The success of Mumford & Sons, especially here in the U.S., is the type of story that most bands can only dream of. Their debut album, Sigh No More, was a stormy blend of folk-rock that put banjo back on the commercial radio dial, transcended formats and made Marcus Mumford and his bandmates international stars. Contrary to the sentiment of the bands first single from Babel, their much anticipated second album, audiences ‘couldn’t wait’ to hear more from Mumford & Sons. And so with the release of their sophomore album, the London based four-piece amp up the emotion, realize their potential and deliver exactly what fans have come to love.

The Carpenter is the new album from The Avett Brothers and the follow-up to their breakthrough major label debut I And Love And You. Their latest is an album that continues to distance the band from their early image as a rambunctious bluegrass act and settle them into a place where craftsmanship takes center stage. Perhaps that’s where the title, The Carpenter, comes from (or maybe not) – but on this latest collection it really is about the songs. It’s something that Scott & Seth have always excelled at, but was perhaps easy to overlook because of how dynamic and engaging they are (and continue to be) in performance. The Avett’s are still as engaging as ever on The Carpenter, their approach just slightly remodeled.

As the "Duquesne Whistle" blows, the train pulls out of the station for another ride with the most heralded songwriter of all-time. Despite creeping into his 70's and this being his 35th album, Tempest is far from "just another record" from Bob Dylan. Dylan’s latest work is a testament to his grand acclaim as a lyrical poet. He's constructed a batch of songs that aren't the least bit intimidated by his words penned prior. And throughout Tempest Dylan exudes an aura of greatness, even a little bit of an edge as he chuckles at your expectations.

Soul legend Bobby Womack was considered a survivor before starting work on his latest album (his first since 1994) The Bravest Man in the Universe, released in June. But after overcoming hospitalization with pneumonia and successful treatment of colon cancer while in the midst of recording the album, Womack has delivered his greatest comeback yet. Womack's first studio record in 12 years is a stunning mix of regretful introspection and hopeful romance, running the gamut from elecro-disco to stripped-down storytelling along the way.

As the favorite to win the Mercury Music Prize in November and a Top 20 phenomenon in the UK, Alt-J is perhaps the most successful British Band of 2012. Alt-J has made its splash with their debut album An Awesome Wave

Three years removed from their celebrated record Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear has once again earned critical acclaim with Shields, the band's fourth studio album. Shields builds upon the group's innovative indie rock of the past, mixing melodic pop with lush orchestrations and emotional honesty.

Detroit singer-songwriter Rodriguez's resurrection finally seems complete. Rodriguez had achieved cult status in South Africa, while here at home, he was a relatively unknown artist living in Detroit.

We are back with another of our popular Latin Roots series. This time Felix Contreras from NPR's Alt-Latino is here to explore the Ranchera. We'll hear old and new examples of this Mexican narrative form. The first song is by Jorge Negrete, one of the most famous Ranchera singers of all time.

Ahmed Janka Nabay was one of the first musicians to take 500-year-old bubu music outside of his homeland of Sierra-Leone, where he had been a rock star. Nabay was forced to flee the country in the midst of the Sierra-Leonean Civil War,

The legendary country singer-songwriter and actor continues to fuse multiple genres in his music with 3 Pears, his first album in five years. Released last month, the record is full of surprises, jumping from Motown and soul to light pop and no-frills rock and roll.