Monroe, Chambers return

Monroe is releasing her follow-up to 2013's "Like a Rose" with "The Blade." Once again, Vince Gill and Justin Niebank produced the music. Monroe, who is also a member of Pistol Annies, adopts a bit less of a traditional country feel on the 13 new songs. Monroe had a hand in writing 12 of the 13 songs. She wrote two of the songs with the duo Striking Matches.

Chambers returns with her first solo disc in four years, "Bittersweet." Chambers, 39, entered the studio without her brother and regular producer Nash Chambers. The Aussie also varies the music away from country, although that is part of the equation.

Watkins Family is comprised of a bunch of musical veterans, but this is the conglomerate's first disc together, The band features Sean and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek fame, Fiona Apple, who has enjoyed her own solo career, Benmont Tench, Greg Leisz, Sebastian Steinberg and Don Heffington. The disc is mainly comprised of covers of the likes of Harland Howard, Roger Miller, Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot.