Album Reviews

Bubblegum Cistern – SYZYGY

May 31, 2026

Knoxville, Tennessee’s Bubblegum Cistern, a duo made up of Eddie Stephenson and John Seeber, recently released SYZYGY, a wonderfully rhythmic, space-influenced record that is bound to pique your interest. Whether it’s demonic vocoders joining a frenzy of vocals, or the extremely impressive percussion heard all throughout the album, SYZYGY lands successfully among the sun, moon, and stars.   “Low Gravity,” song one, blasts off with some sort of alien chime that disintegrates into static. The bass is huge, and the instrumentals are jazzy with a bowel-shaking groove. As noted previously, the drummer is going crazy. Surprise: there’s double bass in this astral bop! The track also features splendid vocal runs. Later on in the song, the frontman victoriously takes a ballsy risk by singing alone.   Traversing across the album leads us to “Back to Phoenix,” which stands out with its wistful happiness. There is big, thumping acoustic guitar and[...]

Zoe Konez – Everything’s Fine

May 21, 2026

We must keep going despite the notion that the life we built may not presently serve us anymore. Brighton-based, British singer-songwriter Zoe Konez’s Everything’s Fine is based on just that sentiment. The album is a kind respite that gives us space for self-forgiveness. The message is conveyed through clever, finger-styled acoustic guitar, brilliant vocal harmonies, and well-textured synthesizers. Sonically, everything within the album’s confines was executed by Konez herself.   The album starts with the gentle piano of “Paragon.” There is a percussive acoustic guitar playing in triplets before it eases into drums and auxiliary clicks. Immediately, the listener is tempted by the calm promised by Konez. Song two, “I Don’t Want To Be Lonely Anymore,” continues with the three-four meter and triplets. It is here that Konez fortifies her soft-spoken, truly beautiful vocal performance. “I Don’t Want To Be Lonely Anymore” is stripped-down, simple, and soothing, and seems like a[...]

Planer – Feel It Too / Dial

May 8, 2026

Minneapolis-based quartet Planer recently released a two-song split featuring two new songs, “Feel It Too” and “Dial.” The band specializes in a sludgy amalgamation of ’90s grunge; Midwest, DIY-style emo, and post-rock. Influenced strongly by the Big Muff and Rat (TM) warriors of the ’90s – think J. Mascis or Kevin Shields – with a healthy dose of contemporaries like Cloakroom, Superheaven, and Citizen. Ruthlessly sincere and with a true, genre-confirming DIY energy, Feel It Too / Dial feels timeless and contemporary all the same.   Opener “Feel It Too” is perfect post-rock-influenced emo. A simple, descending guitar lead is all it takes to know this one’s going to crush your spirit in the best way. Heavily distorted guitars jangle atop a sloshy drumbeat. Vocals sigh and moan with genuine hurt. The song itself even implodes on itself, gradually degrading over time into nothingness… But Planer’s real strength comes from their penchant[...]

Mike Stocksdale – Connectors

May 5, 2026

Exceptionally experienced, Californian songwriter, Mike Stocksdale, is releasing his newest collection of songs in Connectors, an effervescent and bold album where humans joyfully play blues-inspired indie rock: no AI or click tracks here. Stocksdale has years of discography to his name, and Connectors only further serves to demonstrate his overall musicianship and critical acclaim. The album is an impressively fluid listen, with each song transitioning into the next as easily as taking your next breath.   Album opener, “Nothing Like Beginning,” queues with echoing percussion and brilliant guitar and harmonica. A tambourine splashes in your ears. The song is overall very catchy and consistent, and immediately points to fantastic songwriting. The relatable lyrics, “And if God exists / Then sign me up / ‘Cause that means God made you…” are poetic, yet straightforward. “Nothing Like Beginning” bleeds into another single from Connectors called, “Elevator.” There is a fat, wet snare[...]

Outsideness – …From What?

May 1, 2026

Freidrich$ made his buffaBLOG debut back in late-August 2025, when our longtime contributor, Nick Sessanna, reviewed his genre-shattering album Wish – a collection chock-full of supremely relatable lyricism and dreamy mixes. Freidrich$ and fellow musician, Azalias, have combined their creativity into an outlet called, Outsideness, and the two couldn’t blend more seamlessly together. They’ve released a formidable collaboration album in …From What? With Azalias’ beautiful falsetto and Freidrich$’s rich tenor, their efforts amalgamate into a stunning, atmospheric collection of songs.   “Remedy,” the album opener, starts off with ghostly coos from Azalias. The zippy guitar is enthralling, like watching embers shoot up from a bonfire. Mood-wise, this song is easygoing and sensual, but it is pinned against pensive lyrics like, “I’m feeling hollow, but you have a way with me.” Azalias has a hushed vocal delivery in this one, not unlike the alt pop of Billie Eilish. Next, is “Pretend,”[...]

