Latest Posts

Alex Runo – Living & Breathing

February 16, 2025

First thing’s first – Alex Runo has some pipes. Some journalists from his native Sweden even (allegedly) call him the best singer in Sweden… One listen through his latest offering Living & Breathing (L&B) will have you feeling the same way – a five-song collection (plus a bonus live track) of previously unreleased Runo material that showcases what the man can really do… *sing* his heart out, to clarify.   Runo’s emotional tenor is the highlight of this LP – that becomes evident right away. “No Good Gone” finds Runo belting in a powerful wail while effortlessly switching into airy falsetto moments later. There’s a retro rock flavor to “No Good Gone” that brings to mind efforts from Maroon 5 or even a SexyBack era Justin Timberlake track – Runo’s stuff would certainly fit comfortably on a shelf next to either of them. “White Flag” falls into this camp as well –[...]

BRIGHT IDEAS – “NEXUS”

February 15, 2025

Dallas, TX act BRIGHT IDEAS is going to be the soundtrack to your next late-night drive with latest banger, “Nexus.” With quippy vocal samples; trap-esque percussion; and a constant flair of future bass, “NEXUS” keeps up a constant energy that begs to be visually accompanied by neon lights and blurry streetlights. This one was purposely written to have no breaks to keep up a fun, consistent energy – let this one rattle your windows as you race down the highway tomorrow night.   Add “NEXUS” to your favorite Witch House or Wave playlist on Spotify.   BRIGHT IDEAS · NEXUS

Gutter Crowns – “Denial”

February 15, 2025

Welland, Ontario-based quartet Gutter Crowns are here to hit you with the type of basement-born emo that reminds you of your high school glory days. “Denial” has twinkly riffs and harmonics aplenty, with a mix that sounds like something you’d hear on a 7″ back in 1999. DIY, home-recording vibes give an American Football or Mineral Vibe, which maintains the groups ultra-sincere band-in-a-room mouthfeel. Side note: Gutter Crown likes to play Halo 3 and drink soda on the weekends… So maybe this really will help you harken back to your glory days.   Check out the music video via the YouTube embed below – then add it to your favorite emo Spotify playlist.

DYAN – “Acoustic Midwest”

February 15, 2025

DYAN wraps up her album cycle with the lovely, heartstring-pulling “Acoustic Midwest.” A bare bones arrangement that highlights film composer Alexis Dyan Marsh’s vulnerable-but-stunning vocals atop beautifully strummed acoustic guitar, “Acoustic Midwest” is one of those songs that truly lets itself do the heavy lifting. Lyrics about protecting your child and vague Midwestern imagery give a strong sense of nostalgia that, like DYAN explains, “bring out the tender defiance of leaving.” Throw this one on during your next early winter morning while you sip your coffee.   Check out “Acoustic Midwest” via the YouTube embed below, or, add it to your Spotify or Apple Music playlists.  

Head North – Winner!

February 13, 2025

Head North – Buffalo’s favorite cosmic rock act of yesteryear…? Maybe 2025 actually *is* the year of long-awaited reunions? If so, Head North’s resurgence is a harbinger of wonderful things to come.   This band has been through many different forms throughout the years – led by the incomparable Brent Martone and rooted by the strong and inventive drumming of Ben Lieber, Head North has always managed to push the limits of whatever genre they’re inhabiting in that specific moment in time. This time, they’re joined by Eli Ritter on guitar and John Vaughan on bass – the result is their latest offering, Winner!, a wildly inventive and certainly cosmic batch of twelve songs that have as much (or even more) in common with late 90s electronica acts like Moby or Primitive Radio Gods as they do with the emo and pop punk roots where they planted their roots. Gone are[...]

