Album of the Week

Ian McCuen – Songs of Fleeting Permanence, Vol. 1

May 29, 2017

Sometimes it’s not easy to be a musician. There is an element of vulnerability you must subject yourself to in order to find even a marginal amount of success. This, of course, rings true with most aspects of art in general, but there exist certain musicians who go beyond this unspoken requirement, laying all cards on the table face-up in an effort to further substantiate their craft. Ian McCuen is one of those musicians. In his first solo release–the exceptionally reflective Songs of Fleeting Permanence, Vol. 1–McCuen stirs up the acoustic singer-songwriter archetype with an interesting concept series chronicling a pivotal period in his life. Volume 1 of that series is our Album of the Week. It is through McCuen’s Fleeting Permanence series in which one can vicariously live (or relive) these moments of self-discovery. The tangibility of heartbreak, uncomfortable social situations, mortality, regret, alcohol–Fleeting Permanence grapples each of these[...]

Sonny Baker – Easier

May 22, 2017

There’s not much to say about Sonny Baker that hadn’t already been said. The Buffalo musician has been a staple of the local scene for over a decade now, having had associations with more musical acts than I can count on one hand. Between full-band freak outs and introspective singer-songwriter pieces–and everything in between–Baker’s musical resume is impressive for a man only just nearing his 30s, and he just keeps churning it out. Baker’s latest release Easier, a collaborative effort with Chris Groves (Fourem, Applennium) follows suit with his 2015 full-band EP Flesh it Out in that the songs seem to widen the gap between what would otherwise be considered Sonny’s “solo material.” Groves’ role in the batch of songs is as integral as it is backgrounded, providing multi-instrumental support on most of the tracks that propels the music beyond the boundary of a typical singer-songwriter affair. Groves also recorded[...]

Folkfaces – How Long?

May 15, 2017

Folkfaces is a Buffalo band that falls beyond the typical confines of categorization. Their unique blend of americana, folk, and jazz is loud, rustic, and organic; there is an inherent genuineness to their craft. If I were looking for an easy way out, I could slap a “roots rock” label on them and call it a day, but with elements of ragtime, alt-country, and alt-gypsy involved, their music defies that boundary effortlessly. It is best to define them as undefinable, and give them an honest listen. They’d probably like it that way, anyway. Their latest album How Long?  sprawls 8 tracks over their road map of musical genres, and with multiple songwriters and musicians at the helm on any given track, the influence varies greatly. From the back-country banjo charm of “Institution Blues” (this one may sound familiar, as it was released as a single earlier last year), to the rowdy foot-stomping pandemonium[...]

Orenthal – Rising

May 1, 2017

Buffalo hardcore four-piece Orenthal offer up an energetic mix of melodic punk and thrash/hardcore riffs, full of emotion and moxy on their album, Rising. Released on Buffalo’s independent record label, Insidious Industries, Orenthal consists of Tim Ernst, Chris Delmont, Trey James, and Mike Smith. Rising opens with “Priorities,” a fast paced ride full of thumping bass, punk blast beats and trashing guitars. One of the elements that makes Orenthal stand out is how they throw together hardcore and melodic elements into a cohesive sound. They blend the harshness and abrasiveness found in the heavier stylings of hardcore, with the melodic tones of things closer to emo or pop-punk. Tracks like “Clear Skies” bring together this cohesiveness with precision, mixing the classic hardcore drum blast with a vocals and guitar riffs that drive you to start thrashing and jumping. This is balanced with sections throughout the song that are much lighter, some[...]

Super American – Disposable

April 24, 2017

Disposable (recorded/mixed by Jay Zubricky) unabashedly throws gentle nods to the golden era of late 90’s/early 2000’s pop-rock anthems. Though that pocket of nostalgia can be a tough one to inhabit and present in an updated, relevant way, it’s one that Super American pulls off pretty well on their debut release. This isn’t an album to overthink, and that’s one of the most enjoyable parts. It’s a hook-heavy  collection of tunes with strong vocals and enough lyrical variance to hold a listener’s attention. I envision this record landing in the hands of someone just graduating college, going through a particularly lamentable breakup or entering the summer in an emotional lull, and having the auxiliary power to carry them through that experience. At the same time, it has the mnemonic power to forever remind the person of that period of time whenever they hear a similar melody or guitar lick ( a quality that I feel like a lot of[...]

