London-based musician Plastic Flowers‘ “How Can I” is a swimmy, borderline retro tune that caught our ears immediately. We’re especially impressed with their juxtaposition of chorus-laden guitars and tight retro drums with a noisy, wall-of-sound approach. PF’s particular brand of dream-pop is peppered with flavors of shoegaze and indie rock – Fans of Slowdive, Mac Demarco, or the 1980s will definitely enjoy this one. Add it to your Spotify playlist too.
Nothing wrong with an endearing indie rock jam with tinges of emo and grunge. Goodnight House, aka Joel Lane, sent us “Can’t Go Back” and we like it a lot. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between 90s grunge (like Hum) and mid-2000s emo (like Copeland), “Can’t Go Back” is a straightforward, guitar-driven jam. Put it on and reminisce, this one’s pleasant as all get out and a true anxiety-reducer. If you like “Can’t Go Back,” it’s up on Bandcamp for a “pay what you want” rate. Analog Echoes by Goodnight House
We’ve been following Honey Lung for some time now – their brand of post-grunge goodness just speaks to us. We last checked in with them this April with the fuzzy goodness of “Sophomore.” Our new recommendation, “Stuttering Mind,” is a slightly “cleaner” departure, but surely continues their tradition of angsty, emo-tinged tunes. A beautiful, clean guitar riff propels this track forward, bolstered by an atmospheric keyboard and a particularly jangly chorus. This one is def worth a listen – check it out via Soundcloud below.
CHUCK (aka Charles Griffin Gibson) is a NYC (via Massachusetts) bedroom pop artist whose lo-fi single “Happy Birthday” has us feeling all tingly inside. Through use of piano, Casio drum samples, and unique harmonies, CHUCK evokes feelings of nostalgia and longing. The cryptic imagery in the music video certainly adds to the feelings of longing… Check it out below. CHUCK is offering “Happy Birthday” for a “name your price” rate. Check it out on Bandcamp.
Buzzing Melbourne quartet Neighbourhood Youth recently hit us up with their video for “Lately” and we dug it a lot. The video gets the vintage-filter-treatment and shows a montage of the band at their best, touring the country and having fun both on and off stage. Beyond the official video, their particular brand of indie rock is loud, brash, swimmy, and most importantly, fun. Give it a look-see below. “Lately” is also available on Bandcamp for a very reasonable “pay what you want” rate.
Sego are an art-punk duo from LA who are currently on tour with El Ten Eleven… If you’re a millennial (or really anyone alive/existing in 2017), we’re sure you can find some common ground with the apathy found in their latest jam, “Whatever Forever.” Singer/guitarist Spencer Petersen finds himself numb to the world and laments about the varying extremes he’s willing to take to find feeling again… All the while pumping out minimalist, yet frantic indie-punk. “WF” is from a yet-to-be-announced LP, so stay tuned. If you’re picking up what Sego is putting down, add “Whatever Forever” to your Spotify playlist.
Rochester’s Barbarosa are a talented duo who craft beautiful indie-pop tunes laced with synthesizers and well-thought-out male/female harmonies. Their new, self-titled release is no exception; fans of mid 2000’s emo like Lydia, Copeland, or MAE will find this lush EP hitting close to their heart. We recommend starting with opening track “A Step Back,” which combines the sentimental twang of late 90’s emo with atmospheric synth swells and cavernous reverb. Barbarosa’s pop songwriting is best demonstrated here, especially in the chorus, where they expertly expand a typical four-chord structure into something atmospheric and beautiful. Their male/female harmonies shine through strongest here, pairing a strong, catchy melody with inventive and jazzy drumming. Track two, “Pervitin,” might be the best juxtaposition of their Bandcamp bio – “loud and pretty.” Here, we find Barbarosa at their darkest… Bordering on menacing and mysterious, the duo have crafted a song more energetic than “A Step Back,” but no less beautiful.[...]
Legendary Kansas act The Get Up Kids are rolling through Buffalo tonight… So lace up your ratty old converse and dust off that threadbare band t-shirt, this is probably the coolest thing you could go do on a Tuesday. Often cited as (some of) the godfathers of the emo genre, the band is sure to perform an incredible set full of fan favorites and deep cuts from their impressive 20+ year career. They also have fellow emo-veteran Evan Weiss in tow in his buzzing emo-pop band Pet Symmetry. For those that haven’t heard, this show has been moved from the Waiting Room to Town Ballroom – tickets purchased for Waiting Room are valid and will be honored at the show. Doors are at 7pm. Tickets are $20 advance, $25 at the doors. This show is 16+ with ID, under 16 will be let in with an adult.