Cape Crush x Good June x Impossible Dog – Good Dogs Wear Capes

February 4, 2025

Isn’t it a lovely thing when local bands get along? This spicy collab between Boston-based acts Cape Crush, Good June, and Impossible Dog even has the perfect, all-encompassing name – Good Dogs Wear Capes – a six song collection of heartfelt emo, indie, and pop songwriting lovingly crafted by like-minded musicians.   Teaming up first with Good June first, Cape Crush and crew conjure up “Apple at the Aggy,” an excellent way to launch the EP – with big, chunky chords and a sugary-sweet na-na-na melody, we’re immediately taken back to our favorite songs from bands like Weezer, Tigers Jaw, and/or Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. With lyrics ranging from eating apples a la mode to proclamations of being unforgiveable and/or formidable, this has all the quirky-but-poetic hallmarks of excellent emo. Charming harmonies and big breakdowns help to give this song an extraordinary sense of movement – wrapping it all[...]

Bob’s Dock – The Mystic

January 29, 2025

Sometimes a band is just a group of dudes who love music – and that seems to be the m.o. from Grand Rapids Michigan act Bob’s Dock. They specialize in the kind of pop rock that has an omni-appealing vibe, highly influenced by music from the 70s, alt rock, and indie rock. Their latest offering is The Mystic, a 10-song collection of guitar-driven songs with a jam/prog-band edge, feeling summery and fun without ever stepping too far into feel-good territory. Here’s a little bit about the band from guitarist/singer Jason Heath:   “Some artists are all about entertaining their audience with their music, but others have a deeper goal. They want to make a genuine connection… This is the case of Bob’s Dock.”   The project starts with “Don’t Look Back,” a great introduction to Bob’s Dock’s sound. Crispy and clean guitars sing out in unison to kick the song off[...]

The Kartetch – The Fallacy

January 24, 2025

Georgian musicmakers (the country, not the state) The Kartetch specialize in guitar-driven music that compresses elements of shoegaze, indie rock, and industrial music into a primordial, grungy sludge. Their latest EP is called The Fallacy, a four-song offering that will challenge your perceptions of modern alternative music with its wild (but utterly calculated) exploration of what guitar-forward music can truly be. In their words, The Fallacy is:   “Loud guitar music based on principles: ‘Don’t dodge the answers’ and ‘Shoegaze can be with fists.’ However, this may be only a misconception.” Certainly a profound statement from a profound band… But this profundity is on-brand for this mysterious act, and certainly explains a lot as you’re digesting The Fallacy throughout your first few listens.   The Kartetch kicks off the EP with a strong offering, the fleeting “The Sightseeing Night.” Here, we’re introduced to the mainstays of The Kartetch’s sound – unhinged guitar[...]

Disco Nap – “Do It”

January 23, 2025

Chicago-based act Disco Nap know how to groove – evident on their latest offering, “Do It.” Glassy guitar tones, a bumping bassline, and an absolutely insane drum presence power this one forth, channeling contemporaries like Crumb with their jazzy blend of indie rock. More of a mood than a song, “Do It” challenges notions of contemporary songwriting with a deep-seeded feel that transcends tried-and-true verse-chorus-verse methods. It’s set off by an omni-pleasant vocal presence that never overpowers – laying a soothing melody over this neurotic but soothing jam.   You can find “Do It” on Spotify, but be sure to preview using the Soundcloud embed below.   Disco Nap · DO IT

Rosetta West – Night’s Cross

January 20, 2025

It’s not too often you hear a band like Illinois’ Rosetta West. The prolific duo specialize in blues rock with unique flairs – think Romani folk music and psych rock – that pushes the limits of what one might consider “blues.” Their latest offering is the disarming Night’s Cross, a twelve-song collection that explore themes of death and mortality without ever feeling somber. The album is stuffed with raw and unfiltered rock ‘n roll that’s gritty, rough, and wild – just like rock music was meant to be.   Immediately, Rosetta West kicks off with the drunken swagger of “Save Me.” Slinky slide guitar moans and groans throughout this song, laying down a woozy backbone for frontman Joseph Demagore’s gravel-throat vocals. Structurally, “Save Me” is pretty traditional, at least from a songwriting perspective – laying down a twelve-bar-bluesish chord progression with a rock solid bass/percussion presence. That tried-and-true build is really[...]

