Latest Posts

Twin Child Drop New Single “Amateur MCs”

December 8, 2019

Buffalo spitfires Twin Child and Benny Moses comes through with ferocity with his latest single “Amateur MCs.” Twin Child is the rap moniker for SMUG drummer Travis Perno, who with this project has abandoned his punk stylings for punchy rhymes. Rapping at a breakneck speed, the pairing stays true to to the track title, referencing life outside of the pros, with a minimum wage check in your digital wallet. Twin Child cooked the beat and ate it, and he and Benny Moses do their best to live in the shadow of Fu Schnickens or Tech N9ne’s Strange Music crew with their delivery. Child is creative with his sample choice on production, and the “This some shit we’ve never seen before” serves as nice table settings for the two’s verses. Check it out here:

Tonight: GRLwood

December 4, 2019

Punk rockers GRLWood are at the 9th Ward tonight to deliver their thoughtful, high energy flavor The duo visits fresh off of their sophomore album release I Sold My Soul To The Devil When I Was 12, a thematic project that touches traditional punk themes while also diving into identity and queerness. Songs build from subdued into scream pop, and GRLwood are known for their live spectacles. Buffalocals Tina Panic Noise join GRLwood on the card, piecing together a night of defiant, queer punk rock jammers. Influenced by the likes of Sleater-Kinney and Mannequin Pussy, Tina speaks, and screams, for the marginalized to be heard. Tickets go for $10 with doors at 7pm, and the show kicks off at 8pm. Preview the sound below:

Tonight: Hundred Plus Club

November 27, 2019

You know the deal. Wednesday before Thanksgiving = the #1 going-out night of the year. Nietzsche’s is properly prepared with a loaded card of homegrown indie rock talent to float you through to the holidays. Three-piece Cooler takes the stage fresh off of the release of their sharp-tongued, driving new single “Gentleman.” Hundred Plus Club is bringing their ear-worm catalog for some spins that’ll get your head bobbing and your body weaving.  Crisp outfit Urban Planning  and the snarky pop-punkers  SMUG round out a card that’ll leave the stage in flames. Plenty of chances to find your anthem for the night with the songwriting talent that’ll be in the room. We’ll see you there. $5 gets you in the doors after 8pm. What are you thankful for?

Preview: Koko Neetz EP Release

November 22, 2019

Head on out to Nietzsche’s tonight for a night to get lost in your thoughts. Buffalo’s residential existential pop star Koko Neetz is bringing the party favors and atmospheric scenery out to play in celebration of his EP release  i.t.t.i.p.  Neetz, the moniker for Buffalo-based musician Andrew Kothen, has been a staple of the local music scene these past couple years, mostly known for his efforts in dreambeaches. Sound wise, Neetz’ aura is reflective, perceptive, present. Guitar is light and complimentary, leaving you plenty of room for Neetz’ sweet, if not Socratic, lyrics. Joinng Neetz’ latest journey into the void will be heave, VR Sunset, and Humble Braggers doing a stripped down minimalist set. Doors start at 9pm. $10 gets you in along with a copy of the i.t.t.i.p. EP. Take a sneak peak below:

Dogs in Stereo Debuts New Video “Traffic Circles”

November 8, 2019

Imagine you need a playlist for a trip through some quicksand deep into the Earth. Buffalo’s lo-fi slacker rock and rollers Dogs in Stereo are ready to accompany you throughout this plodding, inevitable journey, where you say goodbye to the world around you and simply succumb. If there’s beauty in that, “Traffic Circles” will bring it out. Dreary guitars and vocals capture a fed-up, aimless energy. Joe Cardina’s project nails the depressing, grey feeling of hoping that there’s no hope with this track, reminding you to take your Vitamin D this SAD season. Dogs in Stereo goes bleak here, but it’s just one of many sounds they pull out of their bag of tricks. Varying synths and harder punk sounds highlighting other releases. Dogs in Stereo’s Idle EP hits the streets 11/15, and you can catch the release party at Mohawk on 11/14. Check out the visuals, with Shauna Presto’s direction.

The Stedwells – “Wake Up”

October 30, 2019

Get your garage rock groove on with a tasty new tune from Rochester’s The Stedwells. The three piece outfit’s latest single is a heavy handed alarm clock rounded out with droning chords and an infectious riff. Ryan Warren brings belts out desperation in a vocal performance that plays right off of the high energy guitar groove and it’s a rock jam in every sense. The Stedwells are slated to drop their Hideout EP on November 22nd, with assists from Grammy-winning engineers Stephen Roessner and Dave Collins. Have a listen below: Wake Up by The Stedwells

SCIENCE MAN Drops New Video for “Brazilian Napkins”

October 17, 2019

Open up your mind (and ears) and let SCIENCE MAN come in. Buffalo’s premier garage punk monstrosity is back with some bizarre visuals complimenting single “Brazilian Napkins.”  Intense, grotesque and single-shot, the performance gives off shades of the Ludovico Technique, if paired with thrashing guitar riffs. Between spastic actions of dental hygiene, SCIENCE MAN (John Toohill) screams of emotional desperation, drawing on recent experiences in Sao Paulo to round out a track that’s heavy from the ceiling to the floor. SCIENCE MAN dropped the vid to kick off a two-week tour through the Rust Belt and beyond with Nervous Tick and The Zipper. They return to Buff to tear down Pallet Town on 10/25. Have a listen:

Tonight: The Burkharts

October 12, 2019

Welcome The Burkharts back to Buffalo as they cap off their eight city tour with a stop at Milkie’s for a Saturday night showcase. The Buffalo boys bring home some supremely sweet and catchy tunes, recently on display in their May debut Lazy Dazing. Grip tightly onto your last memories of the summer and vibe out to their surfy, lollipop guitar riffs and indie rock earworm choruses. Fans of Mac DeMarco are going to be stoked with the songs and if their videography is any indication, it’s going to be a heckin’ fun performance as well. Ex-Pat and Coral Collapse round out a loaded evening at Milkie’s. $6 to get into the doors, opening at 9pm. Wear your finest mustard attire.

