The Jacksonville band John Muka Band turns hunger, horns, strings, and live-band heat into a single built for repeat plays. Press play and "More & More" starts acting like it already knows where your feet are going. John Muka Band does not creep into the room; the Jacksonville group walks in with a groove, a grin, and enough moving parts to make the speakers feel...

Listening to Amara Fe’s new album, "SHIFT," is a bit like finding a perfectly preserved suit of medieval armor that’s been custom-tailored by a high-fashion house. It is formidable, gleaming, and entirely without apology. Across the sprawling landscape of its 24 tracks, Fe builds a monument to self-belief so solid it could probably withstand a siege. There is no room for doubt in this...