A bright pop hook and a bad text arriving in the same minute can ruin an entire afternoon. Analiese understands that collision. Her debut EP, "Miss Melancholy", turns high-school heartbreak, shaky friendships, body-image worry, and prom-night drama into a seven-song pop release built for the car ride home. For a pre-release project, the idea lands fast: this is coming-of-age pop with mascara-smudged nerves and an appetite...

Seattle's Josh Jensen has returned with his third album, "This Is Where We Landed," a 40-minute, 10-song exploration into the wonderfully absurd circus we call life. Did you know that the collective noun for a group of owls is a parliament? Anyway, back to the music. https://open.spotify.com/album/5r3iizLCsAEgwbGpEF6pKK?si=e4Nkxn-8THOk4XOQKtUabg This collection of Americana-infused acoustic tracks navigates the bewildering journey of existence. It feels, at times, like trying to...