Mama Zu - "Make a Joke"

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Photo courtesy Mama Zu

We've brought you two singles from Mama Zu, the musical project of Jessi Zazu and Linwood Regensburg from Those Darlins recorded before Zazu's death in 2017. "Lip" sounded more like the classic country style of Those Darlins, and "Safe Place to Stay" was a more pop focused/AM radio style. The latest single, "Make a Joke," comes completely out of left field compared to the first two. The new single is still somewhat pop focused, but sounds like a middle ground between Le Tigre and Bikini Kill. "Make a Joke" straight up rocks, but it also has a surprisingly dance friendly side to it. Plus, it's just overflowing with riot grrrl attitude. This is an unexpected but very welcome side of Jessi Zazu.

Linwood Regensburg says of the new single:

“The beginning demo of this song was sent to me via email from Jessi along with this message: ‘This song is for people who make discriminatory jokes about women who ‘don't think they're part of the problem.’ They might not actually harm women physically, but its still perpetuating rape culture and keeping alive this idea that it's okay to talk or treat women as if they are items to be had.’ Also...shout out to the infinite influence of Kathleen Hanna and the Minutemen. Punk rock can change our lives.”

You can listen to "Make a Joke" below. Quilt Floor is due out February 23 on Thirty Tigers, and is available for pre-order here. For more on Mama Zu, check out the project on Instagram and Facebook.

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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