The first time I listened to Nick Shoulders’ album All Bad, shortly after it was released last fall, I knew the Arkansas singer-songwriter was running for president. I just didn’t know if he knew it.

Then it was quiet again. My attorney had taken his shirt off and was pouring beer on his chest. “What the hell are you yelling about?” he muttered. “Never mind,”…

I taught myself math by calculating people’s ages at the time of their death. This is a fun game when you’re six, until the grim knowledge confronts you that, while…