Ray Davies [ tickets ]
"Working Man's Cafe"
(New West)

The legendary singer/songsmith, who earned his place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with The Kinks, returns with his second solo record.

The 12-song "Working Man's Cafe" was co-produced by Davies and Grammy-winning studio wizard Ray Kennedy. The work follows Davies' 2006 solo debut, "Other People's Lives."

"Working Man's Cafe" reportedly is a very topical record, one that addresses the plight of the working man.

Mike Doughty [ tickets ]
"Golden Delicious"
(ATO)

The acclaimed singer/songwriter is hoping that fans will bite on "Golden Delicious," his new release on Dave Matthews' ATO label. Doughty's previous release was 2005's "Haughty Melodic," which spawned the Top 5 AAA single "Looking at the World from the Bottom of a Well."

Doughty will tour in support of "Golden Delicious." The artist, who is best known for fronting the '90s avant-garde rock group Soul Coughing, will kick off nearly a month and a half of touring March 12 in Northampton, MA.

Allison Moorer [ tickets ]
"Mockingbird"
(New Line)

The contemporary country songbird is set to fly with "Mockingbird," which was produced by Americana champ Buddy Miller.

The album features a variety of songs that were originally made famous by other female artists, such as Patti Smith's "Dancing Barefoot," Nina Simone's "I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl" and Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now." Moorer also turns to her sister Shelby Lynne's songbook for a rendition of "She Knows Where She Goes."

Gary Louris
"Vagabonds"
(Rykodisc)

The former Jayhawks singer/songwriter sails it alone on "Vagabonds," which marks his debut studio album as a solo performer.

Louris, who also frequently appears with loose-knit Midwest supergroup Golden Smog, will back "Vagabonds" on the road. The 13-date spring run begins March 16 in Seattle.

The Mountain Goats
"Heretic Pride"
(4AD)

The indie-rock troupe, led by vocalist/guitarist John Darnielle, delivers its 16th full-length release, which follows 2007's "Get Lonely."

The Mountain Goats will show off their "Heretic Pride" during a tour that kicks off Feb. 19 in Anchorage, AK, and includes a three-night stand at San Francisco's Noise Pop festival.

More new releases:
American Music Club, "The Golden Age" (Merge)
Bell X1, "Flock" (Yep Roc)
Chuck Berry, "Johnny B. Goode: His Complete '50s Chess Recordings" (Hip-O)
Chris Cagle, "My Life's Been a Country Song" (Capitol Nashville)
DJ Clay, "Let 'Em Bleed: The Mixxtape" (Psychopathic)
Bon Iver, "For Emma, Forever Ago" (Jagjaguwar)
Kidz Bop Kids, "Kidz Bop, Vol. 13" (Razor & Tie)
Nick Lowe, "Jesus of Cool" (Yep Roc)
Morcheeba, "Dive Deep" (Ultra)
Tom Paxton, "Comedians & Angels" (Appleseed)
The Raveonettes, "Lust Lust Lust" (Vice)
Arlen Roth, "Toolin' Around Woodstock" (Aquinnah)
Secondhand Serenade, "A Twist in My Story" (Glass Note)
Various Artists, "Hard to Find Jukebox Classics 1957: Pop Gold" (Hit Parade)
James Calvin Wilsey, "El Dorado" (Lakeshore)