Taxidermists - "Needles to Say"

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Photo by Harry Wohl

Taxidermists, our favorite Massachusetts duo that met as preteens on MySpace, are set to release their latest album Friday, and have released a brand new single from that album. "Needles to Say" is going to give you some serious western Massachusetts 90's DIY lo-fi indie rock flashbacks. First, the song title sounds like it belongs to a track from thirty years ago. And then there's the sound. I mean this is a compliment in the highest form, but this sounds like a four track recording in someone's house. (Which is fairly true, since this was recorded last winter in bandmember Salvadore McNamara's garage, which the press release adorably points out that they were "braving an average temperature of 39° F." The song also seems to have some slight musical nods to the Ramones' "Needles and Pins," but that could be my imagination. In a musical landscape where most home recordings sound nearly identical to massive studio recordings, it's a treat to hear an artist embrace a classic DIY spirit.

You can listen to "Needles to Say" below. 20247 is due out March 7 on Danger Collective Records. For more on Taxidermists, check out the band on Facebook and Instagram. Upcoming tour dates are below the song and include March 21 at The Iron Horse in Northampton, MA, March 22 at Lost Bag in Providence, RI, and March 23 at O'Brien's in Boston.

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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