Janet Devlin’s new single, “Houston,” arrives as a gleeful contradiction, a two-stepping Americana anthem for the sovereign state of one. It has all the upbeat, country-rock fixings for a roadside sing-along, yet its heart is miles away, floating in a self-imposed, wonderfully stubborn vacuum. The track opens, and you’re ready for a communal good time; instead, you find yourself at a party where the...

Allan Jamisen’s new single, “Living the Dream,” settles in not with a shout, but with the unsettling quiet of finding oneself utterly lost in familiar territory. It’s pop-rock, sure, the label fits loosely enough, but the air hangs thick with something else. Jamisen’s vocals, subterranean and strangely calm, anchor the track. They don't soar; they resonate, like the hum you feel through the floorboards...