There’s nothing like a crowd to drive ambitious souls in new directions. So while the Brooklyn quintet Punch Brothers is a string band with a long collective pedigree in roots music, they’re also notable for their skill

Madison's Old American Junk creates folksy Americana/alt country with melodic hooks and introspective lyrical depth. Vocalist Shane Hardwicke sounds like a lost Midwest cousin of Feargal Sharkey from the superlative '70s Irish pop punk band...