Latest Posts

Aleesha Dibbs – Paradise Lost

June 25, 2023

Aleesha Dibbs might be one of the hardest-working musicians in the world… At the very least in the top 5%. Having cut her teeth in a ton of different bands, (Dive Bell, Prudence, Lorelei, Double Vision, Mvlholland, Lisa Mitchell, and Angus and Julia Stone just to name some), she’s ready to spread her wings and release her debut solo EP. She’s titled it Paradise Lost and it’s a collection of gauzy, airy, and pleasantly-haunting electropop. It’s clear that this has been a transformational experience for Aleesha – over the course of Paradise Lost, you hear an already talented musician/songwriter coming into their own. EP opener “Batallion” is a slow burn that introduces the listener to the hallmarks of Aleesha’s work – expect ethereal synth work; splashes of electronic percussion; industrial ambiance; and, of course, Aleesha’s dark and lilting vocal presence. “Batallion” has abandoned factory vibes – with its bass drum beating mechanically[...]

Mermaid – “Boundaries”

June 22, 2023

Mermaid is a duo of besties, who became a band, who became lovers… And if that’s not an inspiring origin story, I’m not sure what is. Their latest offering is the bratty indie-punk jam “Boundaries,” and it’s full of enough ’90s energy to satisfy any grunge fan while staying true to 2023 aesthetics. With a sly nod to Jagged Little Pill, there’s no doubt Alanis fans will love this one (along with fans of L7, Garbage, or Veruca Salt) – but the sugary melodies and fuzzed-out background screams make it so fans of any guitar-driven music will love this tune. About the song, the duo simply says: “crush song” ‘Nuff said. Be sure to add “Boundaries” to your favorite Spotify playlist.

Rare Monk – “Missing Forever”

June 22, 2023

Portland, Oregon based act Rare Monk caught our ears with the crescendoing indie rock majesty of latest single, “Missing Forever.” While initially playing with some unique time signatures, the band eventually explodes into a cathartic close, running the gamut of indie rocking flavors in-between. Crunchy guitars and snappy production will have fans of Manchester Orchestra, Beach Fossils, and Real Estate adding this one to their daily playlists. With the quality of their songwriting in mind, it’s not surprising that this band acts their an outlet for the ennui of the daily rat race – check out what they have to say about “Missing” below. “‘Missing Forever’ is about feeling overworked and burned out. Tethered to work and bills in a society that increasingly idolizes ‘grinding.’ What if we just quit everything and disappeared into the wilderness instead?” ICYMI, we’ve written about Rare Monk in the past – check our previous[...]

Curiositi – “Moon”

June 22, 2023

Mysterious Swedish act Curiositi captivated us with their haunting new single, “Moon.” With elements of dream-pop and chillwave, Curiositi build upon a descending, plucky riff that drills its way into your consciousness – one of those songs that truly inspires a dream-like state as you bliss out to its hypnotic aura. “Moon” was created in an improvisational jam session – fascinating, but ultimately, a truly impressive accomplishment when you consider how stunningly beautiful the song is… But songs like this are often created out of lightning-in-a-bottle moments that wouldn’t exist otherwise. About the song, Curiositi explains: “‘Moon’ reflects on the feeling of being left at shore and lost at sea. Some people dream bigger and some have only nightmares. Time heals but every season is a traumatic reminder of last year. Stuck in samsara.” You can find “Moon” on Spotify and Apple Music. CURIOSITI · Moon

Xposure Music Offers Artists a Development Path Directly Into the Music Industry

June 21, 2023

It’s a common issue for any rising artist – even if you’re composing a healthy repertoire; building your brand; and steadily growing fans through a live presence, it can be hard to know how to take your act to the next level. The music industry is jam packed with talent, which means A&R reps, producers, and managers are being flooded with message after message… How could you possibly stand out in the raging sea of other artists? Xposure Music aims to remedy this common industry barrier with their services designed to “unlock a new front door” into a career in the music business. Artists can join Xposure Music and submit their songs to a spread of industry professionals who set up prices for their various services or areas of expertise. Artists can pay for specialized feedback (written or video), or, set up a live call with an industry executive. There[...]

