Well, Ricky Leroy Brown has gone and done it, presenting us with "SEXUAL MANUAL FOR EXPERTS," and I confess, the title alone sent my mind skittering off like a startled cat at a séance. This solo Madrileño, who conjures entire soundscapes from his own hands and instruments, is clearly still communing with the spirit of Prince, all slinky guitars and a rhythm section that...

There is a specific, agonizing silence that occurs right after you lay your heart completely bare. It is the vacuum of space before the other person responds. Swedish pop artist Sebastian Rydgren steps directly into that terrifying void with his new single, "Talk To Me". He does not offer a comfortable resolution. Instead, he forces the listener to sit in the unbearable tension of a...