Kestrels featuring J Mascis - "Grey and Blue"

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The very first time I listened to "Grey and Blue," the new single from Halifax's Kestrels, I immediately thought of Ash. As I listened, I started reading the press release which coincidentally enough includes the line "Dream Or Don't Dream was largely written on the sofa of Ash's Tim Wheeler." That's not even where our 90's indie rock gods stop making appearances. The song also features not one but two guitar solos from Dinosaur Jr's J Mascis. This are J Mascis guitar solos, so you already know they're killer. The man just doesn't let bad guitar solos out into the universe.

 Even without the added star power, "Grey and Blue" is a great song. It lives in a world that blends 90's indie rock with Brit pop in a way I always wished more bands did. It's the kind of song that is going to have me diving into Kestrels's back catalog, as this is the first I've ever heard from them. 

 You can watch the video for "Grey and Blue" below. Dream or Don't Dream, the fourth album from Kestrels, will be out July 10 on Darla Records. You can pre-order a copy here. For more on Kestrels, check them out on Facebook and Twitter.

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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