Ken's Best of 2022 - #9: S.G. Goodman - Teeth Marks

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Teeth Marks came out of nowhere for me this year. S.G. Goodman's music combines so many elements that work spectacularly for me. The album opens with "Teeth Marks," which starts out as an Americana tinged singer/songwriter song. It's not quite perfectly mainstream, but close. And then the weird indie rock noise comes in, and the album becomes completely irresistible to me. "All My Love is Coming Back to Me" is one of my favorite songs of the year. It's this 90's style indie rocker mixed with garage rock and country twang. Back in April I said that it sounded like Drive-By Truckers decided to write a positive hit song, and I stand by that. Goodman moves between rockers and these ballads with ease. "You Were Someone I Loved" is an a capella song, and you really get a sense of Goodman's vocal powers. She can go from a 90's style slacker delivery with her Southern accent to a soulful, sometimes haunting, powerful delivery. S.G. Goodman is going to be one to watch for, because she has the potential to do huge things for a while to come.

Songs of note: "Teeth Marks," "All My Love is Coming Back to Me," "Heart Swell," and "Work Until I Die"

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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