Latest Posts

halfstride – “Reading With The Lights Off”

February 6, 2026

Halfstride is a newly-minted Buffalo-based band that specialize in indie rock sounds that go down ultra-smooth. Their latest single, “Reading With the Lights Off” is about “late nights, quiet thoughts, and the moments that linger after the noise fades.” A ringing, rhythmic ride cymbal sets the scene for a chuggy, palm muted guitar backbone and an impressively nimble bassline. Astute readers of the blog may recognize former members of Ponder (the Giraffe) in this act, so expect a little bit of funkiness to this otherwise pleasantly straightforward rocker.   Check out the music video for “Reading With the Lights Off” embedded below.    

Singing River – Shoutin’ Good Time

February 5, 2026

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 10 years to the date that we featured Hawker M. James’ Long Playing Lo-Fidelity as our album of the week (yeah, we know, we’ve been at this for a long time)… But if it’s any indication that we’ve been on our BS for the last decade, we’re delighted to feature Singing River, which shares members (Mike specifically, more on that later); still NY-based, still making incredible music. They’re here with Shoutin’ Good Time, an Americana affair that pairs blues, country, indie rock, and folk into a rip-roaring, rowdy time… Like something you’d hear in a horn-soaked saloon. Project masterminds Mike James and Anthony Kuhn (and their accompanying band, in total, a six-piece ensemble) layer this EP thick with big guitar energy, bolstered by harmonicas, sleezy horns, and genuinely good vibes. It’s wrapped up in a nice little bow that pays homage to traditional[...]

The Del-Viles – It’s Just A Kiss-Off

January 22, 2026

Minneapolis-based act The Del-Viles has been kicking around the City of Lakes since 2021, brandishing a gritty brand of rock ‘n roll that takes the best of ’60s mod and ’00s garage rock revival and mashes it into an unholy unity of blues and modern-day guitar rock. For a three-piece act, they make a surprising amount of sound – expect lots of blues-based riffing and gravel-voiced vocals with ’60s inspired lyrical patterns. They’ve been hard at work and are set to release their brand new album, It’s Just A Kiss-Off, full of blues-inspired jamming with a garage-rock sensibility.   Opening track “The City” is a perfect archetype for what to expect from The Del-Viles. Gravely-voiced, retro-inspired vocals rip through start-stop, 12-bar-blues. Big bouncing basslines rip behind the simplicity of the rip-roaring guitar tones. Track two, “What You Got” leans into these stabby blasts of guitar too, trading nimble basslines for[...]

Broke Royals – “The Weather”

January 20, 2026

Broke Royals hail from Washington, DC and have toured the US heavily for many a year. They’re still pumping out quality tunes – case in point, new single “The Weather.” Taking an obviously ’80s influenced approach, “The Weather” plays with pretty synth tones and chorus-laden guitars, evoking the era of excess without ever truly embodying it. In fact, the subtleness of this song was a conscientious choice – opting for confidence with a tinge of unease underneath.   “The Weather” is available now – check it out below via YouTube or on Spotify.    

Sister Void – “rewind”

January 19, 2026

Sister Void, colloquially known as Nico Mann, is an LA-based alt pop act whose “rewind” recently caught our ears. Ethereal, lightly gothy, and ruthlessly catchy, “rewind” is one of those songs that can slot effortlessly into any of your playlists. Workout? Perfect. Chill out. Vibes… But the real appeal here is that, beneath it’s perfectly-produced exterior, “rewind” has some profound deeper meanings – here’s a bit more from Sister Void regarding “rewind:”   “This song is about wishing you could go back in time and do things differently… After you go through a breakup, you have to pick up the broken pieces of yourself to put yourself back together, almost like you’re a shell of yourself or a broken version. It takes a long time to feel whole again on your own after giving so much of yourself away.”   “rewind” is available now. Check out the Spotify embed below,[...]

Ailbhe Reddy – “That Girl”

January 17, 2026

Ailbhe Reddy is ready to KISS BIG. That’s the name of her new album, anchored by her stunning new single, “That Girl.” Ailbhe’s style is lush and ethereal, anchored by a virtuosic drumbeat, but layered thick with electric pianos, gauzy synth pads, and of course Ailbhe’s lilting vocals. It’s accompanied by a stunning music video directed by Greg Purcell that perfectly compliments the airy goodness found within. Here’s a bit more from Ailbhe about what exactly inspired “That Girl:”   “This is one of the record’s emotional anchors. A study in how love shifts shape over time – how we start seeing each other less tenderly, and forget what we once adored.”   “That Girl” is available via YouTube (below), or, on Spotify.    

