Well, Ricky Leroy Brown has gone and done it, presenting us with "SEXUAL MANUAL FOR EXPERTS," and I confess, the title alone sent my mind skittering off like a startled cat at a séance. This solo Madrileño, who conjures entire soundscapes from his own hands and instruments, is clearly still communing with the spirit of Prince, all slinky guitars and a rhythm section that...

Hotel Mira's new album, "Pity Party," makes an immediate, striking impact. Across twelve tracks, the collection delves into the turbulent world of intense relationships—the kind that feel essential one moment and dangerously volatile the next. Frontman Charlie Kerr, alongside guitarist Clark Grieve, bassist Mike Noble, and drummer Cole George, crafts a dynamic alt-rock soundscape filled with both emotional debris and moments of bright, sharp...