Robin James Hurt’s “A Song, A Story Told” arrives with a sound you can almost run a thumb over, like worn corduroy. In an age of sterile, diamond-polished productions, this album is a defiantly handmade thing, tracked onto vintage cassette machines. The result is not a flaw, but an ingredient. A faint, persistent hiss breathes alongside the instruments, a ghost in the machine who...

"Why Not" is the latest single by American pop artist Naomi Jane, and it's a celebration of the romantic ideals held by those who hold on to hope even in the face of adversity. Great romance movies have an enduring influence on people, and this song seems to be reflecting on that experience as it compels us to let go of our limitations and dance...