Ken's Best of 2022 - #10: Oceanator - Nothing's Ever Fine

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I first stumbled onto Oceanator through a TikTok video, which is the least cool way possible. It was a video about black punk artists you need to know, and Oceanator was my favorite discovery from that video. Elise Okusami's project had just released a new album, and Nothing's Ever Fine had me hooked from "Nightmare Machine" on. Oceanator is not your traditional punk sound. It's more on the pop punk (or even the pop side at times) of the genre without actually being punk. The songs on Nothing's Ever Fine are beyond catchy, with just enough of an edge to be considered punk. Plus, there are some of the best 90's mixed with garage rock style guitar on this album, which is always a bonus for those of us still into that sound. Despite how poppy Oceanator can be, there are also some truly heavy guitar rock songs that do the loud/quiet/loud thing perfectly. It's the kind of album that you really need to make it to the end of. It may not hit at first, but it will by the end and make you want to go back and give the whole thing a fresh chance.

Songs of note: "Nightmare Machine," "The Last Summer," "Stuck," and "Bad Brain Daze"

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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