Latest Posts

Kelli Bobbi Drops New Video “MY WKND”

August 16, 2019

Indie synth-pop duo Kelli Bobbi just dropped their third single (and video) “MY WKND.” Comprised of all-star frontwoman Jaz Frazier (Hop Hop) and Steak and Cake mastermind Brandon Schlia, their latest project is a perfect dose of ‘80s nostalgia. “MY WKND” is irresistibly catchy, with hooks that will stay with you long after you’ve finished listening. Frazier is a real standout on this track, with her vocals floating effortlessly over a glistening urban funk backdrop. An unabashed party anthem, it’s a perfect if not mandatory addition to your Summer playlist. Fans of Billie Eilish, Robyn, and Janelle Monáe would be into this one. Written by John Smigielski

A House Safe for Tigers – Space Between

August 12, 2019

If it’s not baroque, then you need to fix it. That is the key to indie two-piece A House Safe For Tigers’ mojo, as is evident with their new release, Space Between. Members Mark Constintino and Brendon Delmont, who each have pasts rich with hardcore-punk and synth-heavy rock, have matured into a more serene sound, but retain the haunting atmosphere of their youth. “Bumblebee,” track one from Space Between opens the door with an upbeat ode to a wonderful person, who has earned the name, ‘”My Sweet BumbleBee.” The synth provides a full metallic melody, while the drums and percussion dig out a smooth groove. Acoustic guitar fills in the background, and the chorus explodes with the band’s well-crafted hook and vocal harmony on the title lyric. A running theme on the album is landscape and mother nature. “Sound Valley,” track number five, opens with an electric guitar riff, dry[...]

Tonight: Kill the Clock

August 11, 2019

It is with a heavy heart that we have to say goodbye to one of Buffalo’s great rock bands. Kill the Clock will be performing one last time tonight at Mohawk Place before they hang up their axes and finish the last chapter of what was a great a great career. The band, which has been active for close to a decade now, has released a multitude of records and EP’s, and has toured the country several times, capturing our hearts and becoming  a long time staple of the pop punk scene. Joining the gang on stage this evening are local emo boys Ghostpool, the always-entertaining Keep Flying, Ontario indie-poppers Harbour, and Pittsburgh pop-punkers Eternal boy. This is not going to be a show you’re going to want to miss. This is nearly a sell-out show, so if you haven’t gotten your ticket already, we suggest you get on that. Written by[...]

Roger Bryan and The Orphans Release New Single

August 9, 2019

Local indie mainstays, Roger Bryan and The Orphans are back with the announcement of their new album. Their first single, “Nowhere, Underground,” from their forthcoming LP, Keep You In Mind, kicks off with a quick four bar build before a shiny slide guitar, or possible pedal-steel, blossoms out. Lead singer/strummer, Roger Bryan’s deep vocals lock in with the back beat rhythm and complement the guitar playing quite well. Think The Fray mixed with The National.Taking on themes of self-dependence, Bryan uses the lyrics, “Gunning for the crown, Patiently, nowhere to be found, nowhere underground, No where is the reason you have a soul to breathe,” to introduce a character who has shrugged off the modern trappings of society. “Feed off the moon, and sing into your lips,” lyrics describing a hopelessly romantic scene, proves the optimism held in life’s simple pleasures. Taking a cue from the debut single, the rest[...]

Bubba Crumrine Shares Experimental New Release

August 8, 2019

How Brightly Can You Burn?, Bubba Crumrine’s twelfth solo release since 2011, finds the Ithaca avant-garde artist experimenting with melding electric and acoustic instrumentation, vacillating between gorgeous melody and discomforting, atonal noise. Shrouded in mysterious vocal howls, droning chants, and the occasional verse, Crumrine’s vocals provide a layer of accessibility to the album’s soundscapes, giving the listener a foothold amidst the avalanche of ambient pads and incessant bells and washboards. Crumrine describes the album as “the sound of transitioning from one generation to the next and the pressure, excitement, and loss that surrounds,” and listeners can feel that in the album’s meandering streams of consciousness and pensive chord choices. The atmosphere within the songs carries the tropical heaviness one feels in the cumulus stage of a thunderstorm just before lightning cracks the sky in two and heavy rains descend on a boiling and humid summer day below, bringing both relief[...]

