Rhythm Pals’ new single, ‘Lookin’ Good,’ shimmied into my listening rotation, and honestly, it’s got the kind of bounce that could coax a smile from a particularly grumpy badger. These two dads, one musician, one animator, have concocted a pop-funk confection that’s as bright and immediate as a freshly opened box of crayons. Pure kid fuel, this. https://open.spotify.com/track/4vKkjfjgVFUgsbkArYE07b?si=3c4e041c48c249e1 The track champions the noble art of dressing...

Brett L Walker’s new single, “Best Redneck Life,” is a curious and compelling thing. From the opening notes, it leans into its identity with a sound that’s all humidity and frayed denim—a confident strut of swampy, chicken pickin’ guitars that feel both West Coast-baked and Southern-fried. It’s a track that plants its flag firmly in the soil of North Carolina, unapologetic and unconcerned with...