The second you hit play, you know exactly what kind of energy you are dealing with. It is the sonic equivalent of rolling your eyes at someone who just tried to explain your own job to you. The guitars kick in with a sarcastic bite, and the drums immediately set a pace that refuses to slow down for anyone. This is the sound of pure,...

Amy-Lin Slezak’s “Known 3 Yrs. Seen 24 Hrs” opens with the bright, optimistic twang of country pop, a sound so sun-drenched you can almost feel the heat coming off the asphalt. The fiddle weaves itself through clean acoustic strums and soaring electric guitars, a musical language we all know. But the story it tells is something wonderfully specific, a peculiar ache you didn't know...