T.F. Gambon – As We Dreamt

January 19, 2025

For the last six years and change, T.F. Gambon has been a mainstay of the NYC indie scene with his band Meyru. As any prolific songwriter knows, sometimes you come up with a batch of songs that just doesn’t quite fit your current project, so Gambon funneled his creativity into a folksy eight song album he’s calling As We Dreamt. Recorded in a Brooklyn apartment, Gambon teamed up with his friend and pryor Meyru producer Cal Maro to bring these songs to life. The result is an introspective, heartfelt, and most importantly, sincere collection of songs – a perfect debut for T.F. Gambon, the solo-artist.   “Eyes” is the opening track here and an excellent introduction to Gambon’s sound. A gently-strummed acoustic guitar will be the star of the show throughout the course of this LP, strumming a constant hum through your speakers. A gentle harmonica whines softly in the background,[...]

Lala Salama – “Kuva Susta”

January 19, 2025

Helsinki-based trio Lala Salama embody the quiet/loud dynamic perfectly on their latest single, “Kuva Susta.” The Finnish band transition seamlessly between percolating verses and overblown choruses, channeling shoegaze greats while never losing sight of indie-pop melody and accessibility. The vocals here are ethereal and mysterious, and fit just as well in the massive, fuzzy chorus tones as they do in the beautiful, understated verses. Here’s a bit from singer Rosa Jules about where they’re coming from on “Kuva Susta:”   “‘Kuva Susta’ represents Lala Salama’s more sensitive side; it’s an emotional depiction of longing, memories of the past, and the difficulty of letting go.”   “Kuva susta” is available on all your favorite platforms. Be sure to click the bandcamp embed below, then add it to your Spotify jams.   Kuva susta by Lala Salama

Kylie Rothfield – “Old Man”

January 19, 2025

Kylie Rothfield lays it all out on the line for us on her latest ripper, “Old Man.” Written alongside queer indie alt-popper Mothé, “Old Man” is a biting attack on the sometimes nefarious motives behind dating with an age difference. Rothfield’s lyrics are ruthless but fair, and she bolsters them with plinking keyboard sounds and chunky guitar, cooking up a fantastic, simmering indie rock backbone. Rothfield herself is the shining star here – her vocals are soulful and filled with sincerity.   You can find “Old Man” on your favorite streaming service (we recommend Spotify). Preview using the YouTube embed below.  

From Harm – Arcane Pardon

January 15, 2025

Fort Worth-based act From Harm (FH) have something to say – their newest offering, Arcane Pardon, is a six-song EP full of hardcore punk that grinds out an important social message inspired by pagan hysteria. Feeling oppressed? Tired of the way the world’s being run? So is the project’s lifeblood, Jon Chapman – he uses From Harm as his vehicle to express his disappointment with the world. Expect throat-shredding screams with a yelping timbre; hard-and-fast drums pounding rhythmically in your ears; and angsty instrumentals that inspire emotions from anger, to urgency, to straight-up fear.   From the get-go, From Harm impress with their unique blend of brutality and melody. Intro track “And You Shall Receive” is only a minute long, but with a unique 11/4 (?) time signature, it’s an immediate ear-catcher. Stabs of discordant guitar leap into your eardrums with prickly, staccato melodies as another guitar smashes out a doom-inspiring[...]

Scott Clay – Aurora – Remixed

January 13, 2025

Scott Clay has been a featured artist on buffaBLOG before (see here). While you might be used to the “complex but uncomplicated” Americana that he’s been crafting over the course of his six full length releases, Clay has stepped outside of his twangy comfort zone to release something different. Clay enlisted producers Josh Richins and David Murray for a re-imagining of a song off of his 2022 LP Let It All Lay Bare, “Aurora,” which marks his first foray into electronic music with a trip-hop/downtempo approach to an ol’ classic.   Inspired by a friend, Britt Warner, and her experiences viewing the northern lights for the first time, “Aurora” came together eerily quickly, and was a fun challenge for Clay to write from the perspective of someone else. Britt also applied all the video treatment and editing for the song’s stunning visual accompaniment, captured by cinematographer Spencer Johnson. Filmed at[...]