D.D.R. (Divorced Dad Rock) hits the pavement running on "Blinded By the Blonde: Chapter One", turning the jagged debris of romantic wreckage into pure kinetic energy. The seven-song collection marks the latest outing from Indiana-based novelist and songwriter Stephen Paul, whose philosophy of "universal specificity" treats private heartbreaks as open-source emotional blueprints. Rather than wallowing quietly behind closed doors, Paul channels the soaring melodies...

Okay, buckle up, because Track Dogs just dropped a Christmas card. Not the kind with a sparkly snowman, though. This "A Christmas Card" album feels more like a rambling, joyous postcard sent from a slightly tipsy, globe-trotting relative. They've taken the usual folk/Americana framework and tossed in some maracas and maybe a sneaky jazz trombone. It's the sort of unexpected musical mashup that makes...