If you’re in the mood for some kick-ass rock and roll, we suggest you look no farther than the thundering four-piece that is KARMS. The Dublin-based quartet hit us up with the swagger of “River,” a four-minute, guitar-driven face puncher that is sure to get you feeling amped. Fans of Billy Talent and Biffy Clyro will dig KARMS’ chunky riffs and accessible vocal melodies (which remind us of Weezer’s “Hash Pipe” in the best possible way). Give “River” a whirl below. Swing by Bandcamp for some purchasing options if you dig “River.”
Fans of big muffs, small clones, and pop songwriting unite! We’re digging Rochester’s Big Fred, who recently put out a nine-song LP called Oh Hi Hello. OHH is full of swirly, wonky trash-pop that seems tailor made for fans of Mac Demarco or Ariel Pink. The cherry on top of their psychedelic-tinged garage-rock comes from front man Conor McCann, whose distinct vocals add a tasteful trashiness to the mix. On a deeper level, Big Fred touches on themes of companionship and introversion and ponders whether the act of “wanting something” is more fun than actually having something. Check it out via the widget below. If you’d like to support Big Fred, Oh Hi Hello is out now via Sad Cactus records. You can snag it digitally from Bandcamp or purchase a physical copy here. Oh Hi Hello by BIG FRED
Don’t be confused when you see the words “Sunday Brunch” – despite what it may seem, buffaBLOG is still a music-based blog (sorry foodies). The Sunday Brunch we’re referring to is actually a Buffalo-based post-hardcore quartet specializing in cathartic, gravely-voiced jams via their latest offering, the aptly-named Eat Your Heart Out. They’re sharing the stage tonight with Philly alt-rockers Slophouse and the space-case indie rock duo sheds. Milkie’s is the place to be tonight. Bring $5 and show up at 8pm to catch all the music. Quick reminder that Milkie’s is 21+ for any of you youngins out there. Eat Your Heart Out by Sunday Brunch
Sometimes you just need an off-the-beaten-path, genre-defying show to cap off your weekend… If that’s the case, we know we’ll see you at Milkie’s tonight. Philly sad-boy Hello Shark will be jamming his literate, casio-driven poetry tonight alongside the literal caveman proto-punk of Boston’s The Cavemen. Local support is also aplenty, with applicable sets from vox & vibes duo Welks Mice, the ever-creative Lesionread Jazz Band, and a debut performance from Slinky X. Doors for tonight’s show are at 7pm. Bring $5 so you can get in the door.
Rochester trash-wave veterans Pink Elephant are back at it again with a grungy new single called “Around Your Neck.” Recorded at More Sound Studios in Syracuse, “Around Your Neck” is a skulking rock banger with tinges of psych rock and garage twang. The song is about wanting to help someone who can’t be saved; rather than actually helping out, you just wind up getting sucked into their chaos and darkness. Fans of Portugal. The Man, The Pixies, or The White Stripes will like these guys’ dirty, yet nuanced rock n’ roll. Pink Elephant is on Bandcamp – you know what to do.
This isn’t the first time we’ve written about the fantastic slacker-pop of CASTLEBEAT, and we’re pretty sure it won’t be the last. He’s back for more, this time with “Heart Still Beats.” 23-year-old wunderkind Josh Hwang is the brains behind CASTLEBEAT, writing and recording everything himself on “mediocre equipment” (his words) with a strong DIY ethos. Bum technology or not, we think this one is bomb. Have a listen below. You can snag “Heart Still Beats” for free via Bandcamp.
Dr. Doctor ain’t no newbie – the project helmed by mastermind Ralph Torrefranca has been in the works for years. Originally born from heartache and pain, Dr. Doctor has evolved into a one man journey to embrace poetic storytelling with chorus-laden guitars and low-key vibes. “Turbulence” is a perfect example, a simmering indie-rock jam that showcases Dr. Doctor’s unique lyrical delivery. Learn more about Dr. Doctor here.