Phil Collins has returned from his self-imposed retirement to release a new solo album titled Going Back (Atlantic). The idea here is that Collins would get together with the original Motown Records house band and re-record note for note 30 of the label’s more popular songs.That he has done in amazing fashion; it’s like a carbon copy of the original. So good, you’d think you’re sitting in a barbershop somewhere in Detroit via 1967 with an A.M. radio blasting in the background.

Bottom line, this is a problem. You get taken back to these awesome songs, some of the best this country has ever produced and then you got a guy with Collins’ voice embarrassingly mutilating them.

Let’s be honest, anyone who thinks that Phil Collins can sing is delusional and here, compared with these classics, it’s simply magnified. He might feel he’s doing these songs justice but we, having heard the originals all our life, know better.

Who would you want to hear singing this material; Phil Collins or either Stevie Wonder, David Ruffin or Smokey Robinson? Yeah I hear ya – no brainer!

Hope you had a Happy Halloween! Now that is out of the way, it means we are on our way to the Winter Holidays, which means Christmas albums. First out of the gate is Home For Christmas (A&M) by Sheryl Crow, which is only available at Target.

Recorded with Tuesday Night Club producer Bill Bottrell, Crow doesn’t stray far from the soulful sound that graced this year’s 100 Miles From Memphis, which is how it should be. Why do something you’re not used to doing? Everything here is good and has the right loose attitude these things should have, even the Crow-written original ballad “There Is A Star That Shines Tonight.”

Other standouts include the gospel-ish “Go Tell It On The Mountain,” “Merry Christmas Baby,” “White Christmas” and “The Christmas Song.” One thing that has me scratching my head, though, is what the hell is she doing, on the cover?

Besides Holiday CDs, this time of year also brings us deluxe box sets. A doozy is Signature Box (Capitol) by John Lennon. This set contains every studio album released by Lennon as well as a CD of non-album singles and a CD of unreleased material.

It also contains a 65-page book, a Lennon commemorative print as well as essays by Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon and Julian Lennon. The CDs were remastered by the same production team that spruced up The Beatles’ catalog last year.

Lennon was an amazing individual who was taken away from us way to soon. This box set is a musical reminder of what he meant for so many people and also brings to light how much he’s missed and needed today.

The music? Let’s be honest, with Phil Spector producing, Lennon was at a disadvantage simply because Spector’s 60’s mono doo-wop ‘Wall Of Sound’ didn’t translate to 70’s stereo rock. That disadvantage, though, doesn’t hide the fact that Lennon did some amazing stuff.

Individually, tracks like “Working Class Hero,” “Gimme Some Truth,” “Mind Games” and “(Just Like) Starting Over” are still brilliant as is the album Imagine as a whole. Remember, this set only includes his studio albums. His two live albums Live Peace In Toronto, Live In New York City and the recently released Stripped Down Double Fantasy are not here. John Lennon Signatures will still make for a popular holiday gift.

I have a confession to make: I’ve never been real good with buckles, belts and pointy shoes so I never cared much for country music. That’s changed, though, pretty much the same way as I’ve grown an appreciation for asparagus. That being said, there are two albums that are making a bit of noise on the charts.

Jamey Johnson has been as unconventional a country artist as they come. His latest continues that trend with a two CD set called The Guitar Song (Mercury). It’s 25 tracks over two CDs thematically named the Black and White Albums. The Black Album is filled with tracks about lost love and broken hearts, quite possibly motivated by his being dropped by a record label and his divorce. The White Album contains a happier and more positive spin on things.

The thing that knocks me out about Johnson’s work is that his nasally vocals sound almost like a parody of a stereotypical country artist. No question the boy can play the guitar, in fact his whole band can shred. It’s that tight musicianship that contrasts his vocals, which emphasizes the material, which makes this so intriguing. It’s good stuff, too, especially “Lonely At The Top,” “That’s How I Don’t Love You,” “California Riots” and “That’s Why I Write Songs.”

The Zac Brown Band, on the other hand, has a much more commercial sound that blurs the line between country and pop music. There latest is You Get What You Give (Atlantic) and it isn’t gonna offend their fans who expect their almost jam-band musical attitude.

Beginning their career in Atlanta covering everything from The Beatles to Bob Marley, they’ve kept those musical stylings in their own material, which makes this a very unique sounding band. Their latest follows up 2008’s The Foundation that sold two million copies.

Jamey Johnson (Bob Hanson)