Chiddy Bang – “Full Speed Ahead”

May 11, 2017

It’s been seven years since Chiddy Bang was at the height of their career. Popular with music blogs while leading a wave of poppy, sample-heavy frat rap, rapper Chiddy and producer Xaphoon cranked out infectious track for a hot couple of years before disappearing. Since then, Xaphoon has moved on and Chiddy has revamped his sound for his single “Full Speed Ahead.” Chiddy’s lighthearted flows are as welcome as ever as he reflects on his early days on the scene. Though he might have been out of his element in the early days, Chiddy’s happy with his path and eager to use those old experiences in his drive back into the game. “Dull Speed Ahead’s” chorus is a perfectly poppy contemporary  hook, and Chiddy’s lyrics have gotten sharper as he’s progressed as an artist. It’s great to see Chiddy bringing the positive vibes once again.

Lucky Dice – “Memoirs”

April 12, 2017

Boston’s Lucky Dice plays politician perfectly in the video for his single “Memoirs.” Dice mirrors the passion, desire, grind and conviction of an upstart politician with that of the dedicated rapper that he is. “Memoirs” is just that, the diary of a rapper that concedes he hasn’t made it quite yet, but is honest and optimistic. The instrumental, courtesy of Bertz, is filled with that soul and hopefulness captured in Dice’s lyrics. “Memoirs” is the perfect single to represent Dice’s new project, Memoirs of a Starving Artist (M.O.S.A.). Give it a listen below.

L.A.N.C.E. – “Eve”

April 6, 2017

Fontana, California’s L.A.N.C.E. is quick with imagery and tight rhymes with his music. Over the traditional, light beat of “Eve” he details the complexity of a relationship between himself and another dreamer. Through his verses he drops complex rhyme schemes, third eye references, and goes into philosophy with Plato and Aristotle references. The best part of the track is the simplicity of the chorus, “One time one time, we was chilling in the park after dark.” In that moment, that succinctness and depth puts the whole track over the top and focuses the picture. Give it a listen below and check out more from L.A.N.C.E. here. 

Malcolm – “Money Ain’t a Thing Freestyle”

April 4, 2017

Speaking with the confidence of the city that’s behind him, rapper Malcolm takes on the legendary beat behind “Money Ain’t a Thang,” the 1998 collaborative effort between Jay Z and Jermaine Dupri. The New Jersey native unleashes a calm fury in a tight two minutes of freestyle rapping, with standout bars like “Rush Hour at the trap, where the fuck is Jackie Chan?” Malcolm makes references to Hov by name and also with the delivery of his street-smart attitude. Check out his YouTube page for more freestyles over classic beats and stay tuned for an upcoming EP.

J Blaze – “CAMP”

April 4, 2017

J Blaze makes rap anthems that shame your cookie cutter radio singles. Fresh in his Alonzo Mourning jersey, Blaze boasts unconventional brags that separate his one-liners from the stuff you’re used to. Fuck a coup, Blaze is into his four-door Teslas. The beat blurs the lines of trap and allows for Blaze to switch up his flows at ease. To put it simply, it’s a fun track to listen to. Blaze has charisma and his lyrics have character. It’s perfect to rap along in the car to with the top down, and if Blaze had it his way Elon Musk would be riding shotgun. Listen below.

D3X – “Paradise”

March 8, 2017

Mobb Deep’s Prodigy once said “I’m 19 but my mind is old.” After his vivid descriptions of his environment in the streets no one could doubt him. Philly’s D3X is also a young dude making waves for profound thought that trumps his modest age of 16. On his single “Paradise,” D3X leads off his first verse with the line “When did the world get so cold?” before he talks the crimes he’s seen people commit just to survive. The “Paradise” D3X describes in this track is this warped, inside-out world where vices get you far, and morality can leave you screwed. D3X himself references this in the chorus, saying he’s drowning. It’s a track with great depth, and shows a lot of promise for the young artist. “Paradise” is the first track off of D3X’s latest EP Distorted Visionz, you can check it out here. Press play below.

Mansa.wav – “Heat Wav”

February 27, 2017

Long Island rapper Mansa.wav’s smooth flow gives him a versatility that shines on his single “Heat Wav.” Wav’s sing-song delivery is on point, and makes for the killer hook “When I drop the mixtape we be chilling in a heat wave.” Mansa’s got a lot of charm in his lyrics (“I’m really straight suburban so it’s fuck what the streets say”) and his one-liners have their own Mansa flavor to them. DJ Flippp’s production gives Manza the perfect landscape to play with his flow, and “Heat Wav” is a a great listen because of it. The track comes from Mansa’s VSW 2 project, check it out below.