Maraad’s new album, “BUFF”, is a strange and beautiful paradox, an object forged in the very fire it’s meant to protect you from. Each track is presented as a "buff," a bit of protective magic for the spirit, but the energy humming underneath feels less like a polished shield and more like the faint, determined glow around a figure in a centuries-old altarpiece—somehow both...

The songs of Stephanie Phillips' music have a clear sense of connection to her. There is a sense of affinity in these songs as she talks about the ups and downs of life. Her style of music, which she calls "progressive folk," Stephanie writes songs that stay with you and make you feel intense emotions long after the last tune is played. Andrew Bird, Cat Stevens, and...