JayWood - "God is a Reptile"

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Photo by Tonje Thielesen

Jeremy Haywood-Smith is a Winnipeg musician who releases music under the name JayWood. His latest single, "God is a Reptile," is relatively straightforward music but still not quite like anything we've brought you before. The best description I can come up with is indie funk. The song has all the hallmarks of classic laid back funk from artists like Funkadelic and Isaac Hayes, but while those artists have a smooth sound, "God is a Reptile" is grimey. It's coming at you through a filter of psychedelia with crunchy indie rock guitars. While I adore classic funk from the 70's, it's great to see an artist like JayWood take the genre and blow the normal parameters off completely.

Jeremy Haywood-Smith says of his new song:

“‘God Is A Reptile’ feels like the angstiest part of myself. I wrote it at a time where I was experiencing a lot of anger all at once and I really just wanted to focus it into something healthy."

You can watch the video for "God is a Reptile" below. The song is available as a single via Captured Tracks, and can be downloaded over at Bandcamp. For more on JayWood, check out the artist's Facebook and Twitter. Upcoming tour dates are below the video.


Sat. March 12 - Salado, TX @ Barrow Brewing CompanyTue. March 15 - Austin, TX @ Swan Dive (SXSW)Fri. March 18 - Austin, TX @ Cheer Up Charlies (SXSW)Fri. March 18 - Austin, TX @ ValhallaWed. March 23 - Boise, ID @ Treefort FestivalFri. March 25 - Tucson, AZ @ 191 Toole *Sat. March 26 - San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *Sun. March 27 - Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room *Mon. March 28 - Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room *Tue. March 29 - San Francisco, CA @ August Hall *Thu. March 31 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *Sat. Apr. 2 - Vancouver, BC @ Rickshaw Theatre *Mon. Apr. 4 - Boise, ID @ Neurolux *Tue. Apr. 5 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Soundwell *Thu. Apr. 7 - Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *Thu. May 5 - Wrexham, UK @ Penny Black Room (FOCUS Wales)Fri. May 6 - Wrexham, UK @ Ty Pawb (FOCUS Wales)Sat. May 7 - London, UK @ The Fox InnSat. May 14 - Brighton, UK @ Green Door Store (TGE)  * w/ Molly Burch

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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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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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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