Surtsey – Nothing Doing
Surtsey is a quartet from the US Midwest that's been kicking around since the late aughts. They've just released their latest EP, the five-song Nothing Doing - recorded in St. Louis MO, their songwriting was strongly informed by their attendance at the School of Song,...
The Ballroom Thieves – Sundust
Maine-based duo The Ballroom Thieves are fresh off the release of their latest LP, the stunning and aptly-named Sundust. Composed of Callie Peters and Martin Earley, the two have crafted a deeply personal album full of gentle folk with a specialization in dazzling...
Kynsy – “Money”
"Money" is the latest from Dublin based Kynsy and we gotta say it's.... right on the money. Showing off some strong indie-pop sensibilities, the intro is all wailing guitars that build up and then drop to give Kynsy and the bass room to breathe. I was initially...
Martha Rose – “Heart Still Beats 4 U”
Originally hailing from England and now in Germany, Martha Rose brings us her latest track "Heart Still Beats 4 U." It begins with a speaking intro ("sometimes nothing is sweeter than what remains unsaid") that breaks into a synth forward track that feels like a tip...
Hypnic Jerks – “Switch Off/Return”
Australia based Mike Watson, the brains behind Hypnic Jerks, brings us their latest single "Switch off/Return." Citing influences such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Arcade Fire, Watson delves into the very relevant issues with modern media and the forever struggle between...
O Slow – “Do U See Me?”
The latest single off of O Slow's newly released three track single Every Time I Look In The Mirror, is "Do You See Me." We've covered O Slow before on the Blog (here) and continue to be impressed by Brooklyn based Jacqui Miranda's impressive control of sounds and...
Conflict at Serenity Pools – “Bosun”
A band we've covered previously at the Blog (here), California act Conflict at Serenity Pools (CASP) brings us their latest single "Bosun." Managing to both have an objectively interesting name and a song title that is the phonetic spelling for a boatswain or "a...
Plunki – “Better Days”
Florida based Cassandra Plunkett, going by 'Plunki' for her musical project, brings us her latest single "Better Days" and it's a chill banger. Lead by tight bass riffs and a steady drum beat, gentle synth pitter patters in the background, occasionally coalescing to...
Little Lies – “Crazy”
Swedish act Little Lies combine shiny disco with a bit of The Cramps-esque psychobilly influence on their latest offering, "Crazy." With a bubbling bass rhythm, sparkly keyboard features, and a lovely vocal feature, "Crazy" juxtaposes icy feelings with warm, inviting...
22° Halo – “Bird Sanctuary”
Philadelphia based 22° Halo is the current project of Will Kennedy and "Bird Sanctuary" is the latest single. 22° Halo has toured with Joel Johnston of Far Caspian fame (and is also on his label Tiny Library Records), so this isn't just some flash in the pan. With two...
Gottlieb – “Reject Nostalgia”
In a sweat soaked, frenetic call to arms to look forward and not back, Gottlieb implores us to "Reject Nostalgia" - their latest track. An LA based punk rock group, Gottlieb proclaims this as their first track with a new lineup (really taking their rejection of...
Red’s Motel – Chapters End
Red's Motel has spent the better part of the last year brewing up their debut album, Chapters End. The band, led by the enigmatic Red Hawes, is a three-piece indie/alternative rock act based in Maryland who have been making plenty of waves in their local scene,...
Walter The Producer – “NOW WE’RE GETTING THERE”
Jack of all trades SSPM (singer, songwriter, producer, mixer) Massachusetts-based Walter the Producer brings us his latest with "NOW WE'RE GETTING THERE;" the second single from his upcoming project Please Help Me I'm Scared. Providing a heaping dose of indie...
Basement Revolver – “Pull Yourself Together”
"Pull Yourself Together" is the latest from Ontario band Basement Revolver - a band we've covered a couple times over the years here and here. Coming from what appears to be an expanded "director's cut" of their 2021 album Embody, "Pull Yourself Together" didn't...
LLO LLO – “No Response”
LIVING LIKE OZZY LOOKING LIKE OWEN [WILSON] is evidently what LLO LLO stands for (duh). What would you think a track entitled "No Response" by a band with that name would sound like? Probably something in your face, blistering electric guitar, balls to the wall? Nope....
Naomi Kavka – “Landline”
From British Columbia on the Canadian west coast, Naomi Kavka brings us her latest single "Landline." Coming off her latest album, Then and Now, this is a delightful track but a difficult one to pigeonhole! It has an indie folk feel but veers into some light shoegaze...
Davis Gestiehr – I’m Always Lying… Make Me Famous
Twenty-three year old Davis Gestiehr is spring-loaded with youthful energy, evident on his latest release, I'm Always Lying... Make Me Famous (IALMMF). The four song EP finds the wunderkind exploring various sounds reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys, The Replacements, and...
