Well Wisher - "Panic"

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Photo by Okie Dokie Studio

New Jersey's Well Wisher have crafted an indie pop punk song that is both pop and punk, but just has a little something that keeps it rising above most other songs in that genre. "Panic" is somehow both more punk and pop than most pop punk tends to be. It starts off like a downtempo pop rock song, and slowly the pop punk side of things starts to poke its head out. While Natalie Newbold's vocals lean towards pop, musically "Panic" has just enough of an edge to keep the song in the rock side of things. Once the song hits the breakdown, it pauses just before erupting into an emotional and noisy burst. It's not quite noise rock, but it's at least noise rock adjacent. Most pop punk doesn't look to expand past the typical, so it's thrilling to find a band like Well Wisher.

Natalie Newbold says of the band's new song:

"One of the first songs on the new LP that we all loved and sort of used as a guiding light for the rest of the album was 'Panic'. There was a special connection to it that melded all of our influences flawlessly, and we have a blast playing it together. The song explores the roller-coastering struggles with mental health and feeling beyond drained and angry with how it can hold you back and captive. Being someone who has struggled with anxiety and depression since I was about 3- or 4-years-old made writing this one super cathartic."

You can watch the video for "Panic" below. That Weight is due out September 16 on Egghunt Records. For more on Well Wisher, check out the band's website.

On Repeat...

Liam Kazar - "Shoes Too Tight"

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Photo by Alexa Viscius This may be Liam Kazar's debut single, but the Chicago based musician already has an impressive resume, having worked with Jeff Tweedy, Chance the Rapper, Steve Gunn, Daniel Johnston, and others. "Shoes Too Tight" features childhood friend Spencer Tweedy on drums, Lane Beckstrom on bass, and Ohmme on vocals. It's an absurdly fun and groovy little song that is a party waiting to happen. What he gives us here is a timeless song that could truly have been released any time since the 1960's (ok... maybe not the 80's...) There are elements of classic rock, 60's crooners and R&B, indie rock, modern Americana... it's really just packed with everything in a cohesive song that maintains the vibe the entire way through. You can watch the video for "Shoes Too Tight" below. For more on Liam Kazar, check him out on Instagram and Twitter . He's also raising money on his Bandcamp for Constellation and The Hungry Brain. ...
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The Freqs - "Witch"

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Photo via Facebook When you're a rock band from Salem, MA, you have to have at least one song about witchcraft. The Freqs have fulfilled their obligation with a banger of a song. "Witch" is this giant monster of a song, filled with fuzz and strained, screaming vocals. This is the type of song that doesn't usually exist in this century. It's giving me some serious 90's flashbacks, like if Hum got aggressive or Alice in Chains decided to do some damage on the college charts. As great as the vocals are in "Witch," what's really drawing me in is the instrumental break down that takes over about halfway through. This is the kind of song to make the hipsters and the headbangers equally excited. You can listen to "Witch" below. For more on The Freqs, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram . The Freqs · Witch
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Dutch ReBelle - "GOONIEZ"

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How is Dutch ReBelle not a national superstar at this point? The Boston MC just released "GOONIEZ," and I know I'm a bit out of touch with current mainstream hip hop, but this song is absolutely killer. It's a stripped down hip hop song that has this futuristic space age sound to it. Plus, ReBelle's flow is unsurpassed. You can't listen to her and not be completely sucked in. The song has a feel reminiscent of classic Missy Elliott. As much as I love that we can still see Dutch ReBelle in smaller Boston venues, "GOONIEZ" proves she should be playing much larger venues nationwide very, very soon. You can watch the video for "GOONIEZ" below. For more on Dutch ReBelle, check out the artist's website . 
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