Latest Posts

Moody Cosmos Reveals New Single

February 9, 2016

Last week, Moody Cosmos–the neo-psyche garage project of Mooses frontman Peter Cahlstadt—dropped a new single, making our early spring a bit more exciting. The explosive track, titled “Old Sarge’s Drop Zone,” is a departure from the outfit’s first single, the soulful “Rocky” (which, unfortunately, has disappeared from the depths of the internet). The new track is a psyche-glam cornucopia of instrumentation, opening with a tonky piano riff that eventually explodes into a liberal serving of fuzz, organ, trumpets and sax, recommended for fans of Foxygen, Sleepy Jackson, and Supergrass. The whole track listens like a grand psychedelic rock opera–politically tinged, wild and huge. Worth a spin. Downloads are available here on the Moody Cosmos’ bandcamp page, and it’s worth mentioning that any proceeds made from the track will be donated to Charity:Water, which aims to provide clean water to developing nations. More info on that at charitywater.org. Check out “Old Sarge’s[...]

Skirts – What Do You Wanna Do?

February 4, 2016

So, break’s over. January saw some fantastic releases, and although our blog activity may have waned through the month, that doesn’t mean we weren’t paying attention. One of those releases happened to be What Do You Wanna Do?, the new record from Rochester surf-poppers Skirts. We’ve been patiently waiting on this one since the quintet premiered the album’s lead single “Swimming” last summer by way of a live session at Rochester’s 1809 studios. The band also made their Buffalo debut at Nietzsche’s last fall, having played an electrifying set that included a couple of these tracks. WDYWD? polishes Skirts’ heart-throb beach pop formula into a catchy collection of songs with a particular focus on album cohesion and its tightly-knit arrangements. A single spin through the album yields a bit of fuzziness in the chest, a warmth most welcome in chilly February. You get tracks like the slow-burning “Golden Era,” which[...]

Tomoreaux – At Peace, Overlook

February 1, 2016

Welcome back, readers! This week marks the return of buffaBLOG’s Album of the Week series—our weekly dose of recommended local music that we find to be worthy of commendation. We here at buffaBLOG have primarily covered Buffalo and Rochester over the past 6 years, and while both music scenes are brimming with talent worthy of mention, this year we will be expanding our coverage to include bands that call home to the farther reaches of the state. So with the new year, and our broadened range of coverage, the Album of the Week slot becomes the best of the best of the best of local music. With that said, it seems only fitting that the first Album of the Week of 2016 comes at you right from the snowy confines of good ol’ Buffalo. Enter At Peace, Overlook, the debut release from post-rock shoegazers Tomoreaux. The album—though only 8 tracks[...]

Jacob Peter & Shauna Presto Team Up for “Wander”

December 22, 2015

‘Tis the season for merriment and friendship, and in the spirit of such togetherness (and apparently in my case, cheesy intros), we have a nice collaboration for you before the year comes to a close. Solo musician Jacob Peter has been all over the music scene lately, from the lush synthscapes of Humble Braggers to the axe-in-lap simplicity of his bluesy solo material. This time around finds Peter arranging and producing a track written and sung by buffaBLOG’s own Shauna Presto. In essence, the song, titled “Wander,” is a true collaboration; elements of both artists are easily discernable within the work, but not without an obvious symbiosis. Whimsical mandolin and Presto’s smoky-sweet vocals open the track, initially conjuring vibes of Swedish folk duo First Aid Kit and the wilderness simplicity of Eddie Vedder’s solo material. Peter’s influence arrives later in the song with an evolving eclecticism in the instrumentation and[...]

Tonight: Comfy

December 18, 2015

Comfy visits Buffalo tonight for the third and final time this year, and if either of the Utica garage pop outfit’s other Buffalo shows are any testament to their ability to get the dance floor churning, it will be a banger once more. Gritty folk act Mr. Boneless and Mothers will also be gracing the stage of Dreamland tonight, where the show is set to take place. The show begins at 8pm (21 and up only please), and while the Facebook event lists no cover charge, it’d be a good idea to bring some cash for either a surprise cover (worth it), or some bomb merch. Pillowhugger by Comfy

