The EP starts with “It’s Getting Worse,” an ode to running out of time and space, in whatever forms those might take. Sickness Anna set the pace here with gigantic guitars, sludgy bass, and vocals that split the difference between singing and screaming. While the music has more in common with their emo and post-hardcore contemporaries, there’s definitely a Corgan influence here (e.g. the prominent guitar solo around the 2:15 mark). By the time the song closes out and you hear Sessanna screaming about getting older and his heart hurting, it’s clear we’re in for a roller coaster of heavy emotions. Sometimes, roller coasters are terrifying, but other times, they’re cathartic… There’s a little bit of both those energies here on SFE.

Big and angry is the main focus here. Joining “It’s Getting Worse” is the album’s angriest song, “Come Back Home.” Raw guitar notes pair with syncopated bass drum hits in a way that beats you over the head before giving way to a quiet/loud dynamic that you might expect from a band like Pixies. By the time the song washes into the guitar-only bridge, Sessanna sings “I could give you what you want, but you would burn it to the ground,” a scorch-everything approach for a situation that’s already, seemingly, been scorched down to the bare earth. The title track “Sorry For Everything” plays around in this territory too, but seems to be aimed more at the narrator; “Do you think I am still a good person? Do you think I am still worth loving?” Dreamy guitars lay overtop pummeling chords in a way that feels somber, and it’s a fitting mood for a song where someone’s apologizing for literally everything they’ve ever done wrong.

Other moments on the album include the indie pop earworm of “All The Time,” the devastating acoustic ballad “The Ghost of You And Me,” and the slow burning crusher “Nothing Mattress.” While the beginning of “Nothing Mattress” could fit on a long-lost The Hotelier or Tigers Jaw album, Sickness Anna bring it back to alt-rock territory (solo included) just in time to ask the void: “Everything’s fine / nothing is bad / will it hurt worse if I tell myself that?”

Sorry For Everything is out now (January 23rd, 2026). The Linktree for all listening options can be found here.

The post Sickness Anna – Sorry For Everything first appeared on buffaBLOG.

You’ll notice we’re skipping some of our usual blog favorites to focus on new and friendly faces for this article. Writing about the same, blog-worthy acts can feel like a bit of a refutation on why we exist on the first place… So, just for the sake of this article, understand that there are dozens of amazing acts worth seeing this weekend. We’re just here to highlight some fresh stuff!

Whether you follow our tips or not, one of the best parts of Music is Art is stumbling across someone/something amazing you weren’t expecting.. Check out the full schedule here. A reminder that MiA is totally free, but if you’re feeling froggy, bougie, or just want to support a wonderful Buffalo tradition, you can snag yourself some VIP tickets here.

Saturday @ 2pm

Early Attic @ Bell Slip Stage

It’s wild to think we were first soaking in the synthy sounds of Early Attic over a decade ago – their album Parallels was a buffaBLOG office staple back in 2013/14. After a many year hiatus (12 to be specific), singer Matthew McCheskey resurrected the project for a brand new album, Panoramic. We’re always happy to see a beloved Buffalo staple return to the stage, so expect a gauzy, keyboard-heavy set with melancholic (but still danceable) vocals from this recently-returning act.

Saturday @ 4pm

Root Cellar * @ Refringe Stage

Post-jazz? You betcha. Root Cellar * is an eclectic act with an emphasis on their live energy. Their most recent feature on buffaBLOG was as Album of the Week, and the story behind the album’s creation is as compelling as the music itself. Expect rock-solid grooves and/or mind-numbing drones with plenty of space for improvisation like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Did we mention there’s a trumpet? And a cello too.

Photo: Jordan Walker

Saturday @ 4:15pm

Romcom Victims @ Lakeside Lawn Stage 1

If you’re looking for fleeting, jangly, and fun, Romcom Victims are a must-see this Saturday. This youthful crew was a playlist mainstay for us at the tail end of 2024 and we can’t wait to see how their surfy, spring-loaded energy translates to a waterfront setting. This is the perfect time to catch this act – early in their career and delightfully raucous. You’ll be able to brag about how you saw them before they became your normie friend’s favorite band.

