Album of the Week

Wren Williams & The Sons of Luther – Venom & Sugar

February 6, 2017

Rochester native Wren Williams has been an active WNY musician since the early aughts, but has recently been making lots of waves in our lovely, Buffalo music scene… With the help of his backing band, a trio of cousins affectionately named “The Sons of Luther,” Williams dropped an ambitious full-length last month in the form of the 11-song Venom & Sugar.  Venom & Sugar is a telling title; the album starts out biting and menacing and gradually morphs into something sweet and pretty. Vitriolic songs “Inevitable Collapse” and “Conspiracy Theory” kick off the album with a one-two punch, introducing the listener to the band’s indie rock ‘n roll vibes with a hint of glam. The album has strong themes of duality and touches poignantly on issues of mental health, something the outspoken Williams should be proud of. Eventually the listener is greeted by the meat-and-potatoes triad of “Psycho Maniac,” “Out Of Touch,” and “Saving Grace.”[...]

Green Slime – The Vesta Rose EP

January 30, 2017

Buffalo two piece, Green Slime construct an energetic throwback experience on their new EP, The Vesta Rose, a follow up to their self titled full-length LP from September. Blending together grunge, indie, and pop-punk, the duo consisting of brothers, Eric Ellman on guitars/vocals and Blake Ellman on drums, aim to recall a particular moment in rock history while also adding a bit of modernity. Green Slime’s primary vein on this new EP is grunge, and it’s something the band is able to manipulate well. The tone of the guitar has a guttural quality to it that really captures that 90s grunge grit that became a staple of the genre. Especially here, that tone is needed, not only to evoke the genre, but in order to fill up all the sparseness that exists. As a two piece, the band consists only of a guitarist and a drummer. Unlike a group like[...]

Mallwalkers – “Dial ‘M’ For…”

January 23, 2017

Funk punk collective, Mallwalkers are back from their hiatus, or self imposed exile? Either way, they’ve returned and have brought with them to Buffalo a new LP,  “Dial ‘M’ For…” which is a follow up to their debut record, 2013’s Shake the Rust Off. Classic cinema fans will pick up the reference to the Hitchcock thriller, but unlike the director’s affection for putting his audience through a series of tense moments and plot twists, Mallwalkers places anyone who listens on a dance party crazed ride full of moments to get your heart pumping. A riotous mixture of musical genres ranging from hardcore, ska, funk, indie, soul and surf-rock, Mallwalker’s sound is hard to pinpoint. Even with their embracing of the funk musical aesthetic being as it is, they don’t sound anything like George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic. Instead, the band collaborates together to create a sound that’s very much their own.[...]

Hot Tip – Hold Me, Closely

January 16, 2017

Hailing from Buffalo, Hot Tip delivers a cohesive collection of electrifying cuts on their new 12″ LP, Hold Me, Closely. Formed in 2013, Hot Tip is made up of Katherine Goewey on vocals, drummer, Irene Rekhviashvili, both from the band Pang, guitarist, Stephen Floyd from the Mallwalkers, and bassist, Keely Guiliano from Cross Stitch. Hold Me, Closely was one of those late 2016 releases that needed to be talked about in 2017. The quartet is not one to fall neatly into a singular classification of what it means to be a punk band, that would be too easy. That would be too boring. Instead, what makes the band interesting is the fact that they fill Hold Me, Closely with a balanced assembly of different punk/rock elements. The band prefers to describe themselves as “free punk,” as they’re not just one styling of the genre. They are made up of splatterings of hardcore,[...]

Slumbers – Come Over

December 12, 2016

I drove home in the snow tonight (Sunday). And no, not just a dusting, Buffalo’s first semi-legitimate accumulation this December. The roads were mostly awful; it took me about double the amount of time it normally does to get home from work. But amongst all the fishtailing, wheel spinning, and “am I even on the road right now?” moments, I was strangely calm and collected. With Rochester’s Slumbers keeping me company through my Ford Taurus’ surprisingly decent speakers, my commute was less of a treacherous nightmare, and more of a snow-covered field of dreams. Slumbers’ debut release Come Over is our Album of the Week. Slumbers fills an interesting niche in the Rochester music scene. Their simmering blend of dreamy indie rock is soft without the malleability of other low-volume projects. Vocal duties are expressly shared, and the harmonies are swirling and plentiful. Members Claire McClusky (bass), Sabrina Nichols (guitar),[...]

