In the '80s and '90s, Mark Lanegan was the Johnny Cash of the grunge scene—a softhearted bad boy who could make even the most banal song haunting and gorgeous. His unlikely career path has led him from fronting Screaming Trees to a series of unpredictable solo albums, vocalist-for-hire for everyone from Mike Watt to Moby, and a seemingly infinite array of collaborative projects (his three albums with former Belle and Sebastian member Isobel Campbell being the most critically adored). Live, Lanegan is an enigmatic force. He can cast a spell over a space with no showmanship, no banter, and barely any movement at all—just a ghostly presence and a voice. Most of the Screaming Trees catalog hasn't aged well, and Lanegan's solo and collaborative catalog is hit and miss. But any slight musical missteps fade away when he steps up to the mic, closes his eyes, and lets his inimitable baritone rumble through a room. JOSHUA JAMES AMBERSON