Tonight: Cloud District

August 8, 2019

Local alternative acts SMUG and Color Cult will give a warm Buffalo welcome to New Paltz’s Cloud District tonight as the three take the stage at DIY space Sugar City. With a stacked lineup spanning subgenres, tonight’s show is sure to attract a diverse audience of indie music lovers. The local bands on this bill are ones we know and loveSMUG has been playing around the city ever since they got back from tour in support of 2018’s Gorgeous, a triumphant pop punk record that blends catchy melodies, powerful vocals, and tireless, rhythmic guitars and drums to produce the perfect soundtrack to scream and dance along to. Labelmates Color Cult recently emerged from a rebranding, releasing a new single “Invisible Monster” in June following a name change from The Sofa Kingz. A slight departure from the sound of monikers past, the track keeps the party-ready indie pop charm of The[...]

Tonight: Interpol

August 6, 2019

New York City post-punk act Interpol makes their return to the area with a show at Town Ballroom tonight. After forming in 1997, they burst onto the scene with 2002’s Turn on the Bright Lights which forever cemented them into the indie-rock canon. Along with The Strokes and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, they defined the sound of the early 2000’s NYC scene. After a hiatus the band is back with the 2018 release of Matador. While not as strong as Turn on the Bright Lights, it’s very clearly the band’s strongest release in a decade. The band followed this up most recently with A Fine Mess, a five track EP they released in May 2019. With an instantly recognizable sound and catchy, danceable hooks, this concert is sure to appeal to long time listeners as well as recent converts. Expect to hear a mix of songs, but focused heavily on Turn[...]

Folkfaces – Fat Ol’ Rat

August 5, 2019

Buffalo’s rowdy roots rock quartet Folkfaces just released their sophomore album Fat Ol’ Rat. With their signature blend of raucous jazz and blues, the quartet has further refined their sound since their debut release How Long? in 2017. Anchored by the virtuosic multi-instrumentalist Tyler Westcott, the group also features local sax powerhouse Ellen Pieroni, upright bassist Patrick Jackson, and washboard wunderkind Dan Schwach. It’s fairly easy to hear the influences of Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie, Dave Van Ronk, and Django Reinhardt on the band’s sound, but to stop there would be fairly limiting. There’s also a healthy dose of jazz, jug band, and even punk that round out their very eclectic sound. Without doubt I believe Fat Ol’ Rat is the band’s most successful album, as it captures the high energy and intensity that is ever present at their live shows. An absolute barn-burner from start to finish, Westcott’s rambling[...]

Tonight: Kurt Vile & the Violators

July 31, 2019

Tonight, you best make your way down to Town Ballroom to catch the one and only Kurt Vile & the Violators. Vile, who originally made a name for himself in The War On Drugs, has been an indie rock and folk machine, cranking out 8 studio albums since his solo debut in 2008. For those efforts, his trip to the Queen City has been long awaited, and long overdue. This show will have quite the draw, so if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, now’s the time. Joining The Violators on stage this evening are Garcia Peoples, a rock n’ roll and jam band powerhouse from Rutherford, New Jersey. Tickets are available online via Town Ballroom’s website. or $37 at the door. Written by Mike Rakiecki

Kelli Bobbi Drops Second Single/Video “July Rush”

July 26, 2019

Buffalo label Steak & Cake Records is back with another summer single and video by pop act Kelli Bobbi. “July Rush,” directed by Brandon Schlia and starring singer Jazmine Frazier, epitomizes the youthful defiance of summer days and nights. Kelli Bobbi embodies 1980s revival. The name alone sounds like it belongs to an ‘80s pop icon, and the video for “July Rush” serves some fashion nostalgia with oversized jackets, bright high-waisted shorts, crew socks, smoky purple eyeshadow, neon shades, and denim – though you’d probably see these styles walking around the city right here in summer 2019. This then-meets-now aesthetic also comes through in the music, and it’s infectiously fun. The track has an instant, understated catchiness from the beginning; synth, a simple drum beat, and Frazier’s breezy vocals evoke the timeless feelings of optimism and excitement that come when the summer really starts to get going every year. The[...]