Saturday @ 5:45pm

deb. @ Lakeside Lawn Stage 1

deb. is the band where you’ll probably recognize the faces before the name… Even if it is your mom’s name. Featuring members of countless past, present, and eternal buffaBLOG favorites (including one we’ll be name-dropping soon), deb. feels less like a side project and more like the sum of its parts. Their sound is all razor-sharp hooks, polished to a dangerous shine, like a decorative obsidian blade you’d display proudly on your mantle… Weird similes aside, their four-singer harmonies are practically built for the alt-rock airwaves – 103.3 The Edge, or perhaps even 102.1.

Saturday @ 5:00pm

Previous Love @ Lakeside Lawn Stage 1

deb. is sure to deliver a set of ear candy at the Lakeside Lawn Stage 1 – but directly preceding them is criminally underrated grunge-pop/dream-pop act Previous Love. They serve up emotive, guitar-forward energy that will satisfy tone snobs and those in their feelings alike. Drawing equally from ’90s grunge legends and the dream-pop haze of the 2010s, their set promises to feel both nostalgic and fresh. Billy Corgan, eat your heart out… and Peripheral Vision-era Turnover, too.

Saturday @ 8pm

Shonen Knife @ Terminal B Stage

We don’t think any Buffalonian would argue that Takac hasn’t earned the right to flex a little influence – and what better way than by spotlighting legendary Japanese pop-punk trio Shonen Knife? The Osaka-based band has returned to Buffalo countless times over the years, no doubt due to their connection with Takac’s Good Charamel Records. Music is Art marks the second stop on their full U.S. tour – consider yourselves lucky to catch one of Kurt Cobain’s favorite bands for free, right in your backyard.

The post Six Bands to Catch at Music is Art this Weekend first appeared on buffaBLOG.

Tickets are still available with weekend passes going for $240.95 and daily passes for $136.45. Here are six acts we aren’t missing this weekend at Borderland 2025.

Saturday @ 3pm

Sneaky Miles @ Mike’s Amazing Homespun Stage

Newmarket, New Hampshire project Sneaky Miles starts our schedule off Saturday afternoon with their earnest indie folk repertoire. Since forming at the University of New Hampshire in 2019, the band has survived a pandemic and post-college reshuffle to become a regular in the New England emerging band circuit. If you’re into Dawes, The Lumineers, or the sincere side of rustic stomp-clap indie, check this one out.

Saturday @ 3:45pm

The Heavy Heavy @ Main Stage

UK-based The Heavy Heavy travels across the pond to East Aurora to provide WNY with their retro rock and roll sound. The band has a distinct 70s psych appeal that’s prominent in their writing. Fans of Fruit Bats, the California Honeydrops, or locals Handsome Jack would be into this set.

Saturday @ 7pm

Band of Horses @ Main Stage

Mid-2000s college radio breakout act Band of Horses are a must-see for the weekend. The band commanded internet buzz with it’s melding of indie rock and folk, accented by the band’s atmospheric aura and accented by lead singer Ben Bridwell’s distinctly commanding vocals. This one is recommended for anyone into The Shins, Fleet Foxes, or if you love anything off the Garden State soundtrack.

Saturday @ 9pm

Vampire Weekend @ Main Stage

Vampire Weekend are in for the main event on Saturday night with one of the most anticipatory sets for the weekend. Since breaking out of Columbia University nearly twenty years ago, the band has become one of the biggest indie acts of the 2010s with their consistent ability to deliver ear worms while remaining true to their original sound. If you like the soundtrack for The Inbetweeners, this one is for you.

