The topic at hand finds the narrator calling someone out on the carpet for living in either denial or dishonesty about how they are handling their current, seemingly destructive, situation. It's a tale as old as time, made new again by a refreshing voice who will, with any bit of luck, continue to impress to at least the degree she does here.

It's a wondrous moment in life when a person finds their place in the world, geographically speaking...for the Small Glories — Cara Luft and JD Edwards — that place is Canada, and that seems to be about as fine a point as they are willing to put on their new album, Assiniboine & the Red, which wanders across provinces and prairies, from coastal towns to inland cities.

"We Were Together" ft. Taylor Goldsmith by Heather Maloney, from 'Soil In the Sky' (out June 14, 2019)

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Greg Felden doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. His solo debut, Made of Strings (self-released, due June 14) is a sincere and heartbreaking collection of songs about life and its often-enormous questions, its unexpected twists and turns. So there’s a bit of irony in the fact that the video for the album’s lead single, “Every Time,” is full of puppets, aliens, and ridiculous scenarios.

Ellis Paul has always been a ruminative, deep-thinking songwriter/storyteller, and The Storyteller’s Suitcase is another example of his adept approach to his craft. Once again, we’re treated to his particular brand of narrative lyricism and expressive vocals, his catchy melodies and delightful, easy harmonies.

John Smith is the latest entry into the English folk milieu and a more than welcome one. On his new release, Hummingbird, traditional tunes and contemporary themes effortlessly entangle themselves to create a wonderful and worthy addition to the English folk canon.

Having employed the stage of the historic Sheldon Theatre in Red Wing, MN as her studio and recording the songs, live in a circle, with her band, Mother Banjo's Eyes on the Sky is her most intimate and most personal album to date - documenting six years of dramatic changes in the world and her personal life, including marriage, love, loss, and pregnancy.

Evie Ladin premieres her new single, "News Cyclone" from her upcoming album Caught On A Wire, due out March 21.

Danny Schmidt has always been a gifted songwriter when it comes to marveling over life’s greatest wonders, from friendship and love to the natural world, all of which can be heard across the ten albums he’s released over the past two decades. But he says fatherhood has challenged him to open his heart even further. Listen to "Just Wait Til They See You" from his upcoming album, Standard Deviation, and read an excerpt of his recent conversation with Kim Ruehl.

Time and again, it has been proven that we regret the things we don't do or say far more often than the things we do. But doing and saying the things in our hearts demands the courage to be vulnerable. Yes, in doing so, we risk the chance of being misunderstood or rejected, if things don't go our way. If they do, though, we take a step toward embracing a love, realizing a dream, or saving a life. And all of those things are absolutely worth the risk.