Album Reviews

Cipriani – Meek

March 4, 2024

Swiss singer/songwriter Claudio Cipriani is hot off of the release of his latest offering, Meek (February 29, 2024). If the auspicious leap year release date wasn’t indication enough of this EP’s transcendent qualities, a full listen through Cipriani’s work will have you feeling lighthearted and free. For the past three decades, Cipriani has been crafting music that can be described as enchanting and captivating, encapsulating the beauty and joy of life in a world that almost forces you to look past. His work is deeply inspired by the beauty of nature and showing kindness to others – the blend of instruments here embodies that mindset, with flashes of piano, violin, plunking basslines, and Cipriani’s breathy baritone delivery. Here’s Cipriani himself explaining the central thesis of Meek: “‘Meek’ is an EP about the struggles of our lives in our present times trying to lift us above the mists of negativity to[...]

Jared Bill – Mystery Man

February 29, 2024

There’s something intangible about the latest album from country act Jared Bill… Or maybe the word I’m looking for is tongue-in-cheek? Either way, the rock-tinged country of his sophomore album, Mystery Man, is a compelling journey of flavorful storytelling, fun anecdotes, and a surprisingly touching core that never takes itself quite too seriously. With such a wide-arching spectrum of topics, there’s something here for everybody… Even corgi lovers. Opening track, “The Jared Bill, Pt. 2,” is an acoustic-laden country western song that acts as a sort of biography or origin story of the character of Jared Bill. Deeply narrative lyrics evoke feelings that you’re about to rob a train sometime in the 1800s. The rich story certainly helps to kick off the album, a simple-but-effective style that would sound right at home in your favorite local saloon or dive bar. With nimble piano twinkling, spry guitar noodling, touches of female[...]

The Daze – Methomania

January 24, 2024

Winters in the Northeast are no joke – I surely don’t need to tell any of our Buffalonian readers that. Our neighbors across Lake Erie in Cleveland might know a thing or two about how to get through a brutal winter, too… Something like: watch your football team lose in heartbreaking fashion and promptly go back to drinking and shoveling for the next four months, and somewhere in that time span maybe write a song or two. Cleveland-based act The Daze know this exact pain. The rock n’ roll duo (Eddie Grier on vocals, guitar, bass, and keys and Basil Johnson on organ, drums, and percussion) channeled their teenage angst into a gritty ten-song album they’re calling Methomania. While Methomania is a term that is archaic for “alcoholism,” the album also touches on themes of addiction, growing up, and anxiety. The Daze was formed by a group of high school[...]

Jenny Rubicon – Greedy

January 15, 2024

Jenny Rubicon (JR) is a fresh-faced indie rock act hailing from NYC composed of James Bannon and Max Chomet – the duo’s evolution from collegiate friends with differing musical opinions to co-songwriters in a band is a wild one, but it’s these unlikely pairings that often create the best artistic results. A decade into their friendship (which has since blossomed considerably), they’ve crafted a brand new album titled Greedy. At nine songs long, Greedy is the sound of their growth as musical partners AND friends encapsulated into something tangible. Not only is it a fun-sounding, punchy, and crunchy batch of guitar-based power-pop that is perfect for any listening occasion, but it also touches on themes of moving on, growing up, and evolving as time goes by. Album opener “Dinner Party” introduces the listener to the hallmarks of Jenny Rubicon’s sound; think chunky guitar distortion, upbeat tempos, and heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics delivered[...]

Into The Light – Into The Light

December 27, 2023

Rochester-based act Into The Light formed in 2022 and boasts an impressive pedigree of Rochester talent – think members of Bad Bloom, Union, Hard To Know, The Silence Broken, and Achilles. This particular crew is influenced by shoegaze, indie rock, and post-hardcore like Failure, Catherine Wheel, and Quicksand; said influences come through strongly on their debut EP, the self-titled Into The Light (ITL). The quartet worked with record producer Steve Sopchak (of Motionless in White and Ice Nine Kills fame) to create a gritty, guitar-forward album full of raw aggression, chugging chords, and cathartic emotions. It has just as much in common with crushing ’90s grunge like Soundgarden, your favorite Deftones album, and modern-day acts like Superheaven and Teenage Wrist. Album opener “The Thorns of Life” introduces you to the hallmarks of ITL – expect spindly guitar leads laden with thick distortion tones; a rock-steady bassline that’s just as nimble; and[...]

