"Summer Rain" by Kristen Castro comes out at just the right time, like when the storm clouds part and the sun shines through, bathing everything in a soft yellow light. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has really moved me with this song. It is both highly personal and easily understandable to everyone, like finding an old diary entry that applies to your present situation in some way. Five...

Some tracks do not ask for your attention politely; they kick the door off the hinges and demand you listen. That is exactly what happens the moment you hit play on "So Close," the latest alternative rock single from New York City's own Kim McClay. It hits with the same sudden, dizzying clarity as seeing your ex post a hard launch on Instagram. You know...