Latest Posts

Tonight: Toro Y Moi

Often referred to as the father of the chillwave movement, Chaz Bundick, more commonly known by his stage name, Toro Y Moi, will perform at Waiting Room tonight. Since 2008, Bundick has released four albums, each drastically different in style, with inventiveness as their common thread. Bundick recently released What For? in April, revealing a completely new layer to this already multifaceted discography. Although Bundick protested in a 2013 Rolling Stone interview that his first album, Causers of This, “was not supposed to be played live,” his past performances prove otherwise. Despite his recent dabbling in the electronic disco rock genre, we can only hope that Bundick will play what initially made him so compelling — that unforgettable synthetic dream: chillwave. Opening for Bundick this evening will be arena pop act Astronauts, etc. Doors open at 7pm and tickets are still available for $22.

The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness

At the age of 25, Canadian R&B singer The Weeknd is set to drop his second studio album, Beauty Behind the Madness, on Friday, and while the record is still pending an official release, nearly half of its tracks have already had success as chart-topping singles. Abdel Tesfaye, the man behind The Weeknd, possesses a uniquely contemporary sound that acts as a soundtrack for the restless and experimental youth of today, leading critics to categorize Tesfaye’s sound as PBR&B, a genre alternative to R&B. As a whole, Beauty Behind the Madness gives you what you’d expect from The Weeknd: sex, drugs, partying, more sex, and lots of falsetto. Despite Tesfaye’s frequent recycling of these themes, he manages to spin them in an irresistible way that will have you humming along, whether you want to or not. Following 2013’s Kiss Land, which was, in my opinion, a considerably mundane album, Beauty[...]

Tonight: Zach Deputy

Performing while under prepared should be a musician’s worst fear…right? Apparently not! When it comes to Zach Deputy, imprecise planning is what makes his act so unpredictable. After realizing his bassist couldn’t make show a while back, Deputy went right on without him and began looping instrumentals and vocals: a real DIY. Performing as a one-man band with the energy of five, he characterizes his music as, “island-infused drum n’ bass gospel ninja soul.” What’s that mean? I’m not quite sure. I characterize his music as funky and bluesy experimental rock. Regardless, he’s bound to leave your jaw hanging to the floor, with the question in your mind: “How the hell did he do that?” Deputy will perform tonight at Buffalo Iron Works at 9pm. Tickets cost $15 at the door.

Tonight: Tyler, The Creator

Back in 2010, Tyler, The Creator debuted his first studio album, Goblin. With lyrics that bring new meaning to the word “offensive,” he not so quietly gained some notorious attention. Name dropping everyone from Bruno Mars to Miley Cyrus (in not so pleasant terms) his music, despite being vehemently off-putting to some critics, was the subject of conversation. Not so shockingly, Tyler has admitted to being a fan of Eminems. What the two have in common, perhaps, is their ability to offend basically everyone with homophobic and otherwise demeaning slurs. However, his vulgarity was not his only gimmick: in his music video for his single, “Yonkers,” a song proclaiming itself a paradox, Tyler again received attention, going so far as to eat — and regurgitate — a live cockroach for the sake of authenticity. As an early listener of Tyler’s music, I admittedly hated everything about him. I first heard[...]

Toro Y Moi – What For?

Often characterized as the father of chillwave, Chazwick Bundick, or Toro Y Moi, has released his fourth album, What For? this past Tuesday. With music that’s just as strange as his name, Bundick has pushed all boundaries concerning genre. Since 2008, Bundick has artistically manipulated what we know about music – only to invert it – and the resulting experience has been sublime. Now, he has built somewhat of a cult following, despite each album sounds drastically incomparable to the last. If you’ve heard Causers of This (2010), then you know why Bundick has been credited with beginning the chillwave genre. An intensely dreamy experience, Causers of This is certainly an acquired taste. (I can remember my siblings complaining about how repetitive it was when I played it in the car.) Still, it was weird, and it was memorable – that’s what drew me in. Underneath the Pine (2011) is[...]

Lupe Fiasco – Tetsuo & Youth

After announcing his departure from Twitter just earlier this week, the unusual Lupe Fiasco released his fifth studio album, Tetsuo & Youth, yesterday. The explanation for who or what “Tetsuo” remains just as much of a mystery as the man himself. Regardless of Fiasco’s decision to stray from the cultural mainstream, his music has not at all suffered. In fact, his desire for isolation might be what makes this album so effective. Tetsuo & Youth, compact with 16 tracks, makes use of historical knowledge to critique contemporary society, while remaining uncontrived. From reading the track list, and then taking a look at the features (among them are Guy Sebastian, Nikki Jean, and Ab Soul), I expected (and hoped) that this album would provide a fresh perspective in the hip-hop world. Thankfully, I wasn’t disappointed. Released back in November, the album’s downtempo first single, “Deliver,” resonates harshly. . Despite its catchy[...]

Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways

Indisputably so, the Foo Fighters have steadily led at the forefront of rock music, and after twenty years of making music, it is safe—if not necessary—to characterize this band as an American classic. To what I’m sure is everyone’s delight, the band decided to celebrate its 20th anniversary in an unusual way while making their latest album, Sonic Highways. After years of playing drums for legendary grunge band, Nirvana, David Grohl has long since moved up as front man and songwriter for the Foo Fighters. And although I would argue 90% of the time that the cut-off age for being in a rock band is 40 (take a hint, Billy Joel Armstrong), Grohl forcibly shatters this notion with the debut of the latest album. Sonic Highways manages to accomplish quite a few impressive feats in a relatively compact amount of time. The album’s main allure is not necessarily in the[...]

Tonight: Tokyo Police Club

The day after Halloween can feel anticlimactic, especially if you’ve just spent the night partying away. Solution? Start off pie-season right, and grab tickets to see Tokyo Police Club at the Town Ballroom. Though this band is rooted in Ontario, they’ve made quite an impression on the USA (so much so that they cover the classic Miley Cyrus song, “Party in the USA”). This concert will allow you to have the best of both worlds: an irresistibly Canadian indie-rock band showcased at one of Buffalo’s most adored concert venues. Perhaps best known for their single, “Your English is Good,” this almost decade-old band will start your November off on the right foot (and might be the perfect solution to shake off the night before, if you have to!). Doors open at 7 pm, and if you need tickets, you can grab them for $24 upon arrival. Fellow Canadian act, the Arkells,[...]

Stars – No One Is Lost

While watching the closing minutes of “High Fidelity,” an episode of Degrassi (circa 2006), I found myself entranced by the lyrics of its concluding song: “Live through this and you won’t look back.” After a little digging, I found out the song was “Your Ex-Lover Is Dead” by indie-pop band, Stars. Now, nearly ten years later, the Canadian band has released their latest album, No One Is Lost. And though their impact has slightly diminished since then, the quality of their sound has certainly maintained through the decade. In tempo with their typical vibe, No One Is Lost features lots of keyboard, alternating vocals between Torquil Campbell and Amy Millan, and of course, some 80’s flare. While the latest Stars album does not necessarily present anything different from previous albums, it proves a valuable steal for both long-time fans and newly acquainted listeners. There is something to be said for their[...]

alt-J – This Is All Yours

If you’ve already listened to An Awesome Wave (2012), then it should come as no surprise that England-based trio, alt-J, is the farthest thing from generic.  With the release of their latest album, This Is All Yours, their peculiar sound seems only to have intensified, resulting in a compelling listening experience. As is characteristic to alt-J, An Awesome Wave is brimming with harmonies, layering, and, of course, the inevitable struggle to decipher what Joe Newman is actually saying.  This, however, does not distract in any way from the quality of their sound. In fact, it amplifies its strangeness in such a way that is magnetic. The album’s main quirk lies in the fact that there is a large disconnect between the tracks. While some songs (“Arrival in Nara,” “Pusher,” “Warm Foothills”) are almost hauntingly delicate, other songs possess verve and comedic relief.  “Every Other Freckle” particularly speaks to this dynamic;[...]

Interpol – El Pintor

After nearly twenty years of creating music, inclusive of a four year hiatus, New York City’s Interpol has produced an astonishingly flat album: El Pintor. At best, El Pintor is pedestrian; at worst, it is banal, unimaginative, and something of a cop-out. Perhaps it was the hiatus (2009-2013) that threw the band off kilter. Quite possibly, they are losing their touch, or maybe, after gathering such an ardent fan-base for nearly two decades, they merely stopped trying. Reminiscent to a bad amalgam between The Strokes and R.E.M., it sounds promising. The ultimate result, however, lacks any novelty. Upon first listening through the album, I initially had the impression that I had heard it somewhere before. This is, of course, because the album is indistinguishable from any other run-of-the-mill alternative rock album out there. In fact, what is probably most disheartening about El Pintor is not necessarily that it’s bad, but that it left me with no[...]