Kramer – Sitting Alone Suite

December 27, 2023

You might not believe him when he tells you, but despite having almost no social media presence, newly-minted act Kramer won a Grammy in 2023 (!). Having worked as a record producer and as a “behind the scenes guy” for years, social media was never a necessity for Kramer’s success in the music industry. But after winning the Grammy for his work on J. Ivy’s spoken word poetry album The Poet Who Sat By The Door, Kramer figured this whole solo project thing was worth a shot. The result is a stunning and poignant debut, the four song Sitting Alone Suite. Colloquially known as Chris Kramer, Kramer got his humble start fussing around with samplers in the 90s. Having cut his teeth in other bands and as a producer, Sitting Alone Suite came to him while literally in dangerous waters. Recognizing the peril he was in and fearing for his life,[...]

Backstrom – The Carousel

December 26, 2023

Swedish act Backstrom is gearing up to release their latest batch of songs – The Carousel, due out January 18th, 2024. The Carousel is a potent mix of folk, rock, and country tunes composed by songwriter/project mastermind Backstrom and sung by vocalist Bart Topher. A seasoned storyteller and veteran musician through and through, Backstrom has crafted a collection of dark and mysterious compositions that aim to transcend the “cheesiness” of sing-song songwriting to mine a deeper vein of untouched potential. The result is a nonet of cohesive and thoughtful songs that paint literary portraits of life and its many complexities. Album opener “Train Wreck Coming” is a bluesy bounce that introduces us to the hallmarks of Backstrom’s sound. Nimble guitar picking is the star of the show here, fingers bobbing and weaving across the fretboard to form a rock-solid backbone for this song. Backstrom layers the song thick with folksy instrumentation, including[...]

Just Leila – Just For Me

December 17, 2023

Originally hailing from Morocco, Just Leila (aka singer/songwriter Leila ليلى Moussaoui) grew up with a diverse set of influences, including jazz, Arabic melodies, French pop, and the rhythm of R&B. An avid traveler, Leila’s wanderlust seems to have creeped into her latest offering, Just For Me, a seven-song EP full of meditative pop with a distinct, new age twist. Having spent so much time traversing the globe, Leila’s songs are informed by themes of connection, freedom, and artistic expression. About the album, Leila offers: “‘Just For Me’ is like a creative mantra of sorts, something I needed for myself in order to protect my creativity and keep it sacredly mine until I was ready to share it out. I wanted to gift myself this safe space, this blank canvas, so I could really open up.” EP opener, “Bits of Pieces,” sets the scene for Leila’s soothing and relaxing approach. Her[...]

Nate Logston – Marriages & Divorces

December 17, 2023

Indiana-based singer-songwriter Nate Logston is on his fifth (!) full length album. His songwriting is dripping with experience and the hard-earned scars that come with being a seasoned musician (and life-liver, for that matter). His latest offering is the 11-song Marriages & Divorces (M&D) – a thoughtful and contemplative look at the complexities of love, loss, and what it means to be in a relationship. M&D’s heart-on-your-sleeve vibes are perfectly orchestrated by his personal brand of indie-folk/Americana – the meandering tempos, starry-eyed energies, and warm, lo-fi mix here are a perfect match for Logston’s artistic aura. In a perfect show of synergy, he’s brought along a bevy of world class musicians including Robert Shelton (co-producer, keys, mixing); Allen Van Wert and Julie Odnorolov (guitars); Adam Hill (slide and baritone guitars, backing vocals); Andrew Maguire (percussion); and Meernaa (backing vocals). The album starts out with single “Water High,” a slide-guitar tinged, indie-folk[...]

Joker’s Hand – Pride Before The Panic

December 11, 2023

LA-based duo Joker’s Hand (JH) are mad, and for good reason. Everything kinda sucks right now in general (I don’t think I need to elaborate on that much further)… But one of the greatest outlets for releasing said emotions is music, and JH have honed in their catharsis with edgy, alt-punk flavor. Their latest release is the six-song Pride Before The Panic, full of pointed commentary and systemic unrest in an aggressive but catchy package. The album starts out with “Consequence,” where JH flex a little bit of studio magic. Playing with cinematic sounds, auto tune, and ambient whale song drones, this particular track shows just how many tricks JH have up their sleeves. It’s an apt preview for an exciting EP full of polished twists and turns. That flows into song two, “Highly Functioning Mind,” which is, ironically, the most straightforward rock n roller on the EP. “Highly Functioning[...]

