tried to make it sound like it was recorded in a wooden tavern or beer hall, so it rings with the flavor of sea shanties, Irish drinking songs and driving rockabilly, partially as a result of this. You can hear a Frank Black/Mexi-fornia influence in the music, which is also cool, but there is one oddity that’s hard to get past: singer Ryan Sollee’s voice sounds a lot like Jack Black’s, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. —Tom Sturm

*

Johnny Cash
From Memphis to Hollywood: Bootleg Vol II
(Columbia/Legacy)

From Memphis to Hollywood opens with a slice of the past so raw it feels like time has just rewound to 1955. A radio announcer stumbles a bit through the intro to Johnny Cash and band, complete with weather report. Cash blows through a set of hillbilly honky-tonk with stinging, bouncing country/rockabilly electric guitar punctuating his acoustic strum, all backed up by a rollicking bass thump. Between numbers, Cash also stumbles a bit, trying to read advertisements. The humble setting does nothing to diminish the power of Cash’s vocals and presence. The two-disc set offers an astounding 57 tunes, and among the 57 you’ll find few lackluster moments if you’re a fan of the inimitable Man in Black. The many early demos (including such monumental Cash hits as “I Walk the Line”) sound like living room lo-fi recordings, and studio outtakes and unreleased material make this one an essential, intimate document of one of the giants of American music. —James Heflin