Earl Patrick pivots sharply away from his usual indie-folk and guitar-driven comfort zones for his newest release, the wildly inventive album "Conditioned By Machines". The Portland, Oregon-based composer, singer-songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist has spent over two decades building a dense, eight-album catalog. Here, however, he entirely flips the script. Feeling that classical flute music too often prioritizes gesture over pure melody, he set out...

The Catchmen have officially resurfaced with their sweeping, cinematic pop single "England". Formed during the dizzying 1988 Madchester boom, they were the cult teenagers who once commanded Oasis as a support act before abruptly evaporating. Today, Ian Livingstone and Michael Knowles have returned, hauling the sprawling orchestral heft of their Ivor Novello and BAFTA nominations along with them. Anchored by original bassist Dave Fryman...