Sunday @ 2:30pm

New Translations @ Mike’s Amazing Homespun Stage

Nashville indie-pop project New Translations have been blessed by the football gods with a set that should be nestled right at halftime during the Bills vs. Jets game on Sunday. The band has an obvious 80s influence with some MGMT abstractness meets Future Islands hookiness… and perhaps most importantly, will get you back in the game for the second half.

Sunday @ 7pm

Khruangbin @ Main Stage

Houston psych rock trio Khruangbin closes out the festival Sunday evening, returning to Western New York after a much-lauded sellout show at the Albright Knox Gallery in 2024. If you’re into Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Leon Bridges, or Father John Misty, this is a can’t miss.

The post Six Bands We Aren’t Missing at Borderland Festival 2025 first appeared on buffaBLOG.

Lifelong WNY resident and State Senator Sean Ryan is throwing his hat into the ring for Mayor of Buffalo with that very pitch, bringing a deep sense of Buffalo pride and decades of public service to his bid for City Hall. We had the opportunity to ask him about the songs that inspire him and his campaign leading up to the primary day, which is Tuesday, June 24th.

“Romeo and Juliet” – The Killers

Sean Ryan: When “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers became the unofficial Buffalo Bills anthem, I was reminded of this cover I heard a while ago. It’s originally by Dire Straits, but for whatever reason it’s the Killers’ cover that sticks in my head.

“Moon River” – Audrey Hepburn

SR: This was the wedding song my wife and I selected years ago. We just thought the lyrics were perfect and the song was great to dance to. And now we like the Frank Ocean version too.

“California Stars” – Billy Bragg, Wilco

SR: A couple of years ago, when Starbucks Workers United were at the height of their strike on Elmwood, Billy Bragg came out and played some live music right on the sidewalk there. I had heard of him, but it wasn’t until later that I looked him up and found out he had written a modern pro-union anthem. So after that, I got hooked on some of his music with the band, Wilco.

There are hundreds of unionized Starbucks stores across the US now, but that movement all started right here in Buffalo on Elmwood Ave and I’m proud to have stood with the workers from the beginning.

“Right Down the Line” – Gerry Rafferty

SR: This is just one I remember from when I was a teenager. I must have heard it in passing somewhere recently, because it’s really been stuck in my head since.

“Move On Up” – Curtis Mayfield

SR: This is the song we’ve been using as our Sean Ryan for Buffalo theme. I find it really captures the tone of our campaign to build a better Buffalo.

I’m running for mayor because Buffalo deserves better. We’re a resilient city. We’ve endured a lot of hardships over the years, be they historic redlining, disinvestment in our marginalized communities, deadly storms, economic downturns. But we’re still here, and we have a real chance to make lasting, positive change for the City of Buffalo.

SR: I also have to shout out a few local bands. One being Tiger Chun Lee. I was lucky enough to address the crowd before their live show at this year’s Porchfest. And Elemantra *, as Nick Beiling  on my campaign played with them for years.

The post Five Songs that Inspire Sean Ryan and his Campaign for Mayor of Buffalo first appeared on buffaBLOG.

444 Forest Avenue

If you wanted to minimize your steps for the day, I would suggest bringing a lawn chair to 444 Forest Avenue and not leaving, as the lineup has some true talent from the emerging local scene. Starting the indie lineup is Ian McCuen, a singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalists who has somber and gripping songs that are reminiscent of Bright Eyes or Sufjan Stevens.

Kriggy @ 3pm

390 Richmond Ave

New kids on the block Kriggy aim to prove what the buzz is all about on Richmond Ave mid-afternoon. The band has an angular, math-y messiness that is appealing and no-frills in the most charming way possible.

Sonny Baker Trio @ 3:30pm

1110 Elmwood Ave.

Buffalo music scene mainstay Sonny Baker teams up with his frequent collaborators for a rare trio performance outside of Mr. Goodbar. You’ve likely scene Baker in his numerous iterations throughout the years, including Lazlo Hollyfeld, Wooden Waves, Talking Deadheads, and even A Hotel Nourishing. Expect Sonny’s solo project to have comparisons to Pavement, Broken Social Scene, and/or Dinosaur Jr.