Axel Flóvent – Fleeing the Shore

April 26, 2026

Axel Flóvent comes to us all the way from Iceland with his latest EP, Fleeing the Shore. This batch of songs is truly an exercise in self-isolation – Axel holed up in his home studio in Húsavík, challenging himself to explore simplicity through solitude. Some might call this the “Bon Iver method,” but after a listen through the quiet crush of Fleeing the Shore, we’re feeling like we might have to rename it… Here’s a little snippet from Axel himself regarding what this EP means to him:   “If I had to choose three words to describe this EP, they would be change, self-isolation, and solitude. These songs explore different forms of change, changes of the mind, of place, and a longing for transformation in general.”   You might be expecting nothing but an acoustic guitar, but opening song “Another Year” is as lush and beautiful as anyone could ever ask for.[...]

By Million Wires – Not Over EP

April 25, 2026

After fourteen years of hiatus, By Million Wires, coming all the way from Tarnów, Poland, are releasing a gripping new offering with their upcoming re-entry, the Not Over EP. The EP’s themes range from survival to empty nostalgia, and the sound is akin to the overall messages.   The first song, “Over,” begins with jelly-like guitar that flirts with the math rock genre. This song is a solid jam, feeling all-encompasing as the deep, fuzzy bass envelopes you. Honestly, “Over” would be perfect for taking a no-destination cruise on a day where having the windows down is a statement that summer is on its way. The chorus is absolutely huge, with a fat tambourine cascading between your headphones.   “Glass Houses,” the second song, starts with a bit of an “Everlong” feel. When frontman Mirek Skrok cathartically delivers, “And though the ears cannot hear / And through this glass I[...]

Gas Station Boner Pills – First Movement

April 20, 2026

Atlanta-based party punk rockers Gas Station Boner Pills (GSBP) swing for the fences with their newest EP, titled First Movement, part of a bigger project (and soon-to-be LP) titled SIMPhony. This EP certainly feels like a progressive and comedic attack on those who struggle to make it in the dating world.   The first track “SIMP” begins with the singer rolling his r’s into a battlecry. GSBP are loud and rebellious in the best ways. The drummer is very talented – the fills are fast and accurate, perfect for an edgy, punk rock mouthfeel. The singer yells, “I’m not bored, but I’m not rich / I’ll be your simp and I’ll be your bitch!” Whether comedic or social commentary, these lyrics aim to dismantle modern dating tropes.   Next, we have “Two Pump Chump.” The song starts off syncopated with a crunchy, distorted guitar and sludgy bass. With hilarious lyrics like,[...]

Christo Sedgewick and The Fabulous Regrets – The Lonesome Tender Hollow Of The Night

April 3, 2026

Chicago is a hub for blues and americana – we’re happy to profile another tried-and-true musical group known as Christo Sedgewick and The Fabulous Regrets. March of 2026 saw the release of their third album, The Lonesome Tender Hollow Of The Night, in which the band has found a way to soundtrack the little things that can make or break you. With songs that evoke grit through tales of of sinking woes, Christo Sedgewick and The Fabulous Regrets do blues, folk, and americana sweet, sweet justice.   Song number one, “The Dead King Hunts And Eats The Gods,” demonstrates immediate depth of musicality here with dark, rhythmic blues. The band is groovy in every sense of the word, and on “Dead King,” Sedgewick and his bandmates deliver a remarkably classic tune. The drums patter along with a bluesy shuffle, making this song an undeniable head bopper. When Sedgewick delivers the[...]

Slept All Day – Yutori

March 23, 2026

Being the enigmatic music hub that it is, it’s no surprise Austin, Texas birthed the supreme electronica duo Slept All Day. Their newest release, Yutori, is a concept album, with “Yutori” functioning as a Japanese term for spaciousness. Perfect for easy listening, the album conveys serenity, peace, and welcomes the springtime thaw.   The first track, “Seagulls in the Waves,” starts off strong with a very deep atmosphere – something that is certainly true throughout Yutori‘s entirety. The singer mentions the “sun shin[ing] on [his] tired face,” a perfect lyrical accompaniment that compliments the experience of the duo’s guitar melodies melting away worry.   As you traverse out of the blippy electronica and textured guitars of “Pure Imagination” into song three, “Summer Tide,” you’ll notice the incredibly smooth flow of the album. With continued listening, one may realize that the pace of Yutori is purposely slow, offering time to relax and[...]

