Latest Posts

Baker Island – What Did Your Last Savant Die Of?

March 20, 2025

British fivesome Baker Island, based out of Newcastle, brings us this twee-filled single that begs the question, “What Did Your Last Savant Die Of?” While I don’t think this is ever answered, it does certainly roll of the tongue nicely, depending on which word you put the emphasis on; “What Did YOUR Last Savant Die Of?” “What DID Your Last Savant Die Of?” (etc.).   I’m absolutely here for the synth throughout the track and guitars that never ramble, but certainly come close to meandering. Everything blends together in what could have easily been a cacophony of noise but instead turns into a beautiful euphony that makes things feel just a bit sweeter.   You can hear the track below from the band’s Soundcloud or over on Spotify if you’re fancy like that. I started watching Six Feet Under the other day and this track proved to be a nice palate[...]

Housewife – “Matilda”

March 13, 2025

Brighid Fry (she/they) is the brains behind Canadian based indie pop (and buffaBLOG frequent – see here and here) act Housewife. “Matilda” is the latest track fresh off the Girl Of The Hour EP and it’s well worth a listen. Falling somewhere into the bedroom pop or alt-pop genre, you’ll have a good time here if you enjoy acts like Clairo or Men I Trust.   The song itself has an interesting backstory worth getting emotionally invested in – see below:   “Matilda was inspired by my bike getting stolen a couple years ago. I was an avid cyclist for years and really loved that bike (and had nicknamed it Matilda). I remember a while after it got stolen, I was out on a day that was perfect biking weather and just getting hit with how much I miss cycling. Obviously, the song isn’t just about a bike, but also[...]

Django Duyns – “Leather Skin”

March 13, 2025

“Leather Skin” is the latest track from Amsterdam artist Django Duyns. I’ll be completely honest, I didn’t know that this sound had a name of “pop noir,” but evidently “pop noir” is a sound I didn’t even know had a name *shrug emoji*. If you listened and thought this sounded vaguely reminiscent of Arctic Monkeys; you aren’t alone. Delightfully subdued guitars underpin the entirety of track along with Duyns’ sultry vocals. The rest of the three track single is also well worth you time, as you’ll certainly feel an evolution of the pop noir sound, and not just another rehash.   You can hear “Leather Skin” below from YouTube or over on Spotify. I didn’t see this on Soundcloud or Bandcamp, but could be found over on Deezer. Keep your ears out for Django Duyns’ debut album, as that is coming down the pipeline and will be available soon.  

Kylie Rothfield – “Temporary”

March 6, 2025

Imagine receiving accolades from Faith Hill AND Alicia Keys. Unless your name is Kylie Rothfield and you’re reading this (if so, hi!), then… Our guess is you probably haven’t. “Temporary” is her latest track and it’s a well crafted pop song about a relationship that doesn’t seem to have much staying power (ouch). How did I come to this conclusion? Exhibit A: “You can’t afford to take me out/get high so we can mess around/you’ll probably still let me down” (double ouch).   Rothfield’s vocals do most of the heavy lifting but are accompanied by clean guitars that sound so pleasant and dreamy. The juxtaposition with the subject matter adds a lot, but I hope no one ever sings about me like that. Though I suppose I wouldn’t mind if it sounded as good as this track.   You can hear  “Temporary” below from Soundcloud or over on Spotify. Send[...]

Rasha Jay – “SAY”

March 6, 2025

Cards on the table, when I get these songs sent to me I would say that the majority of the time I’ve never heard of the artist. My “liked” list has grown exponentially and it seems as though that has happened again with Rasha Jay‘s track “SAY.” She comes out swinging (vocally) and never really lets up with her impressive pipes. With more vocal-forward offerings, sometimes the instrumentals can go by the wayside, but that is positively not the case here; there’s a nice guitar (or synth, difficult to tell) that repeats throughout alongside a bass that has the *perfect* tone.   A self described “wild child” haling from small town Maryland, her musical style is all over the place – from this rockier/bluesy track to something a little more soulful, as well as R&B (but always LOUD). Indie rock fans looking to branch out a bit but still stay[...]