Evan Meulemans – Lilac Drive

December 5, 2016

Evan Meulenmans crafts songs for people who hold optimism to a high standard. His music seems to be an effortless offering—a mere extension of his obvious inner positivity. The Wisconsin-bred, Rochester-based folk musician’s latest release, Lilac Drive, combines acoustic folk with easy-listening island vibes to arrive at a crossroad both inviting and uplifting. And loaded with support from more than a handful of prominent Rochester musicians, Lilac Drive is our album of the week. Opening track “Wisconsin” introduces the album with a thematic anomaly; the lyrical content details Meulenmans’ home state, while his rhythmic finger-style calls to mind a Hawaiian warmth not unlike fan-favorite Jack Johnson. This island influence find its way into most of the record, most notably “Open Road Lullaby” and the reggae-tinged clincher “Mo’ Bettah.” Yet, solitarily reducing the album’s influence to coconuts and tidal waves would be a glaring injustice, as Meulenmans’ fusion of island folk[...]

Cooler – Phantom Phuzz

November 21, 2016

Through being cool? Well try being Cooler. Buffalo’s emogaze-alternative all-stars return for round two with Phantom Phuzz, a six-track EP of regret, carbonated soft drinks, and that sweet, fuzzy thickness. The album’s carefully crafted tones compete vigorously with lyrical prowess and song structure for prominence, bringing relevant elements of juxtaposition to Cooler’s sophomore effort. Recorded with Jay Zubricky of GCR Audio and mastered by Anthony Delplato, Cooler’s Phantom Phuzz is our Album of the Week. Phantom Phuzz opens appropriately with quiet-loud sweller “Pave Age,” a wordless eruption of articulate guitar leads, volatile drum statements, and of course, the album’s principal element—the phantom phuzz itself. That’s just the thing about the album’s title, it perfectly encapsulates the overarching sonic theme—apparition-esque reverb paired with generous amounts of thick, fuzzy distortion. The resulting combination is largely impenetrable and pure ear candy for fans of early 90’s alternative and the shoegaze subgenre that reached[...]

honey COMA – 7 Songs

November 14, 2016

With such an active, buzzing music scene, collaboration between Buffalo’s local artists is practically unavoidable. Once you take into account the sheer amount of comradery, diversity, and artistry within our fine city, you’re left with nothing but unbridled potential. With that said, it should come as no surprise that Buffalo’s latest local supergroup—honey COMA—has hit the ground full-sprint with their debut effort 7 Songs. Recorded and mixed by Elliott Douglas at Old Bear Studios and mastered by Paul Besch at Quiet Country Audo, honey COMA’s 7 Songs is our Album of the Week. Safe to say I didn’t expect for a second that the sum of equal parts Norelle Christiani (Mallwalkers), Bryan Johnson (Bryan Johnson & Family), and Tom Burtless (Humble Braggers) would end up being a dreary blend of postrock, tense emo-alternative, and slowcore. I mean, take Mallwalkers—an unapologetically raucous dance punk group, toss in BryJo’s fun beach pop[...]

honey – Better Luck Next Year

November 7, 2016

It’s that inexplicably romantic, mid-autumn time of year where the leaves have changed but haven’t quite fallen. The kind of weather to make you feel nostalgic about just about everything – sweater weather if you will. It’s the perfect time of year to curl up and get sentimental with a new emo album. Here’s our recommendation for this week – they are a band called honey and their new EP is called Better Luck Next Year. honey is a duo from Buffalo, Katlin Purpura (bass/vocals) and Eric Bechard (guitar/vocals) to be exact. Better Luck Next Year hits that sweet spot between bedroom-pop production and true, emo sincerety. They recorded BLNY DIY-style over the course of one day in Syracuse with their buddy Tim Hall. honey’s male/female harmonies blend perfectly with the ever-so-slight lo-fi warble of the EP’s production. It bridges the gap between an early 90s emo sound and newer acts like Tigers Jaw, Petal, or Pinegrove.[...]

Space Cubs – Something For Us

October 31, 2016

Something For Us is a chilling inhale and a warm reprieve. This eight-song release serves as Suzanne Bonifacio’s most recent full length as Space Cubs, the one-woman experimental electronic project based out of Buffalo. With vocals that are pure, direct and at times otherworldly, Bonifacio constructs an atmosphere around her listener. Each song is a tapestry, thickly woven with minute detail, unique depictions interlaced into each one. The speaker on this album is adrift, dealing with the seemingly impossible burden of being unsure and living uncomfortably with the desire to change. On “That First Day”, she sings: “I’m planting myself tiny seeds / But picking them up cause they won’t be stomached today / I’m losing myself in another day’s due / Now watching the days growing old / To learn what is sweet is the greatest hill I am climbing / Now I sit within my findings / I[...]