LongRoad – Faith in Greater Things?

November 27, 2023

It’s been a, *ahem,* long road for New Jersey-based act LongRoad, but they seem to have all come out on the other side. Formed from a trio of Rutherfordians (NJ) and Vermont’s Ted Ames, the quartet originally met at the Knitting Factory in NYC and immediately recognized their mutual musical interests. That fateful evening resulted in a debut album, 2006’s This Too Shall Pass – now, after a seventeen (!) year hiatus, they’ve returned with a new batch of songs they’re calling Faith in Greater Things?. Ames describes the mantra of their new songs below: “As with the last album, the songs remain the product of living our lives… They are an honest mix of storytelling and emotion based upon our experience and observation in and of the world around us.” The ’90s influence is heavy on Faith in Greater Things?, and it’s evident immediately on album opener “New Song.” With[...]

Hot Spoon, Cold Mango – Paws on Ears

November 27, 2023

“What is it that you see when told stories that have no pictures?” An interesting question posed by Stephen Meeker, the individual behind Hot Spoon, Cold Mango. The curiously-named project (which also includes Stephen’s lover) was conceived after the duo used a warm spoon, fresh from the dishwasher, to dive into a nice cold container of mango sorbet. We’re not sure we have an answer to the above query, but it’s an exercise in existentialism to even attempt to come up with one. Communication with Meeker has been cryptic, but intriguing. His biographies use words that have been buried in thesauri. Questions are answered with diatribes that go in infinite directions… But it’s all a part of the mystique surrounding HSCM’s latest offering, Paws on Ears. Meeker operates behind a concept-turned-genre called “Motion Vision.” He’ll explain it below better than we ever could: “Welcome to Motion Vision, a groundbreaking musical genre that[...]

James Bannon – Heat Ghosts

November 7, 2023

James Bannon is a New Jersey-based act who just released the six-song EP Heat Ghosts (HG). Full of folksy strumming and plenty of 90s-era adult contemporary flavors, HG tells several poignant stories of love, loss, and human connections. Album opener “Kitchens Everywhere” was a lovely way for Bannon to kick things off. With the same warm energy as James Taylor or John Denver, “Kitchens” leans heavy on strong, narrative lyrics and Bannon’s vulnerable vocal presence. Of particular note here is a nimble bassline that undercuts the lovingly-strummed acoustic guitar, giving this drum-less song a bit of a rhythmic presence. “Kitchens” is a perfect summation of what you can expect from HG, as it warms you up to the heart-on-your-sleeve energies that can be found throughout the EP. Song two, “Dinner Party,” is a love story centered around the relationship of two queer high school girls. Hints of emo worm their way into the[...]

Playing With Fireworks – Runaway

October 22, 2023

Playing With Fireworks (PWF) is the moniker of Luke Underhill. The Chicago, IL native is here with a new sound, shedding his singer songwriter roots for something a bit more lush and expressive. The result of this new identity is a fresh, new EP, Runaway, a four-song offering layered full of synth explosions, powerful blasts of guitar, an epic drum presence, and Underhill’s passionately gravely vocal presence. The songs have a distinctive 1980s flair without ever sounding dated, taking the best aspect of that decade and injecting it into the contextual oeuvre of 2023’s indie rock. Here’s a bit about how the EP came to life from Luke himself: “This EP was conceived and written on long train rides in and out of the city. Watching the world fly by, waving at strangers when they board, it was a lot of time to think and write. I hope the music[...]

Vast Robot Armies – The What Gallery

October 21, 2023

Vast Robot Armies (VRA) has existed for the better part of a decade, an impressive feat for any band. VRA rose from the ashes of many respected projects, think The Life and Times; Sometimes Why; Shiner; Failure; and Sundiver – bandleader Jason Thomson used his veteran experience (with the help of bandmates Jon Agee & Joseph Wells and a few other talented friends) to create his latest offering, The What Gallery (TWG). Informed by the storied sounds of his past but never fully aping them, The What Gallery is a collection of eight songs of dark pop, sludgy indie rock, and a pounding percussive presence that demands attention. Before I dive into the music, I’d like to highlight an important underlying theme here – ego death. Jason and producer Jordon Zadorozny (Sam Roberts, Hole, Chris Cornell) set out to record an album with an unshakeable vision. It wasn’t until Thomson/Zadorozny took[...]