In 1992, British indie label Imaginary put together Brittle Days, a Nick Drake tribute album featuring a wonderfully diverse slate of acts ranging from Shelleyan Orphan and the High Llamas to Loop and Nikki Sudden. While this was a full eight years before an ad agency placed "Pink Moon" in a Volkswagen Cabrio commercial and made Drake one of the most well-known "undiscovered" artists around, it was right in the middle of a then-current craze for tribute albums that alternative acts used to make explicit their roster of influences. And among indie and alternative artists of that late '80s/early '90s era, Nick Drake was a widely shared touchstone, thanks to the 1986 Fruit Tree box set that packaged up the entirety of his recorded output at an affordable price. So it wasn't terribly surprising that Brittle Days was one of a few Drake tributes that would emerge over the next few years. As his legacy has become more required reading rather than sui generis discovery, it's been a while since another truly inspiring collection of Drake covers has been released. Endless Coloured Ways ends that drought in an exceptional manner. Spearheaded by the Drake estate, this sprawling collection features 23 of Drake's songs reimagined by a wildly broad selection of artists, from likely candidates such as David Gray, Skullcrusher, Ben Harper, and Feist to more surprising appearances from the likes of Craig Armstrong, Liz Phair, and Emeli Sandé. The lineup is even more rewarding than it would appear at first, kaleidoscopic sight: Instead of getting all these unique voices to bend their musical style in homage to Drake's sound, the approach is refreshingly catholic, resulting in two albums' worth of Nick Drake songs that sound nothing like Nick Drake. While the original spirit of the tunes is largely respected—no death metal "Parasite"—and the lyrics and melodies are intact, each artist delivers their own unique arrangements, sonic predilections, and particular weirdnesses to the proceedings. To be sure, there are a few artists who just kinda sound like a '70s singer-songwriter (looking at you Ben Harper), but for the most part, things are much more adventurous and unexpected, as this album unfolds across its "four seasons" of material. Whether it's Fontaines D.C.'s epic, ripping sonics on "Cello Song," the sensitive glitch-folk of Radiohead's Philip Selway doing "Fly," or Norwegian electropop artist Aurora turning "Pink Moon" into atmospheric synth futurism, the material here often veers far away from Drake's sonic approach. Instead, it manages to stay tightly connected to the original's aesthetic truth, a true hallmark of a successful tribute album. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz

Rhino's fine 16-track collection Used Songs (1973-1980) chronicles Tom Waits' first seven albums, all recorded for Asylum Records. This contains pretty much all his staples from the '70s -- "Heartattack and Vine," "Burma Shave," "Ol' 55," "Jersey Girl," "(Looking For) The Heart of Saturday Night," and "Tom Traubert's Blues" among them -- sequenced not chronologically, but sequenced for maximum impact. Given the sheer amount of music Waits made for Asylum, it shouldn't be surprising that there are some fan favorites missing, but there are no complaints with what is here, and this provides a near-perfect encapsulation of his pre-Island years, especially for those only familiar with the Island recordings.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo

Supported by strong sales, England's collegiate choirs have steadily released new music, often expanding their repertory into new realms. So what happens to the "favo(u)rites" albums that choirs release periodically, as starters for new listeners or bonuses for devoted ones? A look into the trends is provided by this lovely release from what might be called the king of all the collegiate choirs, the Choir of King's College, Cambridge. This group is among the most traditional of its type, created by no less than King Henry VI, with boy choristers who attend the King's College School, and often go on to prestigious careers after their voices break. The choir's self-proclaimed favorites have evolved in a somewhat international direction, with a program somewhat resembling those offered by American-style glee clubs. The opening segment consists not of English polyphony but of landmarks of continental a cappella music, including the familiar eight-part Crucifixus of Antonio Lotti and a particularly lovely reading of Mozart's Ave verum corpus. There is English music from the 20th century, most of it in the middle of the program. Things conclude with broadly popular contemporary sounds. These include arrangements of Amazing Grace and Shenandoah that may sound a little stilted to American ears but testify to the universal appeal of these melodies. The continuing growth of American composer Morton Lauridsen's fame is also represented here; Lauridsen is not a household name, but he may well become one. The choristers work together unusually well, even by the high standards of this choir, and the performance of his O magnum mysterium is one of the smoothest you will hear. Recommended, and certainly a good introduction to the Choir of King's College, even if the music involved is not particularly English. © TiVo

Appearing almost 18 months after his death, Songs from the Road collects highlights from Jeff Healey's 2006 performance at Norway's Nottoden Blues Festival, plus 2007 gigs in London and Toronto (the latter at his hometown club, the Jeff Healey Roadhouse). Songs from the Road paints a good portrait of Healey the road warrior, playing old favorites, both of his own and a wide variety of classic rock and blues artists, including Muddy Waters and two from the Beatles. Healey doesn't surprise here, either in repertoire or attack, but he does satisfy, both as a guitarist and an all-around entertainer, making this collection a nice coda to his career.© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo