Rusty Reid is such an artist that his indie work is based on the folk-country rock tapestry element to emphasize protest and passion narrative. However, his most recent work “ American Villain ” stands as an alarm bell, reminiscent of the infusion between the sixties and today’s political constituency. After a short tenure with the University of Houston, he was under Nashville’s bright lights at 19....

Listening to Arnold J.’s new single, "Muddy Waters," isn't quite like anything else swirling around right now. It arrives with the gentle insistence of incoming tide, pulling you into its specific gravity. Arnold J., Ghanaian-born and now Canada-based, weaves a sound tagged as alt-country and folk, but those labels feel thin, like trying to contain smoke. There’s earthiness, sure, but his soulful vocal lines...