Dream Academy,

A short-lived collaboration between keyboardist Roger Eno, guitarist Bill Nelson, and oboist/saxophonist Kate St. John, Channel Light Vessel is more than a new age supergroup. Perhaps it's the influence of St. John (a key member of the underrated Dream Academy), but this is the most pop-oriented album Nelson's been involved with since his early-'80s run of pre-ambient solo records. Some tracks have vocals by Nelson and/or St. John (the opening duet, "Testify," is downright catchy), but even the instrumentals have recognizable melodies and easy-to-grasp structures. Eno's contributions are about evenly split between piano and synthesizers, and his playing is typically excellent; though often overshadowed by his more famous and innovative older brother Brian, Roger is a notable talent in his own right…

The soundtrack for About Time, the 2013 British romantic comedy from Love Actually writer and director Richard Curtis, dutifully reflects its story's time travel premise with a 17-song set of (mostly) previously released selections from the likes of The Killers ("Mr. Brightside"), Groove Armada ("At the River"), Amy Winehouse ("Back to Black"), and Nick Cave ("Into My Arms"). Ben Folds offers up a new, heavily orchestrated version of his sentimental 2001 ballad "The Luckiest," while ex-Dream Academy mastermind Nick Laird Clowes offers up a pair of wistful piano pieces ("Golborne Road" and "The About Time Theme") from his evocative score.

Released in 1994 and curated by Joe Boyd, the 16-track collection Way to Blue held true to its claim as An Introduction to Nick Drake. Though largely unknown during his lifetime and brief career, the beguiling English folksinger ascended to a kind of romantic cult hero in the two decades following his 1974 death. His name was known among artists and hardcore record collectors and thanks to Boyd's Hannibal Records label, his three lone albums along with the essential 1986 rarities disc Time of No Reply were all back in print. Artists like R.E.M., the Cure, and the Dream Academy had all cited him as an influence in the mid-'80s, but it really wasn't until the '90s that his gentle, austere music began to achieve the legendary status that it would enjoy well into the 21st century. A handful of other Nick Drake compilations had existed before this one, but Way to Blue remains the definitive primer for aspiring and casual fans.

One of Australia's biggest bands of the late '60s and early '70s is celebrating its 50th anniversary by returning to where their recording career began - EMI! Fifty years after their debut single, ZOOT release a definitive career anthology, 'ZOOT Archaeology,' featuring a "brand-new" ZOOT song, a remarkable cover of The Dream Academy's 'Life In A Northern Town.' Boasting unseen pictures and new liner notes from Rick Springfield and Beeb Birtles - this is a must have, 24 track collection covering Zoot's stellar career - and a hint of what was to come from subsequent projects from Zoot's individual members.