Sculpture Club – “Drive Too Fast”
Dallas based band (formerly Salt Lake City) Sculpture Club brings us their latest with new single "Drive Too Fast." Released April 4th, this is a well-balanced post-punk gem - paying homage to bands like the Cure, Soft Kill, and Choir Boy but standing apart enough to...
Clitter Critters – “Sex Magic”
Mississippi based fem punk band Clitter Critters (lol) brings us their latest with "Sex Magic." Composed of former Buffalonian Lacy Ellinwood (of Kicking fame, see our coverage of them here), Sarah Grace, and Austin Tingle (who was allegedly duped into playing drums)....
Retail Drugs – “Take It Back”
The latest project from Brooklyn based Jake Brooks is Retail Drugs, and "Take It Back" is their latest (and first). We've covered Brooks before with his other project, Laveda (here), and while the direction is a little different, the results are still bangin'. Whereas...
Baula – “Santa Fe”
"Santa Fe" is the latest single from Swedish duo Baula, released in anticipation of their debut album Heavy Heart due out later this month. Delightfully dreary and brooding, the bass line is the constant that keeps everything grounded; with wailing guitars...
OG Sole – “DEEP END”
OG Sole’s latest release “DEEP END” starts with a hair-raising string sample. Shortly after, the drums come in heavy, and OG pounces on the instrumental with confidence and style. “DEEP END” has a hard edge and braggish tone as OG raps about grinding on his craft over...
Soft Mothers – Hysterical Love
San Antonio's Soft Mothers (SM) were formed in 2016 by Luis Rocha. Since then, they've released a steady stream of alternative-rock flavored music full of angsty guitar energy, heavily inspired by mid/late '90s and early 2000's post-hardcore and grunge. Their latest...
Hundred Plus Club – “Gobsmacked”
Hundred Plus Club combines intense, often dark, emotions with an upbeat indie rock style that perfectly mixes the negative and positive. It's an easy-to-get-into sound applicable to life’s many uncertainties and in-betweens. In their earlier discography, the group...
puh-GEEZ – LEVELS
If you’re out exploring record shops in Buffalo, you might run into local hip hop artist puh-GEEZ who calls music havens like Soul Stop, Black Dots, and Apples and Oranges his home. He shops for his own enjoyment as well as picks up records for his DJ sets which he...
+/- {Plus/Minus} – “Borrowed Time”
+/- {Plus/Minus} is a band that, until a short while ago, I had never heard of. Together in some way shape or form for the past 20+ (or minus, hehe) years, they've apparently been putting out bangers which now includes their latest, "Borrowed Time". "Borrowed Time"...
Bantams – “Sucralose”
Combining two things that I used to be into and occasionally find myself going back to, fake sugar and wrestling, is not something I thought I'd be writing about in 2024 but here we are. Bantams' latest is "Sucralose" (faux sugar) off of their Turn Heel (wrestling...
Holding Hour – “Parallel Lines”
Holding Hour, the duo formerly known as Elison, is based out of Des Moines, Iowa and "Parallel Lines" is their latest. We've previously covered the band as Elison here at the Blog and we're happy to report that we still enjoy what we're hearing! Made up of Marissa...
Memorial – “Silver”
UK-based duo Memorial specialize in heartfelt indie folk songs like their latest single, "Silver." A stunning showcase of the band's ear for melody; beautiful harmonies; and a tried-and-true acoustic guitar backbone, "Silver" is beautiful and somber without ever...
LB Beistad – “Dogma”
LB Beistad makes religious trauma sound stunning on the alt-pop of her latest single, "Dogma." Having grown up in rural Tennessee, Beistad's childhood was rather isolated. She discovered a world of beautiful music when her family purchased a computer at age 10 - the...
Taxidermy – “Rot”
Copenhagen's Taxidermy describe their new song, "Rot," as "marked by an unrest, a journey through doubt." Sometimes, a band just knows themselves best, and in the case of this unique act, they've described it perfectly. "Rot" is dark, post-punk at its finest,...
Robbery Club – SHARP AIR / ALONE
Robbery Club is Buffalo-style punk rock done right. The group is hot off a killer set on a stacked show at Casa Di Francesca’s on March 7th, and a debut release of two singles released just a few days prior. It may seem like Robbery Club is coming out of nowhere, but...
MONOMANIAC – Dysphoria / Destined to Question
MONOMANIAC are the youngbloods of Buffalo hardcore. Their latest two-song release, Dysphoria / Destined to Question, solidifies the group’s grimy, cacophonous metallic hardcore style. The first of which, “Dysphoria,” is chugging, meaty-riff metal with tortured and...
Pilot Field – Counterfeits
Pilot Field, Buffalo’s resident 90's to 2000’s nostalgia pop-punkers, are back with their latest release, Counterfeits. For more information on the band check out our last review of their 2023 demo. In summary, a typical Pilot Field song is fast, loud, and catchy. The...
