There's an intimacy to the new FREE/MAN release, "The Reconnection EP," that borders on a welcome invasion of personal space. It is the sonic equivalent of someone leaning in, not to share a secret, but to create the silence where your own might finally surface. Charlie Freeman hasn't built a grand cathedral of sound here; he's simply furnished a quiet room with stark, necessary...

Ben Hutcheson is an up-and-coming performer in the country rock genre, and he hails from the aesthetically beautiful South West area of England. His music is characterised by a strong sense of promise. He is a prime example of the new breed of English singer-songwriters who are well-positioned to have a substantial influence on the way current music is perceived and created. Ben Hutcheson, who was...