All the improvisational guitar energy drained from popular music by bands like Coldplay had to go somewhere. So it’s no surprise that a good chunk of it bubbles to the surface on the latest album from Yonder Mountain String Band. One of the original jamgrass bands that fused rock’s raw intensity with the virtuoso soloing skills of bluegrass, Yonder fuels a churning, rebellious sense of musical liberation across the 13 tracks of The Show, the group’s fifth studio effort. Braced by former Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas on half the tunes here and focused purposefully by legendary rock producer Tom Rothrock, guitarist Adam Aijala displays a unique style that owes as much to Pete Townsend as Lester Flatt in its rhythmic punch and drive on tunes like “Fingerprint” and “Criminal.” Flanked by equally strong soloists Jeff Austin on mandolin and Dave Johnston on banjo, Aijala merges rock, blues, and bluegrass influences into one of the most distinct acoustic guitar styles of the decade. If you're looking to regain that sense of freedom and imagination that pop music once promised, then head over Yonder. (Frog Pad Records, yondermountain.com)