The Leones – Ghost in the City

October 25, 2016

Like something out of retro Gotham comes Ghost in the City, a melancholic gaze into the haunted homes of the album. For the most part, this gaze sets its eyes on love despite the album’s eerie, mysterious lyrical settings buttressed by the deep instrumentals. Ghost in the City tells it’s tall tales in Kurt Vile-style: The songs are usually five-and-a-half minutes or more. The men of The Leones, Justin Bachulak and Dustin Lau, used their indigo pallor to create something of wondrous quality. “Where I Want You” begins with brilliant retro synth that seems straight from the late Castlevania projects. A solid folk voice masked in some reverb joins the composition. The song talks of a girl named Anne. All she could do was “fold,” yet the main character (who seems creepy) sought her out for some reason. The guitar augments the final minute or so of the song, adding[...]

Green Slime – Green Slime

October 10, 2016

Green Slime is a Buffalo duo making an incredible amount of noise. Have you ever heard the acronym KISS? It stands for “keep it simple stupid.” Green Slime is a duo (Eric and Blake Ellman to be exact) who have obviously taken that advice to heart. The brothers Ellman spent a few days with Jay Zubricky at GCR this past September. They left with a self-titled, twelve-song banger, full of sludgy nuggets of succinct indie rock. They’ve taken the best elements of Queens of the Stone Age, The Black Angels, and Superchunk and condensed it into a bunch of garage punk bangers. Album opener “Not Sorry” is the archetypal Green Slime song. Get used to the gigantic heavy guitars, bombastic drums, and Eric Ellman’s slightly-effected vocals, because Green Slime doesn’t need much else to get their point across. Don’t be fooled by the heavy chugging, Green Slime has a penchant for pop songwriting. “Not[...]

Hundred Plus Club – For You

October 3, 2016

Hundred Plus Club is an impressive group that shred something similar to Tokyo Police Club and Dinosaur Bones. For You, their newest six-song effort, is a glorious scientific approach to solid indie rock that will make you want to see them live. The first track, “Reversed” starts off with post-punk distorted guitar chords. Then, the whole band kicks in  with deliberate fashion – the song is very urgent despite sufficient reverb. “But I never know what you’re think of, what you’re thinking on,” tells the sad story of relatable anxiety. The verses are stuffed with full-sounding guitar chord strums. The chorus’ guitars bounce excitingly between the phones. There’s one last flourish before the song ends as timely as it began. “Entropy” is more bass-y than the first song – a lush electric bassline pulls the listener in. These boys remain just as urgent. The middled guitar manages your interest in[...]

Settlement – MOCT

September 19, 2016

Like a comet across Lake Erie’s vast sky shines Settlement, a new Buffalo-based band composed guitarist/vocalist Dan Moscov, bassist/vocalist Mike Dagonese, and drummer Adam Lilley. The band sounds like Balance and Composure at times fronting lonely, saddening compositions. At other times, Settlement gets heavy like O’Brother, their heavyheartedness clearly demonstrated by clear, dark, beefy instrumentals. This six-song extended play was recorded by freelance audio engineer Ron Hensberry and mixed and mastered by John Angelo. The album starts off with “Preparations.” A passing jet engine’s call and rapid sixteenth notes on the hi hats fill the headphones. Soon, a clean guitar riff embraces the ears in tandem with a rumbly bass. The instruments tell tales on their own without lyrics. An adventure between the ears is maintained as a secondary guitar riff adds to the mix. From there is “Setting Forth,” a rather heavy track that brandishes chugging guitar and distorted bass. On the[...]

Pleistocene – Spear

September 6, 2016

Spear, Pleistocene‘s latest, is a more condensed, focused effort from the group as they slashed out some of the noise that radiated from the sonic orb found between the phones when listening to them. Pleistocene’s latest demonstrates the Rochester-based rockers versatility (especially during the first three songs) and finds an exciting balance between “onto the next!” (See: Dave Grohl) and aloof. This album is of a certain kind where one can start it and let it play from start to finish while you run through your everyday routine. Spears kicks off with “Your New Life”  a gentle surf lick and damn dirty bass. The bass does the song justice as it’s powerhouse spine. “Your New Life” switches between a punk, surf rock version and a blown-out straight-up punk version. The second track “Give Me the Line,” is like something from the Descendents. The tune is very garage punk-esque and features fast vocals with[...]