Lost Lot’s new single, “Waiting,” does a funny thing to the air in the room. It settles it. For three-and-a-half minutes, everything seems to hold its breath, letting a story of profound and stubborn love fill the space. On the surface, it’s a gorgeous slice of widescreen Americana—guitars shimmering with the texture of sun-bleached highway signs, a rhythm section that provides a steady, relentless...

When the Australian band Evol Walks stripped down this version of "Sleeping with a Ghost," they bravely went where no one had gone before. The ominous words and heavy music in the song are well known. The song's version from a year ago is interesting, and it gives us a sneak peek at the band's much-anticipated EP. Evol Walks is known for its raw energy and...