Sunshine Riot - "Looking at the Past"

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Boston based alt-grunge band Sunshine Riot is back with new music just a few months after the release of last year's Sparkle Baby 2000. "Looking at the Past" is one of those songs that stands out based on how unique it sounds. Throughout its just short of four minutes running time, "Looking at the Past" morphs into a few different styles, although all seem to be rooted in grunge. It starts out as a kind of folk or country train song, then into a nearly Sex Pistols-esque punk song, then into an odd version of ska... all with a ton of grit and heaviness associated with grunge. Despite these changes, Sunshine Riot have made a cohesive song that doesn't sound like it's wildly swapping styles.

Vocalist and guitarist Jonny Orton says of the new song:

“The song sort of exists in two pieces. The first half, I think, is the internal narrative of a character who has taken a long time to change, I suppose for the better, and is reflecting on their past while attempting to assure themselves and others they weren't too late in putting their wilder and lesser ways down.”

You can listen to "Looking at the Past" below. Loud, Bright and Violent was recorded by Steve Albini and is due out in April. For more on Sunshine Riot, 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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