The Traditional – The Queen of Heaven

April 17, 2017

It’s been a few years since we’ve heard from Buffalo trio The Traditional. Their previous effort was a 10-song monster full of lyrical curses and sharp edges delivered through a haze of second-hand smoke. Last year, the trio headed back into the studio (with GCR wizard Jay Zubricky) and came out with the well-crafted, six-song The Queen of Heaven. If anything, TQOH is indication that The Traditional know who they are, and they don’t give a shit what you think either way. EP opener “Parlez-vous francais” is an archetypal Traditional song, showcasing how this trio has nestled themselves between rock n’ roll’s “rock” and emo’s “hard place.” “Francais,” like most Traditional songs, listens like an angry diary entry from singer/bassist Anthony Musior, whose not-so-subtle poetry is as heart-on-your-sleeve as it gets. “Kerosene” is another must-listen, and is truly brought to life through guitarist Mike Bienias’ furious rock n’ roll chops and the pristine back up vocals from drummer[...]

brat’ya – Nightwalker

April 10, 2017

Buffalo synth-pop producer brat’ya (aka Alek Ogadzhanov) debut full-length Nightwalker is driven by layered, melodic instrumentation and inventive sound design to make for a lush, hook-laden release. The release is brat’ya’s first collaboration with internet savvy / futuristic chillwave label Business Casual. Opening track “Glow” kicks things off with an introspective pop jam with bright synth leads and engaging vocals. Using Daft Punk-esque vocoded vocals on “Goodbye,” brat’ya creates a nostalgic feel with its’ benevolent duet and pensive tone. Whether going for a more downtempo, melancholic sound on tracks like the ballad “Relief” and “Pretend” or more buoyant tracks like the sprightly title track “Nightwalker” and “Radio,” brat’ya’s ability to craft memorable hooks from a wide range of textures makes Nightwalker an immersive listen that reveals a focused collection of compelling pop. While the direct, synth-led leanings are reminiscent of artists like Passion Pit and M83, the dense bass and vibrant drums bring to mind Toro y[...]

Orations – Wych Elm

April 3, 2017

Following up on their previous EP, Incantation, Buffalo quartet, Orations, have released their debut 12” LP, Wych Elm on March 17, through Custom Made Music. Showcasing the variance in 80’s post-punk, Orations’ debut is in part a look back, a revivalist endeavor so to speak, while also being a record that stands on its own merits. Orations is Jess Collins on vocals, Paul Morin on guitar, Jason Draper on bass and melodica, Matt Chavanne on drums and percussion, with additional help from Aaron Ratajczak and Rick Wright. Present on Wych Elm are some of the various iconic sounds that made up a chunk of the post-punk sonic aesthetic from the 80s. Like the jangly, sometimes airy and dreamy guitar, the dark, low, rhythmic bass, and the often brooding, dour vocal delivery. The reproduction of the genre is flawless and the band really wears their influences on their sleeves, including bands[...]

Various Artists – Coast to Coast: Recordings from the Bedroom

March 27, 2017

Our Album of the Week comes from four different artists this week, in the form of a starry compilation from the Buffalo-bred, San Francisco-based record label Joysdead. The compilation, aptly titled Coast to Coast Vol 1: Recordings from the Bedroom, features prominent local musicians from both sides of the country—Buffalo’s Alex Berkley, Roger Bryan, and Ray Fulton, and San Francisco’s Sean Mikula (formerly of Buffalo). If you couldn’t deduce from the title, the collection features tracks that forgo the crispness of high-quality production for the glorious little imperfections of self-recording. The first thing that struck me about Coast to Coast is just how interpretative the term “bedroom recording” can be. All four songwriters on the compilation contributed very different tracks, making the collection particularly listenable. To Mikula, it is a method of self-recording that involves drum machines, multi-instrumentation, and synths (much like the stylings of his Buffalo baby Besnyo), while[...]

Coral Collapse – Post New York

March 20, 2017

Buffalo dream-pop quartet Coral Collapse has barely allowed a year to pass before offering up some fresh new material, and nobody’s complaining. Drawing comparisons to airy indie contemporaries like Wild Nothing and DIIV, Coral Collapse has built their platform on the same soaring soundscapes, only with an endearing, almost garage-ish charm. And continuing in the wistfulness of last year’s debut EP Hafla, the band’s new EP, Post New York, is a concise 4 tracks of indie-pop bliss and our album of the week. Dream rock bands don’t have it especially easy right now. The genre, in its relatively crowded state, is teeming with bands that follow the indie pop cookie cutter. Many of them are able to craft good solid tracks, but the real issue is standing out. Offering up something tweaked ever-so-slightly—tracks that don’t get inadvertently get lost in the sonic white noise. Coral Collapse finds the perfect balance[...]

