Maverick Smith’s “We Make Fire, They Make Smoke” lands not with a thud, but with the distinct, satisfying crackle of something catching alight. It’s a title that carries the grit of the Ohio Valley in its consonants, a resolute statement from a band – Paige Bosic on commanding vocals and rhythm guitar, Sean Boynes sculpting soundscapes on guitar, Jim Courtney’s intricate drumming, Charlie Kovach’s...

With Paul Gehl and his latest single "Train to Nowhere", we are invited into a sonic space that feels suspiciously like the inside of a pressurized cabin just before the oxygen masks drop. It is fascinating to consider that Gehl, an artist hailing from Luxembourg City, has roots in the disciplined worlds of classical and flamenco guitar. You might expect delicate fingering or warm...