Latest Posts

The New York Breakfast Releases DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK

April 1, 2014

Anyone who takes even a brief dip into the waters of Buffalo’s live music culture quickly realizes that Steak and Cake founder Brandon Schlia is one of its proudest captains. On the eve before his label’s third anniversary show (which also happened to be Valentine’s Day), he was part of an unforeseen and harrowing turn of events that left him hospitalized. Showing perseverance in the face of adversity as well as true rock n’ roll diction, the two part show went on, and even included Schlia, home from the hospital and sitting on a chair in his living room.  Last Friday, Steak and Cake released a 4-track album titled DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK by his personal solo project, The New York Breakfast. The New York Breakfast has always been an intimate vessel, and these songs make the listener feel as if they’re spying on Schlia in his bedroom while he plays[...]

S Carey – Range of Light

April 1, 2014

S. Carey – better known as Sean Carey, the drummer for Bon Iver – knows how to stay on the top of his solo game. After surprisingly captivating us with single after single of ethereal beauty from his debut effort All We Grow, the soft voiced drummer has returned in 2014 with the transcendent Range of Light. The instrumentalist turned solo singer-songwriter has only continued to perfect his craft with each new song release, supplying us with even sleeker orchestral compilations and fresh environmentally inspired jams. And, yes – he’s done it again. Building across a sparse, spacey experimental apparatus, album opener “Glass/Film” provides the record’s whole ambience within its confines, which is to say, it shows a certain intentional complexity in its orchestration that Carey always strives to add. This follows straight into “Creaking,” another track piggybacking on Carey’s attention to detail, especially in the way it creates a complex soundscape revolving around water droplets,[...]

Check Out Made Violent’s New Video “Dirty”

April 1, 2014

There’s something incredibly infectious about Made Violent’s approach to rock’n’roll. Part Strokes-swagger, part downstroke pummel, their songs have a melodic bite to them; A special kind of thing that you don’t find every day. Attitude, fun, and energy have always embodied this kind of spirit and Made Violent seem to have tapped into the main vein. Check out their new video for the track “Dirty” for further proof. It’s bombastic, unhinged, yet frenetically tight and it won’t leave your brain for days. With some killer sessions at Quiet Country Audio in the pipe, as well as love from NME, this is a band that’s clearly going places. Watch the video below and you’ll see why.

Wild Wild Fest Announces Lineup

March 31, 2014

This evening, the Wild Wild Fest announced the initial lineup for year three of the two-day fest. Hosted at the Willow Creek Winery in Silver Creek, NY, and curated by Matt Wisniewski aka Well Worn Boot’s Plainsman, the fest will be hosting Well Worn Boot (festival founders), Lazlo Hollyfeld, Jack Toft, Mr. Boneless, Aircraft, Armcannon, Lesionread, Folk Faces, and many more acts from the WNY area and beyond. Tickets will be available for $30 in advance/$40 at the door for a full weekend pass, or $20 in advance/$30 the door for single day passes. You can purchase tickets at the Wild Wild Fest website, or at a few local shops, including Ultra Hoops in Buffalo and Willow Creek itself. Volunteer opportunities for the festival, which include free entry, camping, and food, are also available. If interested, please inquire here. In other Well Worn Boot news, the band just released the first single from its upcoming new EP. Titled “Certified[...]

Passion In Constellation Drops New Single

March 31, 2014

Passion in Constellation, the project of Buffalo producer Chris Alan, released its follow up single to “Sunlight” this past weekend. On “Weird Tonight,” Alan appears to be aiming to drop a summer anthem on Buffalo as playful synths lead up to a big chorus that recalls Empire of the Sun’s “Alive.” Fans of Passion Pit, MGMT (at their less difficult), and yes, Empire of the Sun, should give the track a listen. Keep an eye out for future tunes from this interesting project. Check out “Weird Tonight” below.

First Aid Kit – “My Silver Lining”

March 31, 2014

Lead off single from the folk sister’s forthcoming album, Stay Gold, set to drop on June 10th via Columbia Records. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/140599293″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Failures’ Union – Tethering

March 31, 2014

When I mentioned to people that I’d be writing up the new Failures’ Union release, Tethering, I generally got one of two responses.  The first was that these guys were staples over at Mohawk Place. The association makes sense: that’s where the band got its start back in 2004. “We started out in a practice space above the bar, and that tiny room, along with the bar itself, were our homes for many years,” said Failures’ Union bassist Jason Draper.  With Mohawk gone, the band and the city are still feeling the hurt. Failures’ Union has only played four local dates since the venue closed its doors. Draper pointed out that some venues, like Spiral Scratch Records and the newly-resurrected Sugar City, have stepped up to the plate since, but that “it’s a band-aid to a problem that needs some stitches.” If the music scene is going to flourish once again, it needs a[...]