Avery Friedman – “Photo Booth”

March 6, 2025

“Photo Booth” is the latest from New York, NY musician Avery Friedman. It has a phuzzy beginning that comes back around for a couple passes, while keeping a playful, upbeat tone. There’s a smidgen of keys that combine with Friedman’s vocals for a wholly satisfying track start to finish. It has an almost bedroom-pop vibe that I can get on board with, as would anyone who enjoys Phoebe Bridgers or Adrianne Lenker’s catalogues. Speaking to the track, Avery Friedman had this to say:   “I wrote this song after a vibrant night out with my friends last winter – a night memorialized by many chaotic photo booth strips… This night out in particular felt like an encapsulation of spin-the-bottle-type ‘second adolescence’ that many queer people experience when coming into themselves after their adolescent years pass.”   You can hear it below from SoundCloud, as well as Spotify if that’s more[...]

Soot Sprite – All My Friends Are Depressed

March 4, 2025

Music can and has been used for a multitude of reasons since we started keeping track, and probably before that too (so I’m told); good, bad, ugly, funny, sad, noble, and a zillion other words to pad my word count. Calling attention to the mental health crisis falls into the “noble” category, which English band Soot Sprite does with their latest single “All My Friends Are Depressed.”   You can’t deny the buildup and fervor Elise Cook et al bring to the track, especially in the first minute. Guitars and bass feature heavily while Cook’s vocals bring some stability to the chaos. Indie shoegaze comes in many shapes and flavors, but fans of acts like Wolf Alice and Alvvays would find a lot to enjoy here.   You can hear “All My Friends Are Depressed” below from Soundcloud. I would also recommend the music video on YouTube if you’re into[...]

Softer – “Beachball”

March 1, 2025

Self-described “melancholic dreamo band from LA” Softer brings us several things: their latest single “Beachball” and questions I didn’t know I’d have to answer… What is “dreamo?” What is LA? Who am I? 1. It’s a dream pop/emo/shoegaze combo. 2. It’s Los Angeles or Louisiana (probably the former). 3. I don’t know.   Layers of guitar echo and sizzle with the upbeat tempo vocals, panting a dandy of a picture that could happen in either Los Angeles or Louisiana, as I’m pretty sure beachball happens in both places. I was initially confused because the 2025 single shares a name of a track off the band’s 2023 album Lo-Fi Bedroom Favorites. This sounds like a redux or reimaging? Similar but different. Check ’em both out and see which one you like more! After that, check out this previous writeup about a Softer song we dug from late last year.   You[...]

Karter AKA – “Waterclock Eyes”

March 1, 2025

I think we all have a huge chance to do something huge here. As per the blurb/intro on the Spotify page of Karter AKA:   “i am being held against my will in a secret chamber beneath the LA River and the only way to get me out is to listen to my songs thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of times.”   “Waterclock Eyes” is the latest track released in furtherance of this goal.   With a background as a fish biologist, his two professions have some crossover. Title of the track? “Waterclock Eyes.” The upcoming album? PRETTY FOSSILS. Other track? “Friend of the River.” You get the idea. “Waterclock Eyes” is a scrumptiously-strummed folksy tinged track that worms its way into your ear and doesn’t go away. Kind of like a sandier Kurt Vile, I suppose? (I still have “Pretty Pimpin” stuck in my head from 2015).   Speaking[...]

Hate Mail – “when i’m home”

February 27, 2025

Describing themselves as “slutty music for sad girls” (move over Taylor Swift), Hate Mail brings us their latest track “when i’m home.” With such an introduction, whether or not you are a sad girl is irrelevant because when the music is this good – we’re all sad girls. Well-put-together guitar pairs nicely with lyricist Whitney War’s endearing vox. Nothing feels too out of place and the drums do a decent amount of heavy lifting as well. Speaking to the track, the band had this to say:   “when i’m home” is a representation of us; straightforward, honest, fucked up and relatable. it’s about escapism and relying on outside sources of dopamine/serotonin to feed our delusion rather than facing our issues head on.”   You can hear “when i’m home” below from YouTube. I heard what I thought was a little nod to Matchbox Twenty at the end of the track.[...]

