I saw a pigeon wearing a tiny top hat yesterday. It has absolutely nothing to do with Rich Allen's new single, "No Pinks", but, honestly, what does? The song unravels like a worn photograph, the edges blurry with regret, a silent conversation shouted in the spaces between plucked guitar strings. Allen, known around Tampa for his poignant songwriting, digs deep, like a fossil hunter...

You should never give up on yourself, no matter how bad things become. It's not worth it to lose who you are, so don't do it. Not for anything on Earth, no. In that case, you'll find common ground with American singer and songwriter Emily Nicole Green, whose new single "Thief" focuses on just such a situation. "Thief" is a song about being ignored or deserted...