Having been raised in the midst of such late-night sets, she learned the cadence of the street and the spirit of the blues far earlier than her time spent singing into her own microphone. And that legacy of stagecraft is now a part of her very being, guiding her musical expression. This all leads us to the crux of today’s conversation: her newest creation, the ten-song tour de force known as Neon Lullaby, out in its entirety starting from May 29th. This is an album that requires your undivided attention, navigating its way through the world with the grace of the seasoned and the drive of the fresh. It’s a remarkable development, and I encourage you to follow along with me as we explore the sonic craftsmanship and unabashed emotional depth of “Neon Lullaby”.

In a mood of exhilaration, it is with great pride that we invite you to enter our virtual doors to experience the unique talent of Rachel Swain of Chicago. For those who have been watching her journey, it becomes clear that Rachel Swain is no ordinary artist but rather a vehicle through which some of the most honest, raw storytelling takes place, something that is becoming increasingly hard to find in today’s day and age. Her voice has a strength that speaks of a thousand tales left unsaid, while her writing has the uncanny ability to get right to the point.

The song “Houston” starts with the sound of a guitar pick slapping against the wooden body of the guitar, then one harsh sound of a note plucked from a Telecaster that is bright as high treble before the slow sound of a kick drum begins. “Houston” is a song about how it feels to miss where you’re from. We meet a character who is letting us know that she’s on her way back to Houston.  The personification of this place really lets you know how important this place is to the character. Musically, this country-infused song is structured around a “chugging” pattern that reminds you of a car stuck in second gear, and Swain’s vocals start dryly before rising to a rising and beautiful crescendo.

In “Good for Nothing,” there is the sound of a very captivating country melody and a very nice electric guitar melody. This is a very clinical and calculating observation of an individual taking up space without contributing any substance. The character in the song warns the person she’s talking to that she’s good for nothing, if he’s taken by how she looks, that’s the disclaimer right there. Musically, her vocal delivery is quite caustic, as she employs a harsh, chopped-up vocal style as if she is reading out her list of grievances. The instrumental portion is very intense, serving up the perfect country/blues melody.

The next track on the album, “Ghost,” begins with a slow fade-in from a country-infused melody. It is an exploration of what one can sense of another person’s presence in a house, as the character in the song admits that she’s hanging over this person. It’s not about stalking per se, but rather that feeling of your ex around you. The use of instruments in the song gives a cavernous feeling as the guitar sounds like it is being played in a well because of the extensive reverberation.

Now, the song “Fortune” comes into play, and it begins with an intense and fast rhythmic thumping on the acoustic guitar strings, soon followed by an equally vibrant shaking of the tambourine. The lyrics in the song are actually a criticism of being put in a box. The song encourages us to be different and rebel because fortune will favor us if we do. In the chorus, Swain delivers the song using a very grandiose voice that seems to come from operatic music. She makes the sound very tense as she rides on top of the steady and captivating instrumentation.

The song starts with the sound of one sharp plucking of a guitar that seems to be sounding right next to the ear of the listener, and this is followed by the sound of a lovely drum beat. “Mama, Whatdtya Say” is essentially about a character who is trying to bond with her mother. She hypes her mother up and suggests a night out drinking. Watching the character’s dynamic with her mother unfold was very exciting. The singer’s performance is extremely detailed; you can listen to her breathe in before singing, her voice breaking a little when she gets to the higher tones.

The first thing heard in “Woman of my Word” is a powerful onslaught of guitar power chords, which stops abruptly and gives way to a single bass guitar playing a syncopated and blues-influenced beat. This is a song about a character who is bold and assertive. This character cannot be moved or swayed by anyone’s opinion except hers. She portrays integrity and strength, which is very empowering. Her singing in the song is the boldest ever; she sings in a gravelly voice using the full range of her voice. The effect on the listener is very anthemic and liberating.

The following track is called “Harris County”, which starts with several layers of guitar until finally establishing a rhythmic and slow-paced pattern played on acoustic guitar. This track portrays a persona who has been abandoned. This character mentions a photograph of this person, which has faded, letting us know how long this person has been gone and the fact that he is not returning anytime soon. The story doesn’t end here, though. The character mentions that without this person, there’s nothing left for her to have or wait for. There is a lot of delay applied to the guitar in the song, making the guitar notes last for a few seconds. The singing voice of Swain is quite weary, signifying that she regrets her current situation but is too tired to move on.

Song number eight, titled “Shame,” begins with an upbeat, rodeo-type melody, mechanical, thin, and very sterile-sounding drum beat, which is repeated four times until it is interrupted by a distorted guitar riff. In this song, we are introduced to a character who is shameless. The narrator calls him out and pleads with him to have one shred of dignity. This is an experiment with rhythms that explains why we allow ourselves to absorb the disappointment of others. This song has an upbeat and danceable melody that will get your feet tapping and your body moving.

Number nine is called “Old Familiar Way”. It begins with the rich sound of a soft tap of a finger on the guitar body, replicating a measured walk. This track is about the addictive quality of destructive comfort. The song presents a story of a persona who tells us about a man who always tries to convince her that he cares about her. He waits for her to get comfortable, and then tears down the walls he built to make her safe, brick by brick. She then sings the blues about how he hurt her, a feeling that is becoming familiar very quickly. The voice here seems deceivingly silky, singing along with an inviting, slightly pop-sounding melody, making the lyrics more depressing. The orchestration of the song is lush, full of soft pads of strings that mimic the feeling of “numbing”.

The last song in this collection is called “Neon Lullaby.” It begins the album in its conclusion with a beautiful country-infused melody, which gradually fades away and transforms into clear, trembling sounds of an electric guitar. This song is about a character who mentions how much a neon lullaby means to her and how it is able to calm her down. In this last song, Swain’s singing is rich, and her voice complements the guitar work so much. The song ends the album on a happy note and with a character who has something she loves and can depend on

“Neon Lullaby” is an album that puts listeners in the middle of a world where Texas-country’s dusty narrative meets the asphalt reality of Chicago street life. It is an album that breathes the expansive skies of a Guy Clark song and spits them back in the fragmented, hazy view from a Midwest bar late at night. While critics would be quick to draw similarities between Rachel’s vocals and the biting warmth of Ella Langley or the haunting atmospherics of Neko Case, any such comparisons pale in comparison to what this music offers in its full force. The thing that stands out about this music is how raw and visceral it sounds. The performances on this album have a fearlessness, a “lived-in” quality that allows one to peel back the layers of a writer to discover her diary. Rachel has made something that isn’t just an album, but an odyssey; it is a wonderful journey of passion, love, and catharsis that I can’t help recommending to everyone I meet since there is no way out of it without being affected. If this is what Rachel does at such heights, then we have seen the emergence of a true superstar, and the truth is, I can’t wait to see what comes out of her mind next time.

Stream the “Neon Lullaby” album on Spotify

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