Carmen & Lizzy – Climate

July 23, 2019

Mother Nature’s daughters have come down from the clouds with an album of tender and heartfelt songs. Buffalo’s Carmen & Lizzy, cousins who grew up together singing and playing music have released their third effort in three years, 2019’s Climate. An introspective album about their past, present, and future, Climate polishes elements of folk to tackle an ever pressing dilemma: Our Environment. “Carry You,” a short lead off track, gently stirs the album to life with thick and warm acoustic pickings from Carmen, guitar and vocals. The message directly employs pathos with Lizzy, vocals, reassuring that the subject will always have an aid. Bridging seamlessly into the second song, “Shelter,” the album continues its message of protecting the most vulnerable. Lizzy and Carmen highlight their harmonious beauty throughout the entire track, which bolsters the compassionate lyrics, “Even if you want to hide/I’ll shelter you.” Pulling from their bag of magic,[...]

Ugly Sun – s/t

July 22, 2019

Crunchy, sweaty, rock-n-roll that should be played to summon demigods or while making sweet love under the desert sun has landed in Buffalo. The Crook brothers, John and Harrison, formed the rock duo Ugly Sun and have showed us the portal to a good time with the release of their first album, self-titled, Ugly Sun. The tone of the album begins at the cover. A desert sun setting behind mountains, spends its last few minutes shining down on a group of presumably nude females. If one downloads their album from Spotify, the figures will be blurred. However, I am hard pressed to believe that the brothers made that decision themselves, since their attitudes align with consistently pushing their creative boundaries. “Little Fire,” the album’s first song, and first released track, begins with an airy guitar melody that steadily builds until it combusts into a full on arena rock guitar lick[...]

Tonight: The Burkharts

July 20, 2019

Wes Anderson’s favorite band, The Burkharts, have released the perfect soundtrack for summer daydreams. Their latest effort, ‘Lazy Dazing’, shows how the Buffalo natives have grown into a distinct field of well-crafted and hook laden indie rock n roll. Reminiscent of Buffalo heavyweight ex-pat M.A.G.S. with a hint of Mac DeMarco, The Burkharts will put a groove in your step tonight at Nietzsche’s. Sharing the stage will be newcomer M.T. Lakes, who will be playing their second show ever (this time a stripped down solo set), former Dreambeaches guitarist Koko Neetz, and one-woman synth project VHS Era. Doors at 9pm with a $5 cover. Written by Kevin Prentice

Tonight: SMUG

July 19, 2019

Dust off those earplugs. Nietzsche’s will be hosting an alt-rock blowout tonight as pop punk trio SMUG headlines its first show of the season, with support from Canetis and Hundred Plus Club. SMUG left its past life behind with the release of 2018’s Gorgeous, a high-energy album that takes the late ‘00s pop punk we all loved (come on, you know you did) and brings it to the present, blasting listeners with a fresh, memorable blend of bubbly punk rock. If that’s not reason enough to get yourself down to Allentown, this will be Buffalo alt babies Canetis’ first-ever show, fresh off the back of the release of their impressive first single “Warning Call.” Round that out with Hundred Plus Club’s powerful indie rock, and you’ve got yourselves a certifiable banger. Doors for this 21+ show open at 9pm. $5 cover. Gorgeous by SMUGWritten by Grace Trimper

Tonight: Twin XL

July 19, 2019

L.A. Trio, Twin XL will be making an appearance tonight at The Tralf, located in Buffalo’s theatre district. The pseudo-supergroup, which includes Cameron Walker-Wright, and brothers Stephen and John Gomez, previously of The Summer Set fame, formed in 2018 and quickly released the EP entitled How To Talk To Strangers. The record combines the perfect combination of glistening retro synths, catchy bass-lines, and memorable melodies. Making large strides, the group has already toured with Jukebox The Ghost earlier this year, and is set to embark on another tour later this year with I Don’t Know How But They Found Me. Supporting Twin XL onstage are Buffalo’s own rockers Marquee Grand. Tickets can be purchased for $1.07 in advance courtesy of 107.7 FM, or alternatively $10 at the door. Written by Mike Rakiecki