Hidden Youth – “Vignette”

February 27, 2025

Leeds (that’s in England) based emo punk rock band Hidden Youth comes outta NOWHERE with this picture perfect track, “Vignette.” Vocals vacillate from in-your-face to reserved at the drop of a hat. Not necessarily in the mean way, but you can tell the vocalist means business. I got echoes of simpler times – think Taking Back Sunday (what with the responsorial vox) – filled with pop punk power chords that they refine in their own way to help create a fresh sound rooted in the early 2000’s.   The track clocks in at a healthy 3:49 and the entire thing is a journey that’s at times nostalgic, but quite obviously looking forward to what’s next.   You can hear “Vignette” below from Soundcloud as well as over on Spotify. Follow Be sure to pop a follow on your preferred music streaming as well as their (as of 2/26) recently minted[...]

Love Spells – “Lovers Only”

February 20, 2025

In what is probably a blow to all haters, “Lovers Only” is the newest single from Love Spells and we’re happy to tell you all about it on the Blog. A few of their tracks (Come Over and Love Me, Love Costs, Love Lies Bleeding) follow a common theme and I’ll let you mull over what that is. Meanwhile, “Lovers Only” is a morose lo-fi guitar-forward track with singer Sir Taegen C’aion Harris getting down low and whispery. Speaking to the track, the band had this to say:   “‘Lovers Only’ is about the pain of a faltering love. Love is not meant to break us, but its struggles can pierce deeply, leaving wounds on the soul that never fully heal.”   You can hear the track below from the band’s Soundcloud, as well as Apple Music and Spotify. You’ll be able to hear “Lovers Only” on the band’s forthcoming[...]

Consumables – “Infinite Games”

February 20, 2025

“Infinite Games” is the newest (and first track) track from NYC punk act Consumables (no “the” which I respect and find very ballsy). Their album, also named Infinite Games, is coming March 7.   The track is heady and heavy – I got a lot of 90s vibes from my initial listens and it sounds like Weezer took a punk pill and turned down their pop aesthetic by like 34%. It has a sort of dazed feel that I associate with early (for me) MTV and I think you’ll enjoy it too; the smart stoner-pop genre is apparently alive and well.   You can hear “Infinite Games” below from Soundcloud, as well as over on Spotify. If you’ve enjoyed what you heard, keep your ears peeled for the debut album on 3/7/25. Keep us apprised of your musical needs and let us know if you’re looking for more like “the” Consumables.[...]

Slow Coast – “Perfect Lie”

February 20, 2025

“Perfect Lie” is Bay Area indie rock band Slow Coast’s new single. It is the *perfect* track to bring you out of the winter doldrums and, for that reason, we were super stoked to give it a listen. We previously covered a prior track from Slow Coast with their “Double Vision” single and feel the same as we do now a back in October of 2024.   While the guitar hooks are impossible to ignore, the bass provides some stellar licks that will assuredly be fighting for your attention. In all honesty, this track felt like if Coldplay or Jack Johnson was bitten by a radioactive indie rock spider, which is both an interesting proposition and a fun thought experiment… While still being a good encapsulation of Slow Coast (though, this is a broad overgeneralization).   You can hear “Perfect Lie” below via Soundcloud and over on Spotify.   Slow[...]

Bestfriend – “HEADSTART”

February 20, 2025

Holy shit, that synth! I seriously listened to the intro of “HEADSTART” like eight times – this is a new Miller record for willingly listening to the first 28 seconds of a track, so hats off to Stacy and Kaelan of Bestfriend, and their newest track.   We’ve covered the duo before here (thanks Nick!), and funnily enough, we both used the word “shit” in our first sentence. Shit in the traditional sense, this is not though! I’m one of those lucky people who experience frisson with music and it was honestly pretty much nonstop. This felt like my actual best friend decided to start a band but obsessed over a Postal Service record before doing so. You can feel the influence, but it’s not a knock off. Definitely my type of people though. Come play a show in Buffalo, we’d love to have you.   You can hear “HEADSTART”[...]