Album Reviews

SOZI – Bloom

April 13, 2025

As we enter a much-needed Buffalo summer, it’s time to refresh our playlists with new and exciting music that reverberates that infectious energy – we’d like to direct your attention to the latest from SOZI on her new, four-song EP, BLOOM. Full of airy and infectious alt pop, BLOOM “is all about stepping into a new season of growth and letting go of what’s been holding you back.” If you’ve been stuck indoors for the last six months like we have, this is the perfect way to break out of your shell and embrace the incoming springtime.   “Seconds” kicks off the album with a lighthearted-but-energetic opening. Quick percussion lays the backbone for SOZI’s lilting presence – coming fully into fruition in the super catchy chorus – “How do the seconds turn to minutes? I just can’t keep up.” SOZI continues the profound lyrical content with lines like “these are your best years,[...]

Victims of the New Math – Open Highway

April 13, 2025

Acting like a vessel for eras past, singer/songwriter Thomas Young has channeled his energies into alternative act Victims of the New Math. With a reverence for ’60s garage rock, ’90s alt rock sensibilities, and a love for Guided By Voices-esque production values, his latest offering is Open Highway, a nine-song collection of lo-fi tunes peppered with upbeat songwriting, big energies, and classic-sounding songs that go down real easy. The album tackles many themes, including: love, frustration, fear, and beauty (what else from a classics-inspired album?), and has rightfully been mastered by Todd Tobias – GBV’s producer and engineer. The result is a sunny-sounding album that respects DIY production roots while valuing good songwriting – a fun and laid-back listen that will appeal to fans of psych rock, indie rock, and the gone-too-soon 1990s.   “ORANGE AND PURPLE SKIES” is the album’s opener and for good reason – it’s one of the LP’s[...]

Safehouse – Collision Course

April 8, 2025

Safehouse is the songwriting vehicle for Dillon Vetere – a singer/songwriter from West Palm Beach. His latest offering is the twelve-song Collision Course, a punchy and raw nod toward early ’00s pop-punk brattiness. Gone are the atmospheric and ethereal indie vibes from his previous output – Collision Course course-corrects into simple but effective punk rock songwriting. Expect big power chords, straightforward attitude, and nursery-rhyme-melodies from Vetere – Blink 182 is the obvious comparison, but dig a little deeper and you’ll hear hints of nerdcore icon Atom and his Package and/or deeper cut acts like Allister or Fenix TX.   Vetere kicks things off with the surf-inspired “Mockingbird” – chunky, chorus-laden guitar chords stab out swimmy laces of notes overtop a rolling tom beat. The song is delightfully simplistic, letting its easily-digestible parts come together into a catchy and relatable whole. Vetere’s vocal melodies are the true appeal here, cribbing the aforementioned Delonge-method[...]

Split From the Mind – Split From the Mind

March 23, 2025

Whatever happened to music that comes from a place of sincerity? That’s the question Buffalonian act Split From the Mind (SFTM) aims to answer on their debut, self-titled EP. Sometimes it’s best to hear from the artist themselves when it comes to the mission and mantra of their music – check out what project mastermind Stephen Wright (vocals, guitar) has to say:   “I haven’t quite been grabbed by an act in recent memory that gave me the feeling I was listening to something timeless… [I[ just wanted to make a piece of music that I felt explored a time and place in history. I have longed for music like this, and I genuinely believe this EP meets a moment. Not because it has the best vocals, guitar play or production, but because it has the flaws of a human heart and spirit.”   Needless to say, a listen through[...]

Blueburst – Kick My Tires Single/EP

March 17, 2025

Atlanta, Georgia act Blueburst just released an intriguing new EP, Kick My Tires Single/EP. Frontman and creative force of Blueburst, Craig Douglas Miller, has taken a fan favorite song, “Kick My Tires,” and split it into four unique, ear-catching takes. The result is the absolute spectrum of what it means to dive deeply into a song – the original; a powerful new mix; an instrumental; and a stripped-down take.   The original “Kick My Tires” is song two on the EP – acting as the album’s sonic foothold and rooting fans’ ears in Miller’s classic sound. Track one, however, is a new take on the mix by Ben Etter, placing a bigger emphasis on drummer Michael Jerome’s work and bringing out parts of the mix that were previously blending in. The instrumental take on “Kick My Tires” is a great listen as well, highlighting the wild, wall-of-sound instrumentals and angsty guitar[...]

