The self-produced album's 14 songs were recorded in just two days with few overdubs to the largely acoustic arrangements. In other words, it's the antithesis of assembly-line slickness. And just about all of it works beautifully. The 13 originals (plus Tom Waits' “Jersey Girl”) reveal Ketchum's range as a writer, from the poignantly empathetic “Invisible” to the wrenching Civil War story-song “Sparrow” and the outrageous goof “Continental Farewell.”

DOWNLOAD THIS: “Million Dollar Baby”

– NICK CRISTIANO