Allyson Whitmell's "Crack in My Window" arrived in my inbox, and honestly, my first thought was, "Is this the soundtrack to a particularly poignant cat food commercial?" But then, of course – because life loves a good plot twist – it wasn't. https://open.spotify.com/album/7lNXzGxooWZNRYKxSusY3q?si=isdinrQoRwi-yVmYTMH4fA It is, in reality, Whitmell taking a swan dive into the murky waters of nostalgia, grief, and that weird feeling you get when...

Chris Oledude presents "White Lie: Carolyn's Story", a single that initially feels like slipping into a warm bath before you realize the water is slowly turning to ice. If you let your attention drift, the track masquerades perfectly as a vintage soft rock ballad or a slice of polished, satirical blue-eyed soul. There is a bouncing low-end pulse and shimmering, glossy high notes that...