Jovi Skyler – Call It A Day
Last time we checked in with Sydney's Jovi Skyler, we were reviewing the ten-song LP Nothing To Do, full of Jovi's unique blend of punk and psychedelic rock with a fun, raw approach. Having embodied the spirit of the '90s with a DIY twist, we found his music to be...
frog team – “KAMIKAZE!!”
There are rare occasions where buffaBLOG's words are just... less effective than an artist's own description of themselves. This is one of those times: "Frog Team is The Front Bottoms meets The Fall of Troy meets Family Guy, and that's supposed to be an insult." The...
maxime. – “Quitting Time”
buffaBLOG mainstay maxime. is back with yet another slice of bedroom-pop wizardry, this time in the form of "Quitting Time." ICYMI, we're maxime. stans here at the blog (see here, here, and here for proof), and "Quitting Time" is yet another gem that he's slotted into...
RAINSONG – “Coma Baby”
London based RAINSONG brings us their latest with "Coma Baby." Chock full of effects for that reliable shoegaze tone, RAINSONG plays around with faraway/breathless sounding lyrics with a touch of the melancholia. This honestly sounds how I think a new Goo Goo Dolls...
Makeout City – “Everytime”
Philly based Makeout City brings us their latest single, "Everytime," and it's a poppy shoegazy banger. The band refers to themselves as "Mid-Atlantic Dreamgaze" - upbeat guitars and tight drums drive the song forward, while some synth is thrown in for additional...
Sofia Bolt x Stella Donnelly – “Bus Song”
Sofia Bolt and Stella Donnelly teamed up for a dreamy new single in the form of "Bus Song." Not to be confused with the Jay Som song of the same name, "Bus Song" finds the duo playing with swimmy guitar chords, plunking bass, and a ruthlessly catchy call-and-response...
Garage Sale – “Movie”
Melbourne's Garage Sale specialize in heartbreaking shoegaze/emo - we're recommending their latest single, "Movie," for your listening pleasure.. Sounding like a perfect mix of Smashing Pumpkins, OVLOV, and Duster, the band seems to have mastered the quiet/loud...
Rain Gregorio – “Foggy Stepper”
Los Angeles based Rain Gregorio brings us his latest single with "Foggy Stepper," off of the pleasantly-named Anxiety Blanket Records. An indie rocker's indie rocker, RG brings an intriguing deeply layered track with a healthy dose of bass and colorful synth shining...
Heddy Edwards – “black tunnel”
Singer/songwriter Heddy Edwards is here with her latest single, "black tunnel." Recalling '90s luminaries like The Cranberries and Garbage while channeling modern-day juggernauts like Alvvays and Hazel English, "black tunnel" feels timeless and fresh all at once....
Glom – “Below”
Glom and buffaBLOG go way back (see here, and here, and here, and here). We're adding to our Glom collection with their latest single, "Below." While Glom surely knows how to get upbeat and ebullient, "Below" takes a more mid-tempo route made popular by contemporaries...
Little Oil – “I Wanna Know”
California's Little Oil is fresh off the release of their latest single, "I Wanna Know." Driven by a dirge-like tempo and twinkling acoustic guitars, "Know" brings to mind acts like Elliot Smith and Duster with its lo-fi ethos and chill-out vibe. Of particular note...
Stinkus – 23
Stinkus (aka Tyler Thompson) is gearing up to release their first true body of solo work, a magnum opus of hazy bedroom-pop-meets-slacker-rock called 23. Having previously had success with their other bands WILD and girlhouse (and some stints producing for other bands...
Russian Baths – “Split”
Indiana-based Russian Baths have mastered the quiet/loud song structure on latest single, "Split." Quirky, pitch-shifted guitars and haunting vocals power the verses before plunging into a doom-drenched chorus, lush with fuzz tones and angular drum patterns. While...
Howdy, Cherry – “Georgia (again)”
Howdy, Cherry channeled true heartache into the longing, low-key indie rock of latest single, "Georgia (again)." Pairing vintage organ sounds, gentle guitar twang, and lightly distorted strums with her sugar-sweet delivery, "Georgia's" slow-but-sure tempo brings to...
HEAR ME OUT – “Borderlands”
Embracing a tight post-punk sound, Germany's HEAR ME OUT are here with the icy-cold "Borderlands." Pairing thick bass chords, spindly guitars, and calculated synth work, "Borderlands" has a gothy undertone with nods to classics like Joy Division and Depeche Mode....
Mia Day – “Severed”
Mia Day is due for a little redemption. After a string of stinging losses, she's risen like a phoenix with latest single, "Severed." After a year of hell (a "hell year," if you will), Mia channeled her pain and angst into a new album, Hellier, Forever, upon which...