Lateral – “Phenomenal Realization”

January 17, 2026

Lateral wants you to know they are scrongly… And if you’re a regular reader of our blog, you already know scrongly is kind of our thing. “Phenomenal Realization” is one of those songs that pays homage to the Midwest emo of old (think ’90s or ’00s) while still sounding fresh and fun. Expect lots of guitar energy and emotive vocals to power this banger forth. Here’s a bit more about the deeper meaning behind the song from the band themselves:   “Phenomenal Realization’s lyrics are written about the feeling of leaving a pot boiling on the back burner and the water spilling over, which was a metaphor for my life at the time. I felt like I had all these irons in the fire and i walked away and forgot about them and the water was spilling all over my life.”   Check out “Phenomenal Realization” on YouTube (below) or[...]

big heck – “ALTAR 444”

December 19, 2025

big heck hits us with a big closing song with the capstone track on their latest EP, The Earth! The Heavens! The Sapient Stars!. It’s called “ALTAR 444” and its a lovely and noisy shoegaze-r with a core in art pop, pairing sludged-out guitars with bizarre, synth-y elements and impassioned vocals. There’s even a hint of Deftones energy here, with the whisper-moaned vocals that drip with intensity.   “ALTAR 444” is on both Bandcamp and Spotify.   The Earth! The Heavens! The Sapient Stars! by Big Heck

The Mad Mile – “Wendy Houses”

December 19, 2025

London-based duo The Mad Mile have an impressive pedigree – its two members, Adam Pickering and Matthew Goodbody, have worked together previously in seminal math rock act General Admin. The duo split off to explore new sounds, and the result is captured in latest single, “Wendy Houses.” Dark, angular, and gaze-y, “Wendy Houses” dabbles in post-punk atmospherics with dark vocals, stabby guitar work, and even some distorted keyboards. It’s cool and moody, and that pretty much checks all of our boxes… Not to mention, you can really hear the camaraderie these two have built having worked together for years.   “Wendy Houses” can be previewed via YouTube below, or, found on Spotify.    

Rude Films – “Horseshoe”

December 17, 2025

Rude Films occupies the dank mills of Manchester – those dank vibes have permeated the jaunty post-punk of their latest offering, “Horseshoe.” Ultimately guitar-driven in a discordant-but-melodic way, “Horseshoe” is full of shoegazy washiness, angular riffing, and swirling atmospherics. The crew made a purposeful pivot to a more controlled and refined sound with “Horseshoe,” and while we love the unhinged fuzz of their other work, it certainly tickles the eardrums in a lovely new way.   “Horseshoe” is available via Spotify (below).  

A Days Wait x Color Theory – “Empty Promises”

December 17, 2025

A Days Wait and Color Theory teamed up for a blippy bedroom-pop jam called “Empty Promises.” Color Theory jumped in to reimagine one of A Days Wait’s earliest songs, and the result is something super pleasant on the ears – expect easy-going vocals, a driving bassline, and an electronic backbone that feels organic and heartfelt.   “Empty Promises” is available on Spotify and Apple Music.   Color Theory · Empty Promises

Ayka – “Let Go”

December 16, 2025

Ayka is colloquially known as the moniker of the Norwegian-Turkish musician Ayça Lingaas – her latest, “Let Go,” bridges the gap between Wet Leg’s effervescence and In-Rainbows-era Radiohead’s organic indie drive. Powered by squiggly guitars, bells, super tight drums, and Ayka’s glassy-eyed delivery, there’s something here for all the various indie-heads out there. Here’s a little bit more about the song from Ayka herself:   “The song is about being on the brink of letting something go and imagining the aftermath – but still staying for a little while – just to see how things unfold and maybe a reason to stay arises? ‘It’s not me, it’s you!'”   “Let Go” is available via YouTube (below), or Spotify.    

Fires of Cheektowaga – “Slowburn”

December 16, 2025

We sincerely hope Cheektowaga, NY isn’t on fire – the Walden Galleria Mall is struggling enough already. But we are sincerely captivated with the psyched-out shoegaze coming from Toronto-based act Fires of Cheektowaga. Expect plenty of MBV energy with a hint of The Dandy Warhols – tasty guitar work, wild rhythmic smashes, and enough swirling textures to forego your next acid trip. Simultaneously grungy and beautiful, FoC sure know how to manhandle a guitar.   “Slowburn” is available on Bandcamp (below) or Spotify.   Slowburn – Single Version by Fires of Cheektowaga

West Ferry – Watching the World Run By

December 15, 2025

West Ferry have been not-so-quietly building an oeuvre of passionate, emo-tinged indie punk for 15 years. They’re back with another three-song EP, Watching the World Run By, which finds the band pushing their sound even further, playing around with Midwest emo riffing, folk-tinged punk, and raw emotive passion.   Opening track “Ralph” is as Midwest as it comes – a twinkling guitar riff is the star of the show here, setting the scene for hard-hitting lyrics. Lines like “I’m gonna break every rule so you react / gonna count down every minute till you get back / gonna act like I don’t hear you call my name / gonna clean your plate, gonna keep you SAFE!” are spit out with defiance and a voice-breaking intensity – reminiscent of Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes, but a bit more aligned with the high-intensity punk of Desaparecidos. Keep your ears peeled around the 2:10[...]

Jared Bill – Unknown Country

December 14, 2025

This ain’t Jared Bill‘s first rodeo… At least on buffaBLOG. The international man of mystery is back with another batch of interesting and captivating songs, their deeper meanings often inscrutable, but certainly never boring. The album is called Unknown Country – a 10 song collection of whatever the hell Jared wants, set off by his trademark deep country baritone. We’re gonna go ahead and say that Unknown Country is the perfect name for this album, because it is. Jared’s always going to keep you guessing – and laughing – while you make your way through these songs about Appalachia, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and… Jai Alai?   You might be expecting flat out country music from Jared, but opening song “The Cruise” is closer to a 1980s-era post punk jam. Electronic disco drums and plucky guitars power this one forward, with, of course, Jared’s trademark baritone. In case you’re questioning the absurdity that might[...]