Three decades since the release of his debut album, 1995's Ledbetter Heights, this Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum bandleader still sounds like the future of the blues. If you’re expecting autopilot twelve bars then prepare to be thrown a volley of curveballs in the best way possible. As on any KWS album, songs are the currency, and these no-polish-needed tunes demand to be heard, lifting listeners above their circumstances at a time when life often feels bleak and bone-raw.

The Long Goodbye (the band’s final release) is meant to be a love letter to the millions of Candlebox fans out there, which is certainly a noble gesture, but the music on it hits hard and makes an impact like a band that still has a youthful chip on its shoulder. The songs deal head-on with themes like maturity, fleeting time, and lasting love in deep and meaningful ways using a powerful, rock and roll manner that will breach your defenses and reach your spirit long after they’ve exited the stage.

Dickinson delivers an album of songs from his community that run four generations deep. The North Mississippi Allstars co-founder creates a record worthy of its own traditions. “This collection of my childhood favorites was recorded for fun, at home, with family and friends, in the spirit of sharing,” Dickinson says. “As a new father, I needed music that my family and friends could enjoy that’s also suited to my funky taste and organic, acoustic aesthetic. Everyone is welcome.”