Von Zimmer, a musician in South Dakota, released his first full album,  Freddie’s Extra Teeth on December 20th, 2015.

  “I’ve been working on music since I was about 13 years old,” said Zimmer. “I’ve recorded quite a few demo songs over the years and sent those out on CDRs and tapes for review, but this is the first album.”

  Zimmer was in a few unrecognized bands before this album’s release.  

  The album that has been cleverly named for Freddy Mercury’s refusal to fix his pearly whites features ten songs written by Zimmer. As the album’s title hints, this artist has a penchant for casual allusions. The fourth track, “Archimedes Beer,” plays on a reference for the famous Greek mathematician, and may even refer to Archimedes’s Brewing, a brewery that had to search for a new name after legal issues arose. Even more hidden suggestions are present in other song titles and lyrics.

 “I’ve always found sounds to be interesting,” said Zimmer, “so that is probably how I became interested in music.”

  Freddie’s Extra Teeth is a very mellow album. It’s consistent beat is nearly hypnotic and the uncut lyrics are softening for anyone stuck living a casual existence. Every song has a pleasant flow, and they are all tied together with a theme of lackadaisical apathy towards an average life. Although the tempo can get monotonous, and the songs may blend together, Zimmer is onto something with his music. His lyrics are meaningful, and depict pieces of personal lives.  

  “‘Your Song’ probably took the longest amount of time to write,” said Zimmer. “I wrote that for a woman who would ask me, ‘When are you going to write a song about me?’”

  Zimmer’s singing is coarse and almost raspy in the right way. It’s a rough sound that might be credited to inexperience, but the talent is still definitely there. If you enjoy bands like the Foo Fighters, Ramones, or The Smiths, you may want to keep tabs on Zimmer. This soundtrack is one you’d hear in a confidence-boosting movie- one with either Michael Cera or Jesse Eisenberg playing the lead.

  “As for motivation to write these songs, it’s likely some chemical imbalance,” said Zimmer. “I definitely enjoy writing songs and the creative process, but there really isn’t any other reason to do it. I think that is true for most artistic people.”

  Zimmer’s tranquilizing voice, rugged words, and mesmerizing feel are what characterize this emerging artist so far. The music style and artist will develop more with future productions, and I’m excited to hear what else Zimmer puts out for the world. Freddie’s Extra Teeth is available on iTunes and on other formats that are accessible through his website, vonzimmer.com.

  “I can’t explain it, but I’ll be writing songs for many more years,” said Zimmer.