Latest Posts

Olmsted Debuts New Singles

Buffalo bedroom pop newcomers Olmsted have emerged onto the Buffalo DIY scene with their first single, “The Storm.” The duo, composed of bassist/vocalist Lydia Beinhauer and former Halo Nellie guitarist Nathaniel Miller, co-write dreamy, raw pop music with contemplative lyrics. “The Storm” is a building, ethereal waltz. It starts out simple, with a guitar track and Beinhauer’s lone voice. The song becomes more fleshed-out as it continues, with gossamer synth, a drum machine, experimental noise sampling, and vocals from Miller as well. Beinhauer and Miller’s pleasant voices complement each other, which we also see on the single’s B-side, “The Eye.” The songs are approachable and calming, even though the words suggest a little more unease. From both tracks, we get a good idea of what to expect from Olmsted in the future: relaxed, organic, and endearing lo-fi pop. Olmsted plays January 31st with Modest Mouse tribute act Pompous Rat on[...]

Tonight: Mal Blum

Downstate singer-songwriter Mal Blum is coming to the 9th Ward at Babeville tonight for the first of two headlining dates after their fall tour with Titus Andronicus. The New York-based artist is touring in support of the energetically confessional Pity Boy, which came out earlier this year. Mal Blum creates pop punk with an anti-folk backstory. The SUNY Purchase graduate began their career writing, releasing, and performing stripped-down, acoustic folk. After five self-released albums, Blum signed to Don Giovanni records in 2014, beginning a gradual transition from folk to folk punk, and eventually losing the folk sound altogether with their most recent release. The folk spirit of their earlier work never left despite this change, each lyrically honest, slice-of-life song telling a tale of personal growth. According to Blum, Pity Boy is mainly about the patterns of life and our attempts to break away from them. These mini-stories meld together[...]

The Tins Release New Single “Sooner or Later”

Buffalo music scene mainstays The Tins have had a pretty good summer – and you might’ve noticed during your morning commute and coffee run. Their spring single “City Lies II,” which we here at BuffaBLOG loved, landed on Starbucks’ retail playlist, playing in stores across North America. They also got some love on satellite radio, with their cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper” currently in rotation on SiriusXM. The Tins are riding that high into the fall with a minimalist, vaguely spooky new single “Sooner or Later.” “Sooner or Later” is a refreshing step in a new direction for The Tins. You can count the tracks on barely more than one hand – drums, a groovy bass line, rhythm and lead guitar, synth, layered vocals, and a shaker (which I hope is shaped like an egg) on the chorus –, and that’s all you need, really. Drummer Dave Muntner has[...]

Tonight: Wine Lips

North American neighbors and garage punk trio Wine Lips will headline Electric Avenue tonight, with a moniker that conjures images of a look I may or may not choose to sport later. The Toronto band is touring in support of their 2019 self-titled album. Wine Lips is a head-banging tribute to the blues and garage rock of decades past. Their new album Wine Lips (2019) serves soulful surf punk excellence, tying up a pretty package of catchy rhythm guitar, bluesy riffs, groovy bass lines, and gritty vocals. If you need another reason to come down, yesterday was drummer Aurora Evans’ birthday, and it’s my birthday today. It’s a certified Libra party, and a punk one at that. Also on this rockin’ bill are Woodstock’s The Bobby Lees and Buffalo bands Tony Rocky Horror and Facility Men. Doors for this 21+ show open at 9pm. $7 cover. Stressor by Wine Lips

False Pockets – s/t

Math rock band False Pockets has emerged onto the Rochester music scene with its debut, self-titled EP. False Pockets is a creative effort with a layered sound that blends math rock, post-rock, indie, and a dash of prog. The time signatures on the EP are varied enough to satisfy the mathiest of math enthusiasts, but the approach is gentle; even the uninitiated can enjoy every track, each having an interesting yet digestible structure. With charming titles resembling inside jokes and a sparing use of vocals, the EP relies on its instrumentation to tell a story. Each element is crucial, and each member of the band is indispensable to the overall sound. The reverberating guitars are somehow crunchy, clean, and ethereal all at once, the bass is both fuzzy and powerful, and the attacking drums seamlessly guide the songs throughout their varying times and tempos. When the vocals do come, they’re[...]

Tonight: Aweful Kanawful

With lineups so consistently solid that it’s hard to tell who the intended headliner is, Nietzsche’s has been the place to be on recent Friday nights. This weekend, that trend continues with local acts Ex-Pat, Aircraft, and VR Sunset, along with a special visit from Rochester’s Aweful Kanawful. Here’s what to expect from each, in two sentences or less. Ex-Pat’s lo-fi synth pop is so soothing, it might as well be a blood pressure medication. Upon hearing the reverberating, ethereal guitar, keys, and falsetto, your breathing will slow to the beat of the music, your sneakers will melt into the floor, and you’ll float into a blissful waking dream – trust me, I’ve been there. Aircraft is perfect for trying to surf on Lake Erie (good luck). Springy, yet sinuous guitars, deeply layered harmonies, and beach-y drums build a kaleidoscope of psychedelic surf-rock that’s so fun and consuming, it’s honestly[...]

Tonight: Boy Jr.

I don’t know about you, but to me this week feels like it crawled straight out of hell. The sun is shining, but the school buses clogging up Main St. are screaming, “Summer’s over!” We all need some good music to send the past few days whence they came. Luckily, Nietzsche’s is serving up the good stuff tonight. Boy Jr. is the musical brainchild of SUNY Purchase alum and current Rochestarian, Erica Allen-Lubman, a singer-songwriter with the know-how of a music school grad and the raw energy of a glam rocker. Her discography is a venture from soulful garage rock into sassy, glittery, guitar-driven pop, with one common, indispensable element – that voice. Allen-Lubman’s powerful vocals, cutting lyrics, and fun costumes combine to make Boy Jr. a meditation in self-expression – that is, if you can meditate and dance at the same time. Also on deck is Fredonia psych rock[...]

Tonight: Another Michael

Everyone knows more than one Michael. In elementary school, we reduced the identities of the various Michaels in our class to their last initials – a Michael I., a Michael D., a Michael R., and a Michael N. Another Michael is playing tonight at Mohawk Place tonight, namely another Michael D. Michael Doherty, an Albany expat and newly Philadelphia-based singer-songwriter who normally plays with a full band, has traded his usual lineup this summer for a more intimate solo tour of the American northeast with Bruiser and Bicycle, who are touring in support of their 2019 album Woods Come Find Me. Another Michael is hard to pin down. Even without a list of bands in front of them, any listener can tell this group pulls influence from all over the place, spanning genre and time. Doherty’s versatile vocal style vacillates between powerful clarity and celestial resonance, often breaching R&B territory.[...]