Marina's voice, which is strong and unadulterated, ushers in a story that is at once ancient and contemporary. She was born under the great sky of Ukraine. Her early memories are filled with choirs and juvenile competitions; as a result, she is more than simply a singer; she is an image of endurance. Marina's career has taken off like a shooting star because she has been...

Before listening to a single note of Suris’ new album, “Pertinax”, I spent a few minutes just looking at the word. Pertinax. It has the distinct ring of a Stoic philosopher’s last defiant utterance or maybe a type of beetle known for its unusually stubborn shell. What a curious flag to fly for a collection of songs in an age of fleeting distraction. But...