The moment the jaunty guitar kicks in on John Smyths’ new single, "Now I'm Wiser", you feel a familiar, comfortable warmth. It’s the sound of a good chair in a bar where the floor is sticky with spilled truths. And then the story starts, a classic yarn of a hard-living past yielding to a peaceful present. Smyths, a Dutch ex-metalhead singing country out of...

The album title of Baba Kuboye's most recent record is "Cultural Canvas," and it's an extravagant blend of songs and stories that honour his rich African history. The picture in question is concealed away deep inside the album's rhythmic heart. There is no refuting Baba's abilities because he was born into a singing family. His parents, jazz greats Fran and Tunde Kuboye, and his uncle,...