If you’re not aware of the Rodriguez story, here’s a quick primer: Sixto Rodriguez, a Detroit native, put out a couple albums in ’70 and ’71, did some touring and then all but faded into obscurity (ala Emmitt Rhodes). He raised two daughters, worked random jobs (teacher, construction worker) and ran for office a few times in his home city. He gained a huge following in Australia, New Zealand and most notably South Africa, where his debut album of socially conscious psychedelic folk, Cold Fact, became a soundtrack for the apartheid movement. With the re-release of his second album Coming from Reality, you can hear a movement towards the mellow singer-songwriter pop that ushered in the 1970s - with lush string arrangements and thoughtful, less obvious lyrical constructs. In the late '90s, an Internet campaign titled “The Great Rodriguez Hunt” was rolled out in an effort to track him down. The result? Two re-releases of excellent music from a man, now in his mid-60s, embarking on new tours to the delight of hipsters everywhere. - Susie Ulrey