Pr0 Social @ 4pm

545 Elmwood Avenue

Fresh off the release of their February 2025 EP some don’t make it here.. is gritty R&B/ hip-hop solo artist, Pr0 Social. Since emerging on the scene in 2018, Pr0- Social (aka Jerrell Lanos) has been honing his skills in the alt-pop scene, mastering his craft and gaining a following throughout the journey. Fans of Frank Ocean or early The Weeknd will be into Pr0.

Power Creep @ 5pm

545 Elmwood Avenue

Raw punk trio Power Creep re-emerges as a project after a fairly quiet 2025. Fronted by Tyler Will, Power Creep is the offshoot of his previous band, Cheap Peach, which was a constant opener on Buffalo’s indie scene in 2022 and 2023.

Stephen Babcock @ 6pm

444 Forest Ave.

After hours officially start at 6pm with indie singer/songwriter Stephen Babcock. Babcock has connected with fans beyond Buffalo with his relatable lyrical content and subtle pop-girlie undertones. With rumblings of lofty projects heading into the summer, Babcock’s stock is quickly rising in the local scene.

Johnny & the Man Kids @ 7pm

444 Forest Ave.

At this point, you could have just stayed at 444 Forest Ave and had a killer day of local live music. Wrapping up Elmwood Village Porchfest 2025 is Johnny & the Man Kids * who are fresh off the heals of their new EP – Everything is From Now On (which was album of the week a few weeks back).  The quintet will surely deliver upbeat indie pop with a heartfelt earnestness, and killer hooks to boot.

The post 7 Acts to Catch at Elmwood Village Porchfest 2025 first appeared on buffaBLOG.

Since forming in 2010, the group has shifted its lineup and sound, moving away from its early shoegaze beginnings to a revised dreamlike pop vibe.

Tailor-made for an end of summer playlist, the band’s first offering of new music since its 2019 album Semicolon Forward Slash is a breezy, lo-fi number that somehow finds a comfy middle ground between Ariel Pink and the Sea and Cake.

Check it out below.

The post The Internet – “Following the Logic” first appeared on buffaBLOG.

The wistful number is a nice addition to the post-chillwave cannon as slinky guitar lines and warm synths give the single a soothing retro vibe.  Fans of acts like TOPS and Springtime Carnivore should all hear something that they dig in the track.

“Summer’s Almost Over” is just another highlight in what has been a rather busy year for oddnesse. Keep up with the act’s output on Spotify and in the meantime, check out the single below.

The post oddnesse – “Summer’s Almost Over” first appeared on buffaBLOG.

The follow up to the act’s debut offering “Past Life,”  “Ghost” finds Ahli delivering a reflective number that recalls acts like Flock of Dimes, Maggie Rogers and even Regina Spektor. Fusing elements of hip hop and electro, the beat-driven track is a raw and passionate slice of dream-pop.

Both singles will be featured on Ahli’s forthcoming freshman EP. Until then, give “Ghost” a spin below.

The post Ahli – “Ghost” first appeared on buffaBLOG.

“Drifting,” the third single shared by the Toronto indie four-piece this year, is a bouncy slice of pop-rock that will most certainly leave you bobbing your head. The track’s super clean production makes for a welcome listen.

Fans of the Strokes and Tokyo Police Club would be wise to give the track a spin. Check it out below.

The post Good Kid – “Drifting” first appeared on buffaBLOG.

The bouncy, nostalgia-dripping track is a great sunny entry to summer’s final days of music. Retro melodies and a strong falsetto make the track sound like Temper Trap goes jangle-pop.

After the epic crescendos of Hoofa’s early 2020 track “Alone,” the new single’s welcome change of pace shows off the band’s chameleonic flare. Check out “Brother” below.

The post Hoofa – “Brother” first appeared on buffaBLOG.