Jennifer Tefft & The Strange - "Caffeine"

By -

Photo by John Parrillo

Alt-rock can be a widely used term to describe a variety of different genres (people forget that Jewel and Squirrel Nut Zippers were originally considered alternative), but there's a certain style of music popularized in the 90's. That sound your hearing perfectly describes the latest from Jennifer Tefft & The Strange. "Caffeine" sounds like it's a track you forgot about from a random 90's soundtrack, but when every single comedy came with a collection of killer alt-rock singles. It reminds me a little of a harder and more shoegaze based version of Belly or Jen Trynin. The song would have been a local radio hit if it had just come out thirty years ago, and possibly even the MTV Buzz Bin if it had a quirky enough video.

Jennifer Tefft says of her latest single:

“‘Caffeine’ just felt like an end-of-the-night song from the start. So it is an invitation to the people at a show to come back, because we want to see your face again. We appreciate that exchange of energy from stage to audience – it feels so much like a caffeine buzz, that we will keep that energy alive until we meet again to do it all over again.”

You can listen to "Caffeine" below. Strange Beginnings is due out in May on Rock Garden Records. For more on Jennifer Tefft & The Strange, check out the artist's website. They're also playing a single release show Saturday the 23rd at The Square Root in Roslindale with The False Positives and Happy Little Clouds.

On Repeat...

Liam Kazar - "Shoes Too Tight"

By -
Image
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. ...
Read more

The Freqs - "Witch"

By -
Image
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
Read more

Dutch ReBelle - "GOONIEZ"

By -
Image
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 . 
Read more