Bleach the Sky – Wash Away

March 6, 2026

Boston, Massachusetts’ Bleach the Sky have been kicking around for the better part of a decade – an indie/alternative/shoegaze trio whose latest album, Wash Away, has been blaring through the buffaBLOG office speakers non-stop. Their newest musical endeavor is a foundational five-song EP, all of which have been meticulously crafted over the course of the last three years. Produced by Jay Maas, formerly of the raging band Defeater, and mastered by Kris Crummet, Wash Away blends the best parts of late ’90s alt rock, emo, and shoegaze into the band’s best (and best-representative) stuff yet. With influences ranging from Teenage Wrist, to Incubus, to Jimmy Eat World, Wash Away is truly the sum of all its various inspirations.   “GIN,” the album’s opening track, is concise, blistering shoegaze. Perfectly noisy and concentrated, Bleach the Sky uses fuzzy guitars, an ethereal bass, and huge drums to back fittingly-crushing lyrics like, “Who’s to say[...]

The Sven Curth (Huge) Trio – Live at your local Waterhole

March 3, 2026

Sven Curth and his cronies let loose a wicked live set in Live at your local Waterhole. Alongside featured keyboardist Chris Carballeira, these enviable musicians tailored a set of 60s and 70s rock – and blues-inspired masterpieces. This live set is fun-filled, kindly rebellious, and consistently full of next-to-the-bonfire coziness. Overall, The Sven Curth (Huge) Trio do justice to classic rock. No joke – they all know how to play! Always peaceful yet engaging, these performers offer a captivating sonic experience that has us raising our gaze away from our phones and up at the proverbial stage.   “How Come?” is the first track on this live recording. There’s a thumping shuffle on the drum kit. The bass guitar walks us along on a loose leash. Joining other songs on this collection that question important societal norms like marriage, Curth sings, “How come everyone’s looking for a partner?” Though Curth[...]

James Beastly – We Should Be Animals

February 27, 2026

Genre-defying songwriter Jim Paulos, AKA James Beastly, returns to buffaBLOG wielding a new sonic blade: his upcoming album, We Should Be Animals. As Beastly himself aptly puts it, he was once,   “… too indie to be punk and too punk to be indie.”   Nick Sessanna reviewed James Beastly’s previous album Junk Values here, giving it high praise. We’re happy to review his newest collection of songs – this time with a somewhat different approach. Overall more relaxed, the album ranges from buzzing shoegaze to dissociative, ambient folk. Moreover, We Should Be Animals is Beastly’s most ambitious attempt, starring key musicians like those from The Cast-Iron Canaries, Patrick Byers from Broken Social Scene, and Magdalena Żaczek of Smokey Robinson and Andrea Bocelli fame.   “Spring Violets,” the lead single from We Should Be Animals, queues with a disheartening, eerie synth pad. The quiet bellows of Paulos sit atop a decidedly[...]

Brock Davis – Nothing Lasts Forever

February 17, 2026

Americana is a timeless genre – one that feels inherently tied to history, nostalgia, and feelings of belonging. Santa Cruz-based singer/songwriter Brock Davis has found a home in that genre, especially on new album Nothing Lasts Forever, a 14-song offering that deals with heavy-but-relatable themes like the transience of life, love (and all its implications), and everything in between. A real-life health scare may have shaken Davis (luckily, he’s okay), but if anything, it seems to have steeled his resolve to create something heartfelt and real. The phrase “Nothing Lasts Forever” might be literally true in a vacuum – but at the very least, these songs will live on eternally, and they certainly have the classic songwriting backbone to withstand the slow, cruel hands of time. Here’s a little more from Davis himself about what Nothing Lasts Forever really means to him:   “As I was searching for an album title,[...]

Rayhan – EP 5

February 14, 2026

Here in Buffalo, we consider Toronto our neighbors to the North, so we were pleased to receive the latest EP from Canadian artist, actor, and comedian Rayhan Jabbar. On his latest offering, a three-song EP he’s titled EP 5, Jabbar flexes all of his creative muscles into something all-encompassing and undefinable. Between art, acting, and music, if you had any questions about Jabbar’s multi-talented nature, this EP shifts wildly between hip hop, indie pop, and… Bollywood? You read that right.   Obviously as fellow snow belt dwellers, a song like “Windchill Minus Twenty” might appeal to us, especially as February temperatures plummet to that point regularly… Although we’re probably talking Fahrenheit here in the US – that’s probably much, much colder where Rayhan’s from. Here, he uses  a tough and glitchy beat to rap about how “selling drugs is a right of passage,” and the journey from being a drug-slinging youngster[...]