Sweet Freedom – Divilmint

June 20, 2023

Lots of bands grind the cover game for years and years, playing the hits to fans in bars, at private parties, or at the state fair. Hours and hours of practice, honing the rough edges of a carefully curated group of songs, all to bring some much-deserved enjoyment to a drunken bachelorette party or someone’s employer’s happy hour event. It’s a good time (mostly, I’m speaking from experience) and you’re making money doing what you love after all. Enter Kilkenny-based band Sweet Freedom (SF), who know all about the cover grind. As they put it, they’ve “completed cover band mode on the Expert setting several times over,” which means they’ve certainly closed out the night with “Hey Jude,” “Desperado,” or maybe even “Closing Time…” Probably too many times to count. They’ve decided it’s time to “take a punt on the originals scene,” so we’ve been gifted with their latest offering, Divilmint. Released[...]

The Last Domino – Two Thirds Of Our Lives

June 19, 2023

Multi-instrumentalist The Last Domino, also known as one-man-band John Orr, has been working on his latest album, Two Thirds Of Our Lives, for the last eleven(!) years. It’s fitting that the long-awaited album has such an aptly-named title – released on its namesake (February 3rd, of 2023 – 2/3 in every sense of the word), the album is a conceptual look at how we spend our lives… Asleep, awake, and alive. The Indianapolis-born, LA-based artist jam packs Lives with ’90s adjacent riffing – heavy buzzsaw guitars; ear-shredding drum bombast; and a thudding, grungy bass presence can be found everywhere. Orr’s menacing vocal presence is omnipresent, sauntering and slinking through his songs like a snake slithering through the shadows before striking at lightning speed. Album opener “One Third: Asleep” channels Nine Inch Nails with it’s haunting delayed guitar and electronic elements. Orr embodies the deep baritone of Trent Reznor and/or Depeche Mode here[...]

Helen Kelter Skelter – Chroma Crawl

June 18, 2023

It’s been an odd and unpredictable few years for Oklahoma-based act Helen Kelter Skelter (HKS). And yet, it’s an all too familiar story. Tours get scrapped, shows get cancelled, trajectory runs askew, and futures seem bleak (I’m talking about the pandemic, in case you couldn’t read between the lines)… Luckily, it hasn’t stopped these psyched-out Oklahomans from doing what they do best. Crafting stonerish, psychedelic-infused, heavy music made for speeding down the highway or deeply enjoying the trip on your substance of choice. A decade into their career, HKS is here with their latest EP, a five-song blast of heavy guitars and droning vibes they’ve entitled Chroma Crawl. Over the course of 19 minutes, you’ll be taken on a trip through the sun-scorched Oklahoma desert. This Buffalonian blogger is wondering aloud if there are even deserts in Oklahoma (we only have endless mountains of snow here), but if there isn’t,[...]

Jon-Olov Woxlin – JUNK TRUNK

June 18, 2023

When you hear the Americana-soaked music coming from Jon-Olov Woxlin, your initial impression might be that of a man living in the southern United States (think Mississippi or Louisiana or something like that). In actuality, Jon-Olov is from Gothenburg, Sweden, making his distinctive brand of mile-a-minute folk all the more unique. His latest offering, the 12-song JUNK TRUNK, highlights Jon-Olov’s penchant for cleverly-worded folk rock with an onus placed on spontaneity. Expect bouncing basslines, plenty of acoustic guitar strumming, and Jon-Olov’s ear-catching baritone throughout – each track on this album is simply three instruments and Jon-Olov’s vocals. It’s stark and it’s simple, but it works for Jon-Olov & co. Album opener “Exit Sign Explicit” finds Jon-Olov borderline rapping overtop an acoustic guitar backbone. Are his songs political? Are they religious? It’s hard to tell while he’s spitting lyrics at a surprisingly brisk pace… What’s even more surprising is that this[...]

Great Park Avenue – “New Fandango”

June 16, 2023

Stockholm rebels Great Park Avenue crank up their indie rocking energy here on latest single, “New Fandango.” This Swedish crew doesn’t typically ramp up their vibes this high, but they really pull out all the stops for “Fandango” – expect hammered guitar chords, twisty-turny guitar leads, and vocals that sound (as they put it) like “Tom Jones with a cold.” The energetic genre they’re exploring here will surely appeal to fans of The Libertines, Babyshambles, and Dirty Pretty Things. You can find “New Fandango” on Spotify and YouTube (below).

