The opening seconds of Brett Copeland’s single, "I Wanna Live", don’t ask for your attention; they stage a hostile takeover. This is a song that feels less written and more clawed out of a desperate moment, built with the kind of volcanic energy that powers revival tents and bar-room brawls. Copeland’s voice is the main event—a raw, muscular instrument that sounds like it's been...

A year after the release of his first song, "Change," Chris B., also known as Villeman, is still keeping a low profile. But it has nothing to do with the caliber of his music in any way, shape, or form. The fantastic radio songs of the 1990s that we all hold dearest in our memories have impacted the blend of pop, folk, and grunge. The use...