Especially in today's music scene, which is always changing, not many singers can capture the mood as well as Joe Lington. Lington makes music that ties together the complicated lines of American R&B stars like Sisqo and Keith Sweat. He does this from the lively streets of Ireland to the world stage. Lington is not only a singer, but also a link between different countries...

Empty Pinata – remember LA Rodriguez? – serves up the single "Bonfire," and honestly, the air changes slightly when you play it. It’s less like passively listening and more like discovering a singed diary page fluttering down a quiet street. The music itself is this curious contradiction, wrapping harrowing emotional shrapnel in the comforting gauze of indie-pop, flecked with soft rock warmth. A strangely...