One such game-changer is Livi Jacobs, a diamond in the rough from Vienna, Austria. We sometimes experience a musical extravaganza that gently changes our view on music and its intrinsic potential, going beyond the bounds of sound and emotion. Jacobs is ready to set the music world ablaze with his unique blend of country's endearing authenticity, rock's edgy rebellion, and folk pop's endearing openness. Vienna, Austria-born Jacobs...

Kent Owens, a name that sounds like it should be on a library card next to “Hemingway,” but instead it's on the digital shelf next to my slightly messy playlist. This Cambridge-based creator of soundscapes – I’m resisting calling them songs, but…well – just released “Fade Away,” a single that feels like an open window after a long winter. It’s a soft rock hum...