Humble Braggers – I Know Better, I’m No Better

March 13, 2017

Humble Braggers have one of the more distinguishable sounds in Buffalo. Max reverb, slick guitar riffs, high-reaching vocal melodies and signature 80’s synth samples are this band’s M.O., and have been from its inception. The trio’s debut full length, I Know Better, I’m No Better, doesn’t stray from the familiarity of this, which when boiled down to recognition and consistency, plays to their advantage in a lot of ways. It’s a special thing when an album can make you experience a sensation that isn’t auditory. Many of the songs tackle uncertainty within oneself, a lack of control between oneself and another person, or a festering anxiety over that lack of control. Even the song titles are quite telling (i.e. Fight, Losing It, Burden, Weight). The heaviness of the diction is juxtaposed with the lightness of the sound. The collective work of songs feels a bit like a back and forth[...]

Del Paxton – All Day, Every Day, All Night

March 6, 2017

What’s left for us to say about Buffalo hometown heroes Del Paxton? Dylan England, Zach Schoedel, and Greg McClure have been keeping our hearts thumping in odd time signatures for the last four years. That span of time has seen the trio rise from basement-shredding all-stars to their current gig, a coveted spot on the Topshelf Records roster. At the advent of last year, Del Paxton bundled up with Jay Zubricky at GCR studios here in Buffalo. Those sessions eventually became their first full-length, All Day, Every Day, All Night. Album opener “My Other” is a nod to Buffalo city-living, referencing the maze of one-ways that one might encounter on the wrong side of Richmond Avenue. From song one, it’s obvious that stylistically, Del Paxton have stuck to their guns, and rightfully so – it’s what has made their previous two releases so enjoyable. Their brand of mathy, indie-flavored emo specializes in time[...]

CD-ROM – _001

February 27, 2017

Rochester synth punk outfit, CD-ROM offer up a multi-textured and infectious on their debut EP titled, _001. Assembled together like Voltron from various Rochester bands, Green Dreams, Leus Zeus, and Sports, CD-ROM consists of Jesse Amesmith on vocals, Nate Briscoe on bass, Trevor Amesmith on drums, Mike Turzanski on mono synth, and Kevin Burns on poly synth. _001 was self released by the band on February 18th. With a run time of almost 25 minutes, _001 is pretty dense for a debut EP, and that’s a plus because there’s a lot to unpack with this record. For one the group does not have a traditional punk set up going. There’s really not much of a guitar to speak of. Instead it’s synths trading back and forth that are backed by solid drumming that keeps the tight rhythms locked in. The bass here is really interesting because at times it’s in[...]

Newish Star – American Angelica Tree

February 21, 2017

It’s been over a year since local low-fi/indie group, Newish Star released their last record, 2015’s You Missed Everything – Part II. After ending their tour and with little noise coming from the trio in terms of new releases, there was the possible fear that we’d never hear anything from them again. Another tale of a local Buffalo outfit that ended up splintering band members and kind of fading off into the distance. But no, that’s not what this is about. Because on February 13th, the band put out a brand new release titled, American Angelica Tree. To say that it’s just a new release from the band wouldn’t quite do it justice. It is a collection of songs from the band released for us all to hear and enjoy, true, but really, it feels more than that. After a flurry of releases in 2015, it’s altogether possible that the[...]

Drive Me Home Please – Infinite Tsukuyomi

February 13, 2017

Solo artist Zach Hallenbeck, under the name Drive Me Home Please, creates lo-fi synth jams that explore the inner confines of his mind. Channeling the stylistic elements of  Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, and armed with little more than what sounds to be a microKORG and a drum machine, the Rochester-based beats-and-keys bedroom artist has just released his latest album (and our album of the week) Infinite Tsukuyomi via Bangkok Blend Records. Hallenbeck’s music has an innate relatability to it, from the bedroom-y vibes of understated synth progressions to the non-chalant nature of his lyrical delivery. And it is that very simplicity that makes the songs so endearing. With one listen-through, you’re taken for a mini guided tour of the corridors of Hallenbeck’s thoughts “I can tell that things are getting complicated,” bouts of nostalgia “I dreamt that they played MCR in Wegmans,” and uncertainties “and I’m still not so[...]