Listening to the new DaLomonze EP, "Picture Day," is a study in deceptive portraiture. You’re told it’s about capturing a moment, a fixed smile for the world, documenting personal growth. The Cleveland artist’s vocals are certainly grand enough for a milestone, full-bodied and cinematic, with an orchestral sweep that feels both holy and expensive. But something is hiding in the gorgeous frame. It’s not...

Listening to Weston Day release "Storms" feels a bit like opening a window during a gale just to see if the glass will hold. It’s a rush of air, sudden and brisk. While his style is often bookmarked as "Elvis Costello meets Paul Simon," I hear a man frantically trying to explain a complicated heartbreak before the bar closes. https://open.spotify.com/track/1YxtWM0OIRR0ShlLMhxKmc?si=d5BvDBy8Qdib-_4WhMb-kA Armed with an 8-string baritone acoustic...