He's the man who acquainted us with "Hell," so of course we have a warm spot in our hearts for Tom Maxwell. Sharing a passion for jazz swing and quirky pop, he was once an important part of the Squirrel Nut Zippers. After an acrimonious split that included a lawsuit, Maxwell moved into commercial and soundtrack work. Last year, he returned to the live music mold with a striking album inspired by a divorce and his son's battle with leukemia. Just like Maxwell's tastes, the resulting Kingdom Come is all over the place, but it's generally smart and heartfelt enough to transcend genre. —Chris Parker