Tonight: Painted Zeros

December 3, 2015

Hot off the release of their debut full length Floriography (Don Giovanni Records), Brooklyn-based dream fuzz trio Painted Zeros is set to hit Mohawk Place tonight on one of the coolest bills of the dwindling year. Floriography, written and recorded by Zeros frontwoman Katie Lau, is a beautifully textured record with a wide dynamic range–sometimes sweet and delicate, other times in-your-face gritty and explosive. Think Mazzy Star meets Smashing Pumpkins. The onstage iteration of the project is rounded out by drummer Jared Kaner and bassist Jim Hill, the latter formerly of Cottage Jefferson (Rochester!) fame. To make the show particularly homecoming-y, we have the Buffalo-bred, now Brooklyn-based Bethlehem Steel back in town, also hot off a fresh effort that snagged a slot as our Album of the Week last month. Can tonight’s show get any better? Yep. To top it all off, we have three of the best locals Buffalo’s punk scene[...]

Gypsy Freight – I’ll hold this close

November 30, 2015

Ariel Piazza is not your run-of-the-mill college rock musician. Writing and performing under the pseudonym Gypsy Freight, Piazza paints emotional sonic portraits in a vein of ambient folk all her own. Her newest release, a full length titled ‘I’ll hold this close, ‘ bleeds with emotionalism, twelve tracks of ethereal folk atmospheric music worth swimming in. The thing about Gypsy Freight is that it’s not far off from what you’d expect if you were to imagine what the project sounds like based on name alone. That’s not to say the tracks aren’t striking (because they are), but the fact that many of the songs sound as if they were recorded in a halfway-haunted grand cathedral is remarkably suiting. Piazza’s voice is both sweet and powerful; this prowess is especially prominent in tracks like “I don’t know what I’m doing but I’m okay” and “building homes,” her Daughter-esque delivery riding the dark[...]

North Collins – North Collins

November 23, 2015

You know the saying—“Another day, another rad album of the week from Rochester.” Pretty sure that’s how it goes. At any rate, it holds true this week; Rochester pop-folk duo North Collins having dropped a wonderfully-composed nine tracks of lush experimental folk. With its uplifting male-female harmonies and striking, appropriate orchestration, the self-titled debut fits nicely on a shelf between an Illinois-era Sufjan Stevens and indie-folk contemporaries Mates of State. When Mac first sent me the link to the duo’s bandcamp, I thought perhaps he was making reference to the project’s name; North Collins is also the name of a town neighboring my hometown of Eden, a Buffalo suburb. “Heh, a suitable listen for an Edenite,” I thought, as I opened the link and plugged in my headphones. All novelty aside, North Collins is the real deal. From the very first track, “Western Sky,” I was drawn immediately to the[...]

A Relative Term – The Quiet End of the Space Age

November 16, 2015

Atmosphere isn’t an easy aspect to apply to folk music. The predicament almost becomes a matter of mathematics; include too many layers, and the ambiance detracts from the songwriting itself. But for A Relative Term—the musical project of Mark Longolucco—a sound atmospheric ratio comes naturally. When that ratio is applied to the contemporary folk songs on the project’s latest LP, The Quiet End of the Space Age, we’re left with an immersive collection of tracks that melds thoughtful musicianship with a warm-hearted nature of songwriting that makes it difficult to remain unaffected by. Mathematics aside, The Quiet End of the Space Age has an alarmingly natural feeling to it, despite the lush offerings of keyboard often found filling out the ten tracks. It’s a pretty unique balance—think the rusticity of an early Iron and Wine meets the haunting ambiance of the latest Sufjan Stevens album. Folk contemporaries Mutual Benefit strike[...]

Cadaver Country Drops Debut EP

November 11, 2015

This week marks a new album for Cadaver Country, the freak-folk side project of Pine Fever member Jacob Verghese. The six track EP, titled Vain Brain, follows much in the same vein as the album’s first single (released earlier this year), and finds a unique balance between the endearing weirdo-isms of artists like Jeff Mangum of Neutral Milk Hotel and the eclectic folk instrumentation of The Decemberists or The Bowerbirds. Tracks like “Divining Light” and “Good Morning, Morning” capitalize on homey Savannah back porch vibes, both with plucky banjo lines and inviting tambourine, the former capturing an interesting storytelling side a la Lord Huron. My favorite of the six tracks, “The Man With the Teeth,” finds Verghese at his most instrumentally articulate, particularly with his impressive banjo work, while lonely sighs of pump organ surface from the background. The whole EP, written, recorded, and produced by Verghese himself, is an[...]

