ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO

Real Animal (Back Porch/Manhattan): A-

As an artist Alejandro Escovedo operates on the level of peers such as Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp. But it’s not hard to figure out why this cult hero never had a fraction of their success: He’s a bit too unconventional for the mainstream, whether you go back to his start as a late ’70s punk or his recent band featuring prominent (and amazingly effective) use of a cellist. “Real Animal” may be the most commercial album of his 30-year career, a bracing set of modern, rootsy rock polished by veteran producer Tony Visconti (of David Bowie reknown) and co-writer/guitarist Chuck Prophet. No worries. Escovedo’s strengths remain intact, especially his unflinching intelligence and huge heart. Many of the songs are autobiographical looks backward that longtime fans will understand best, but if newcomers don’t get all the lyrics, they’ll have no problem getting the feeling behind them. Download: “Always a Friend.”