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...

Rachel Swain has spent two decades moving through the roots music scene, but with her debut solo album "Neon Lullaby", she finally takes the absolute center of the stage. Blending her Texas country foundation with the stubborn grit of Chicago, Swain delivers a record that feels strangely like walking into a dimly lit bar immediately after a spectacular, life-altering breakup. https://open.spotify.com/album/4N0yl76UGcGaokaDZCG9p4?si=NNBBTsB5STKIvR6cWEVChw There is a very specific,...