Tonight: The Multiple Cat

November 6, 2015

The angular pop mainstays in The Multiple Cat (IA) will make their way through Buffalo tonight on a musically diverse bill presented by Queen City Cartel. As a band, The Multiple Cat has stood the test of time as the ever-evolving project has spanned a nearly 20 year timeframe. Some of their latest material—see “Magic That Doesn’t Work,” below—finds a happy medium between indie rock and alt-country, feel-good tambourine vibes a-rumblin’. Make your way down to The Gypsy Parlor tonight to bask, dance, and maybe bask some more. In the name of true eclecticism, local support tonight will be provided by wild garage punk trio Kharlos and soaring psyche rockers Deadwolf, both acts having released fresh material this year. The party starts at 10pm for a cool $5.

Mr. Will Shares Debut EP Motel Pools

November 4, 2015

Look out Rochester, a new force is on the radar. Multi-instrumentalist / producer / all-around music man Mr. Will (born Will Smillie) released his impressive debut EP Motel Pools, a sprawling easy-rider of a record blending elements of indie pop and psyche rock, late last month. It’s one of those records that doesn’t take time to warm up to; the warmth is already there—just pull up a seat and get yourself settled in. From the slow-burning balminess of the title track that opens the EP to the fiery fretwork of “Where Does the Light Go,” Motel Pools, produced by Smillie himself, covers a lot of ground and covers it well. After one spin, the listener is treated to hints of wide-ranging influence including My Morning Jacket, Dr. Dog, Mikal Cronin, and more. The hooks are plentiful, the solos could sear a steak, and the resulting package is cohesive, easy to listen[...]

Sufjan Stevens at UB’s Center for the Arts (10/30/15)

November 2, 2015

So we may not have been treated to a very random cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” but we were still undoubtedly treated. Sufjan Stevens, in his long-awaited return to Buffalo this past Friday, delivered one of the most spectacular live performances the city has seen all year. I thought Carrie & Lowell—Stevens’ 2015 full-length written in dedication to his late mother—was already a masterpiece, but seeing, hearing, and feeling the album performed live at UB’s Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre brought an entirely different light to the songs, a poignancy so thick it was nearly tangible. I wasn’t sure what to expect from opening artist Gallant; I hadn’t sampled his music before the show, but was confident that an opening slot on a Sufjan Stevens’ tour was already a testament to his ability. I wasn’t wrong—the young R&B singer (23) had an incredible falsetto and exuded a great deal[...]

Tonight: The Bones of J.R. Jones

October 27, 2015

J.R. Linabury, the one-man creative force behind the era-bending blues tunes of solo project The Bones of J.R. Jones, will take the iconic stage of Mohawk Place later tonight. “Solo” is a word that only goes so far when describing the project; Linabury may be the only body on stage during performances, but somehow he doesnt appear alone. He transcends the one man/one guitar stigma, crafting swirling folk songs using guitar, banjo, hi-hat, and bass drum in a commendably simultaneous fashion. The whole package is astonishingly honest, and shatters the boundaries and limiting capabilities of “solo” projects as they’re typically defined. Joining J.R. on tonight’s bill are the harmony kings in local psyche act Deadwolf and the soulful musings of Jacob Peter (Humble Braggers, Dreambeaches), also of Buffalo. Doors open promptly at 7pm with a $5 cover.

Tonight: Title Fight

October 23, 2015

For the second stop on their Fall 2015 headlining tour, Wilkes-Barre emo stalwarts Title Fight will be slinging their melodic post-hardcore bliss from the stage of the Studio at Waiting Room tonight. The band’s latest release, February’s Hyperview, takes on a guitar-driven, shoegaze-ish approach—something of a departure from the quartet’s hard-hitting pop-punk of yesteryear. Call it what you will (indie crossover, anyone?), Hyperview hits home in all the right places; expect to hear these tracks tonight. Joining Title Fight on their autumnal adventure is the infinitely eclectic songwriter Alex G, his latest effort Beach Music spanning genres like it’s nobody’s business. Much of it falls into an inimitably glassy vein of indie rock, like a transfixed Elliott Smith with cool kid riffs and spellbound vibes. Check out the new video for “Kicker” below and get there on time to catch this uniquely satiating act. Hometown heroes The Traditional will be[...]