Katie Belle's voice floats through the speakers like smoke curling toward the ceiling. Her latest single "Cigarette," marks another significant milestone in the Atlanta native's ascending career trajectory. Long-time partner Fabio Campedelli produced the song, which shows Belle's amazing ability to turn personal thought into something that everyone can relate to. The first notes pull you into a sonic atmosphere that feels both familiar and fresh....

There's a curious jolt in hearing a title like "Us Against The World" from an act called The Cockney Cowboy. The name itself is a glorious contradiction, a pairing of gritty East London reality with the wide-open romance of Nashville. You half expect a joke, but what Justin Vella delivers is a dead-serious, straight-shooting country ballad that smells less of hay bales and more...