CHAFT – 95

March 12, 2025

Music has healing properties. All clichés and platitudes aside, CHAFT‘s latest EP, the five-song 95, is evidence of this hypothesis – written and recorded during a life-changing medical diagnosis and subsequent surgery, songwriter Derek Miller channeled his raw anxiety into this powerful collection of songs. With themes of mortality, appreciation, and panic weaving their way across the music found here, CHAFT captures a vulnerable moment in time through a jangly, indie rock lens, sure to appeal to fans of Pavement, Pixies, and every jangly thing in-between.   Opener and title-track “95” is an excellent distillation of Miller’s sound – the wry delivery a la The Dismemberment Plan’s Travis Morrison; the punchy basslines of Kim Deal; and the lightly-psychedelic sound of late 90s pop rock make their way into this song. There’s a unique juxtaposition here between the generally upbeat-sounding music and the fact that these songs were conceived during a time[...]

De Moi – Drifting Intervals

March 5, 2025

De Moi, colloquially known as Czech musician and sound artist Vojtech Vesely, comes to us all the way from Prague with his latest offering, the twelve-song Drifting Intervals (DI). Less of an “album” (at least in the traditional sense) and more of an “experience,” DI is based around an innovative technique that Vesely developed himself – a constantly evolving and gradual fusing of several musical intervals into one, seamless, ambient texture. The result is something hypnotic, soothing, and pristine – and despite being technically a digitized work of art, feels like a welcome way to help you unplug from the world. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between ambient noise, new age, and drone music, Drifting Intervals feels like music that might heal the soul… Or at the very least, provide a lovely soundscape for which to fall asleep to.   De Moi’s approach to creating DI is fascinating to say the least. Vesely is[...]

Starbender – Social Engineering

March 5, 2025

Starbender is a Chicago-based rock band whose Social Engineering just came out – a ten-song collection of britrock and alternative songs that serve conceptually as a calling-to-arms to all. Starbender wants the common folks to work together to fight the corrupt system we’re all existing in. Sure, sometimes it feels like we’re all shouting into an empty void – but this quartet has funneled that rage into a surprisingly fun (and at times beautiful) LP that’s as powerfully-delivered as it is catchy.   Starbender start things off strong with song one and lead single, “Social Engineering.” Right from the get-go, it’s evident that a powerful ’90s alternative rock vein runs through their music – expect jangly, guitar-powered songs full of tasty riffs, chunky distortion, and super-high vocal harmonies. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between Oasis, Spacehog, and early Radiohead, “Social Engineering” makes use of all the hallmarks of that storied ’90s sound.[...]

Animal Scream – Otherworldly Pictures

March 3, 2025

Pittsburgh-based act Animal Scream are purveyors of the genre of “doom pop” – their music is curated with a nod toward sound design best described as “noir,” with hints of psychedelia and synth-pop sneaking through. The founding duo of Chad Monticue and Josh Sickels teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Caleb Pogyor for their latest offering, the six-song Otherworldly Pictures, an EP that is probably better described as an experience than a casual listen.   The EP kicks off with a steady heartbeat before exploding into synth bombast on “It’s Gonna Be Cruel.” Post-punkish bass pounds a steady rhythm before distorted vocals come in to set the scene. As the song evolves, more and more synth textures get layered in – think flute-like tones and some sparkly twinkles. Before long, the band launches into a super-melodic chorus – a welcome development for a crew who take their sound design so seriously. Fans of[...]

nullsign – Sensory

March 2, 2025

We love when bands let their music do the talking for them – such is the case for Toledo-based shoegaze duo nullsign. Their latest EP is called Sensory – this loosely conceptual offering is a masterclass in sludgy guitar work, far-off vocal haze, and chest-thumping drum work. Every song here is based around the experience of losing one of your senses – it’s not too far of a stretch to imagine this, as their gauzy brand of guitar-forward musicianship already feels like an assault on your perception of the world. Fans of sunn O))), Ride, and Deftones will love the aggressive guitar work and should find lots of tasty chugging here to sink their fangs into.   nullsign start the album with the powerful, sun-scorched pummel of “Sublight.” A swirling, panned maelstrom starts the song before diving head-first into a whirlpool of guitar noise. Twangy leads scream through an onslaught of[...]

