I slept on Historian, the 2018 sophomore album from alt-rock singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus, because there’s just too goddamn much music out there. I dug the single that got some local airplay, “Addictions”—a clever ode about old relationship habits dying hard (“I’m just calling ’cause I’m used to it, you’ll pick up ’cause you’re not a quitter”). But I only took a chance on the rest of the album recently, and immediately realized my error. There’s something in her vocal quality that reminds me of ’70s AM radio, all velvety and polished and warm, while its emotive tone is conversely apathetic, resigned, or world-weary. She’s been dropping singles throughout 2019, which began with a lovely cover of “La Vie en Rose” right around Valentine’s Day, and most recently another cover, a fine reimagining of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” by Leilani Polk