Happy Little Clouds - "Lungs"

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Photo by Jac Mestel

The latest from Boston's Happy Little Clouds is a bit more downtempo than their previous songs, but it's no less impactful. "Lungs" is a soulful post-grunge power ballad that gives vocalist/guitarist Jac Mestel's vocals a place to shine. The vocals are the focus of "Lungs," and Mestel has never sounded so powerful before. Their emotions are on full display here, and the song is better for it. The song also adds in some organ along with the usual guitar/bass/drums combination, which adds a bit of levity to the song. As emotional as it is, Happy Little Clouds keep a sense of optimism throughout. 

Jac Mestel says of the band's latest single:

“The listener can really make this song their own. Each verse can be like someone grappling with a major life-shattering event as they go through a whole hero’s journey arc within the span of a 3-minute song. As the song progresses, they deal with their constantly changing feelings or stages of grief, or self acceptance and by the end, they work up the strength to believe in themselves and regain a sense of pride.”

You can listen to "Lungs" below. For more on Happy Little Clouds, 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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