Love Ghost – Memento Mori

March 2, 2025

Last time we checked in with LA-based act Love Ghost, we were emotionally crushed by the dark and heavy alt rock found on his collaborative album, Love Ghost x Skold. A mere four months later, the prolific Love Ghost, aka Finnegan Seeker Bell, is back with another batch of songs that really make you ponder the meaning of existence. Memento Mori is his new seven-song collection, a hard and harsh look at love, loss, and existential reckoning through a unique blend of influences, namely alt rock, emo trap, and Latin urban. Once again, he’s teamed up with a veritable dream team of collaborators – Deer, Plata, Verumicito, Young Aleexx, Katsu Energy, Ardis, and xKori and producers Berdu, Otho, Comisarios and Erving River. The laundry list reads long, but the result is unique and powerful – a blend of Spanish/English lyrics that cross the lines of both genre and culture with appeal from[...]

Marcus: the Apex Predator! – Newborn Fossil

February 26, 2025

Detroit-based Marcus: the Apex Predator! (MTAP) return from a seven-year gap with their latest offering, the five-song Newborn Fossil.   Newborn Fossil kicks itself off with a telling title track, highlighting their penchant for gritty, guitar-forward sounds – jaunty rhythms conjure hints of Death From Above 1979, while gravely-voiced singing from frontman/songwriter Kevin Watts instantly recalls the rawness of ’90s legends Archers of Loaf. Bandmates Nick Marko (drums) and Sean Bondareff (bass) form a rock-solid rhythm section that anchor Watts’ oddly melodic guitar playing. Lyrically, the band explores unique imagery – in this case, literally a “newborn fossil,” with Watts proclaiming that said fossil is his doppelgänger. If this is a roundabout way of coming to terms with the aging process, Watts & co. have found a thought-provoking way to portray it. Track two, “Lo-Fi” continues the Archers of Loaf vibe, with big, lightly-discordant guitar theatrics that tickle the eardrums with[...]

Terry Blade – Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues

February 17, 2025

Chicago’s Terry Blade is a singer/songwriter whose passion for everything-blues comes through perfectly on his latest output, Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues. An ethnographic account of both blues pioneers and an honest representation of Blade’s blues-based songwriting, Blade combines excerpts of interviews with innovators of the genre (think Theresa Needham; Jimmy Walker; Muddy Waters Jr., Willie Monroe; and Lefty Dizz), procured via public domain by Blade himself, with the soulful blues meanderings that fans of the genre have come to know and expect. These interviews from 1977 offer the listener a unique juxtaposition – a reverence for the trailblazers of the past mixed with Blade’s passion to keep the genre alive today.   There are two types of songs on Chicago Kinfolk: The Juke Joint Blues – song one (and every other song thereafter) features an excerpt from the aforementioned interviews, starting with the godmother of Chicago Blues herself, Theresa Needham.[...]

Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles – Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles

February 17, 2025

Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles (K&T8MM) is an Orlando, FL-based garage rock act who mix gritty and raw production with fun, and smartly melodic compositions. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between nerdy-but-articulate emo rockers like Modern Baseball or Mom Jeans and the fuzzed-out cacophony of bands like WAVVES or FIDLAR, their latest album, a self-titled affair, is a 10-song exploration of chunky, guitar-driven songs that are full of cuss words, self-hatred, and more than a few sugary melodies that find themselves worming their way into your brain.   The album kicks off with a four-on-the-floor drumbeat that explodes into a wall of guitar feedback. Right away, Kyle & co. put their best feet forward (which may explain their respectable eight minute mile time) with “Despair,” pairing fun and extra-rhythmic vocals with tasty melodies. The guitars here are grungy as all get out – sounding almost atonal at times, but never[...]

Alex Runo – Living & Breathing

February 16, 2025

First thing’s first – Alex Runo has some pipes. Some journalists from his native Sweden even (allegedly) call him the best singer in Sweden… One listen through his latest offering Living & Breathing (L&B) will have you feeling the same way – a five-song collection (plus a bonus live track) of previously unreleased Runo material that showcases what the man can really do… *sing* his heart out, to clarify.   Runo’s emotional tenor is the highlight of this LP – that becomes evident right away. “No Good Gone” finds Runo belting in a powerful wail while effortlessly switching into airy falsetto moments later. There’s a retro rock flavor to “No Good Gone” that brings to mind efforts from Maroon 5 or even a SexyBack era Justin Timberlake track – Runo’s stuff would certainly fit comfortably on a shelf next to either of them. “White Flag” falls into this camp as well –[...]