"Country Dreams," the new album from Soul Provider, arrived... and, well, it didn't arrive on a golden chariot pulled by unicorns. It just showed up. Sixteen tracks of pure, unadulterated country – or, at least, that's what they're calling it. There is a lot of Americana in it. There's a definite flavor, a sort of sonic stew of love, loss, hope, and resilience. Think...

Maverick Smith’s “We Make Fire, They Make Smoke” lands not with a thud, but with the distinct, satisfying crackle of something catching alight. It’s a title that carries the grit of the Ohio Valley in its consonants, a resolute statement from a band – Paige Bosic on commanding vocals and rhythm guitar, Sean Boynes sculpting soundscapes on guitar, Jim Courtney’s intricate drumming, Charlie Kovach’s...