Jesse Winchester

Had honey-voiced Jesse Winchester been able to tour the States to promote this incredible folk-rock set, he might’ve become a household name. (He avoided the Vietnam War by trading Louisiana for Canada.) The songs brim with nuanced themes, from anti-war sentiments to tender heart plays. There are shambolic shuffles (“Payday”), Southern yearns (“Biloxi,” “Yankee Lady,” “The Brand New Tennessee Waltz”), and strangely uplifting Northern downers (“Snow,” “Quiet About It”). Essential album fact: members of The Band add significant color and swing here. And Bob Dylan said of Winchester: “You can’t talk about the best songwriters and not include this guy.”