Listening to Cat Cork’s "Simple Song" is a funny thing; the title is a clever piece of misdirection, a plain brown wrapper on a package containing an entire life. This isn't some breezy, three-chord singalong for a lazy afternoon. It’s the sonic equivalent of discovering a shipwright’s meticulously drafted blueprint, detailing the construction of a human spirit from the first plank of childhood to...

With "Soul Obscura", Portland-based auteur Odelet brings a staggering, genre-defying triple-album marathon to its hypnotic finish. Born in Detroit and operating entirely on her own terms, the singer, songwriter, and producer launched this creative sprint only last month. She moved swiftly from "Dappled Lounge" itself the successor to "Pisces Pie" into the rugged terrain of "Fantasy Outlaw", before finally arriving at this third, most...