Cincinnati’s indie folk-rock act Over the Rhine first formed in 1989 and had a brief brush with stardom in the ’90s, when it signed to the I.R.S. imprint, the same label that launched the career of R.E.M. The band never broke through to the mainstream but it has delivered some solid albums. The Long Surrender, a terrific release that it recorded with Grammy-winning producer Joe Henry (Loudon Wainwright III, Ani DiFranco), features a guest appearance by Lucinda Williams. Henry even co-wrote two songs with the band. Opener Tift Merritt is a talented singer-songwriter who has had a terrific career ever since dropping her 2002 debut Bramble Rose, which drew comparisons to alt-country crooners like Iris DeMent. It even landed on many of that year's top ten lists, an impressive feat for an artist who was virtually unknown. (Niesel)