Ryan Ritual – “Where Did Love Go”

June 15, 2023

It hasn’t been too long since we’ve checked in with Ryan Ritual (check out our previous feature of “Slip Away“), but he’s managed to grab our ears yet again with latest single, “Where Did Love Go.” With readily available hooks, sparkly synth leads, and a casual nod to the songwriting greats of the ’80s, “Love” finds Ryan dealing with the existential dread of growing older and evolving as a musician… He explains more below: “When I started writing my solo album, I wanted there to be separation between my identity and my previous band’s identity. “Where Did Love Go” became my North Star of sorts, guiding me both sonically and thematically… ‘Where Did Love Go,’ in particular, deals with my loss of passion and growing apathy to the world I used to love.” Check out “Love” on Spotify or Soundcloud.

Becoming Bristol – “Staring Into The Sun”

June 15, 2023

If you’ve been looking to get your anthemic fix, “Staring Into The Sun” by Becoming Bristol (BB) might be your next obsession. With enough riffs to keep any guitar nerd occupied without ever losing sight of their big, modern rock radio energy, BB seems to have found the best of both worlds, and that energy is straight-up undeniable. The Seattle, WA quartet will appeal to fans of Switchfoot, .moneen., or COIN, who will all surely find lots to love here. Looking a bit below the surface, “Sun” actually has an incredibly deep and profound meaning – check out what they have to say below: “During my father’s battle with cancer, I found solace in the pages of Victor Frankl’s profound work, “Man’s Search for Meaning.” Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, delved into the psychological aspects of surviving the atrocities of the concentration camps. His words resonated deeply with me[...]

The Moving Stills – “Westside”

June 15, 2023

We’re just drawn to the jaunty indie rock coming from Aussie quartet The Moving Stills (don’t believe me? Check out our previous features here and here). They’re back to tickle your garage rockin’ ’00s heartstrings with another lovely offering, the genuinely upbeat vibes of “Westside.” Uber-positive vibes are never our main MO, but the super uplifting feels found here on “Westside” have us feeling like we might turn over a new leaf… Maybe. Here’s what they had to say about their new jam: “Westside is about celebrating the positive aspects of life, so we wanted it to be a feel good upbeat track. It’s also about being able to slow down without feeling guilty about taking a break. It came after a holiday in WA and also reflects on all the time we have spent on the East Coast, playing shows and hanging out with the people that matter. It’s[...]

Sea Glass X Sky Adler – “Weekend”

June 15, 2023

Last time we checked in with Sea Glass, we were waxing poetic about singles “Pinecone Alley” and “I Have Jokes (If You Wanna Hear One).” There’s a reason we keep coming back to Sea Glass (and frequent collaborator Sky Adler), and one listen through their most recent tune will explain why… “Weekend” is a ’90s-reminiscent slice of slacker-pop that brings to mind early Weezer, Pavement, and even a hint of Viagara Boys – expect plunky guitar riffs, spicy melodies, and a uniquely beeping metronome sound keeping constant time. Adler remarked about his time in the studio with Sea Glass: “We discussed how much we missed high school and also how scared we were for kids still going through it. ‘Weekend’ was born pretty quickly in that reminiscent yet somewhat dark state.” Check out “Weekend” on Apple Music, Spotify, and Bandcamp. Weekend by Sea Glass, Sky Adler

Famous Friend – “Prism (Better Than This)”

June 14, 2023

Famous Friend (aka Zachariah Carlson) is an LA-based writer/producer/artist specializing in surfy bedroom-pop songwriting. We’re recommending “Prism (Better Than This)” for its upbeat vibes – expect twinkly guitar textures that are washed-out with love; punchy Casio-beat drums; and Carlson’s omni-pleasant vocal delivery. Fans of Day Wave, CASTLEBEAT, and Still Woozy will find lots to dig into here. “Prism” is the first single off of Famous Friend’s debut LP, Garbage King… Be sure to check it out on Spotify.