Micah Rose-Trespeuch’s new album, "Coughing Up Blood," feels less like a listening experience and more like witnessing an urgent, almost involuntary act of transmutation. Rose-Trespeuch (piano, vocals), with Julien Baraness masterfully texturing the soundscapes and Gaetan Allard providing the often-fractured, sometimes thunderous pulse on drums, has crafted something akin to a diary written in volatile ink. One moment, you're amidst Chopin-esque piano runs that...

“Cornbread And Whiskey” has no interest in sitting quietly in the corner. Kenny Mehler’s 2020 album walks in with a chorus ready for company, a band ready to push it forward and stories that smell like spilled wine and a long drive home. The title track turns a kiss, a curfew and a beat-up Chevrolet into a memory with a grin. “Moses Brown” heads for...