Tonight: buffaBLOG 4th Birthday Party

March 29, 2014

Our birthday has arrived. Well, technically its tomorrow, but we are close enough. This evening at Duke’s, we will celebrate four years of the blog with a great cast of bands from over the WNY area. If you missed any of the spotlights on the acts playing tonight, make a moment to brush up below. Mr. Boneless Harmonica Lewinski Alex Berkley & the Atlanta Falcons Real People Chauncey Tails I suppose there isn’t much more to say. Thanks to everyone who helped us get to year four. Hopefully we will have many more birthdays down the road. Party kicks off tonight at 10pm sharp. Not Buffalo time. Real time. Cover is only $5.

buffaBLOG 4th Birthday Party Artist Spotlight: Chauncey Tails

March 28, 2014

One of the most important factors involved in pleasing the party goers is the disc jockey. They do us a great service by pleasing our eardrums in-between acts, making sure we all keep our dancing shoes in check. This time around for our 4th bday party at Duke’s, we will have Gowanda native Chauncey Tails spinning a delightful mix before acts, during, and closing out the night. Chauncey certainly has his chops when it comes to the wide-range of influences working within his own music, not only focusing on more popular genres such as dub-step but also incorporating elements of IDM, house, and trip-hop.   Take, for instance, the songs “waitin 4 2 nite” and “Yr Girls Got a Drug Prob (Instrumental).” Chauncey layers minimally–and that may sound contradictory. He lays down an initial beat, with the former track it’s more so four on the floor, and then glitches in a sharp, witty loop that could become[...]

Johnny Cash – Out Amoung The Stars

March 28, 2014

It’s hard to believe that over a decade after his death, Johnny Cash is still giving us new, baritone-riddled insights to chew on. Or maybe it’s not, given the many stories that seem necessary to accompany a life held by such a prolific personality. In his fourth posthumous release, Out Among The Stars endows listeners with just a few more narratives, realizations, and introspective absurdities from a man who rambled along the volatile path of addiction, god, flailing integrity, and poetic emotion that so characteristically dubbed him country’s humble outlaw—the Man in Black.  Recorded in the early ‘80s and shelved by his then-label Columbia Records, the twelve-tracked compilation features two originals (“Call Your Mother” and “I Came To Believe”) nestled comfortably among—though slightly overshadowed by—a series of covers and duets that only seem to bolster Cash’s steady knack for reinventing and transforming the songs of others into refined works of his own.[...]

Waka Flocka Flame – Re-up Mixtape

March 27, 2014

Waka Flocka goes hard in the motherfuckin tape on his new mix, Re-Up, an 11 track compilation with solid production and clever collaborations. His much-anticipated album, Flockaveli 2, doesn’t drop til later this year, and this mix will carry you through til it’s release. Fellow Atlanta rapper Young Scooter is featured on the 808 Mafia produced second track, “Cook Jug,” and has one of the catchier hooks on the mix. Both “Lottery” and “Ain’t No Problems” have that signature Waka sound, and the latter has verses from oddly charismatic ATL rapper Young Thug and Judo. “Word to the Wise,” an impeccably produced track by up and coming rapper-turned-producer Metro Boomin, is one of the strongest on the tape, and it’s worth mentioning that Metro is only 19 years old. He can’t get into the clubs that play his music, but that’s what house parties, like the one in “Real N!gga Love,” are for. Featuring the OG of[...]

Woods – “With Light and With Love”

March 27, 2014

Swagger filled title track from forthcoming  release via Woodist Records (4/15). Woods continue to get better with every release, and With Light and With Love could be best yet. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/140731408″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Mid-Winter Beach Party

March 27, 2014

Buffalo is notorious for its confusing weather, and weather confused citizens.  While visiting Californians may still be shivering in their long underwear tonight, Broadway Joe’s will be soaking in the glorious 46 degree weather with a beach party, complete with punk n’ tots. Mayday! will be performing, and their heavy hitting B-52’s esque track “Blood Bath” could be this event’s party anthem. With such delicious song titles as “Shark Sandwich” and “Illegal Alien vs. Child Predator,” they’re sure to give an electrifying performance, so you best wear a swimsuit made of rubber. The reverb drenched tones of Aaron and the Burrs will propel attendees they ride the waves and surf the crowd. Embrace the ocean of thrashing instrumental surf rock. The Televisionaries out of Rochester will round off the set with dirty, gritty surf punk. Start the weekend tonight with music to break down sandcastles to.  Admission is a cheap[...]

Attic Abasement Teases Upcoming Split LP

March 27, 2014

Carbon Records, a 20 + year Rochester indie rock mainstay, is prepping the release of a split LP from 585 act Attic Abasement and Nod. Earlier this week, the label dropped a couple teaser tracks from the record via bandcamp. “Pretty Teeth,” part of the Attic Abasement half of the LP, is a cut of jangly 90’s college rock from the bedroom indie rockers, led by lead singer Mike Rheinheimer’s pleaing vocals. Fans of Yuck, Silver Jews, Smog, and Pavement should check the track out. The full release appears to be dropping in early April. In the mean time, listen to “Pretty Teeth” below.

buffaBLOG 4th Birthday Party Artist Spotlight: Real People

March 27, 2014

Back in November, when Real People’s excellent Ceilings EP got the album of the week treatment, our own Nick Sessanna wrote that “Real People is a prime example of a band meant to be seen in basements.” By which he meant that they’re the kind of band you want to thrash around to, sweat and bleed on friends and strangers to: the kind of band that is not only there to be listened to, but experienced. He isn’t wrong. But I have confidence that, on Saturday, they’ll be able to bring the energy and grit of an all-out basement throwdown to Duke’s for buffaBLOG’s 4th birthday party. Real People has been around since 2008, but they’ve got a ton of momentum right now. Ceilings is a stellar example of emo done right: raw as all hell and void of cliches (not to mention that lead singer Landon Sworts has some fucking pipes). They released a session with Quiet Country Audio late[...]