A few days ago, singer-songwriter Ari Pappalardo released a new album, entitled Minstrel Class, an eclectic fusion of indie-rock, pop, and jazz elements packed with lyrics about topics such as unrequited love, voodoo, ghosting, loss of innocence, and regret. A Southerner, Pappalardo hails from Raleigh, North Carolina. At the age of 16, he began writing songs, demonstrating a unique understanding of vulnerability and its intimate effect on listeners. Encompassing 11-tracks, Minstrel Class begins with “Where is the Line,” opening on tones vaguely reminiscent of Godsmack, and then shifting to gentle layers of harmonics conjuring up memories of Sting, primarily because of Pappalardo’s granular tenor, imbuing the lyrics with strident timbres. Speaking purely subjectively, entry points on the al...