Album Reviews

Beach Tower – Another Beach Tower EP

October 25, 2024

Readers of buffaBLOG – by now, you should already know that when a Fredonia local band releases new music, it’s bound to be noteworthy. Coming off a short hiatus, Beach Tower has large shoes to fill (or should I say, fuzzy crocs), after their intriguing first album If We Make It To May. It’s safe to say that you should slip on some of your own fuzzy footwear and prepare yourself for a surfy, pop punk sensation with their long awaited follow up, simply and wonderfully titled, Another Beach Tower EP.    Before we even dive into this album, for fans of other Fredonia locals such as HitGRL and Ryan Terry Family Band, I suggest you drop everything and go listen to this latest release IMMEDIATELY!  Fun fact, Ryan Terry of Beach Tower is also in both bands making for an extremely recognizable sound that screams “this is Ryan Terry[...]

Jason Being – Glory

October 25, 2024

Jason Being is fresh off the release of his latest offering, Glory, a seven-song mix of folk, alternative, and rock music through an especially twangy lens. The singer/songwriter recorded the album at Temple Cabin Studios in scenic Naples, NY, not too far from our lovely, metropolitan Buffalo area (but probably closer to our neighbors in Rochester). A quick view of the rural location and cozy cabin vibes give enough insight into what you might get with a listen to Being’s new album… Expect classic compositions with a strong narrative, delivered with a backbone of acoustic guitars and emphasized with a bevy of various instrumental flourishes. Opening song “Glory” has a bit of a spaghetti western feel, with it’s tremolo-laced electric guitar accompaniment and bouncy rhythmic swagger. In the background, an interesting bongo track blips and boops alongside a rustic shaker. Soon, Being’s bluesy baritone comes in to bring it all together.[...]

Croix – Self Soothe

October 11, 2024

Rochester’s Croix has proven riot grrrl to be alive and well with their debut album, Self Soothe. The punk band delves into the reality of heartbreak, self-discovery, and one’s worth through a rawness reminiscent of 70’s sensations like The Runaways or Heart. Each of the eleven tracks offer a unique sound that fuels listeners with an energy that can only be described as a “lighter-waving-type-of-head-banging.” The grittiness of “Howl” opens the LP with an ode to trans struggles written by lead guitarist and backup vocalist Jennifer Wameling, with the help of lead singer Carmen Lewis: “I won’t stop Until my breath Leaves my body My existence is resistance” In true punk nature, the song was written as a response to a transphobic speech given at conservative political convention in 2023. Now, Wameling hopes it can be a reminder of worth to other members in the trans community. Throughout Self Soothe,[...]

Michael Zucker – Absinthe

October 11, 2024

Michael Zucker is nothing short of a prolific musician with an incredible resume. Perhaps best known as founding member/guitarist of video-game-rockers This Place is Haunted, the Denver-based musician plays in multiple other bands (Musuji, ZEW, Living Easy) and has amassed a catalogue of over 40 solo releases (including a faithful reproduction of the Super Mario Bros. 3 soundtrack using guitars, drums, and bass). His latest offering, a six-song EP called Absinthe, is what you might expect to hear from a seasoned songwriter – expect complex compositions layered with sounds, noise, and everything in between. While a casual listener might find some of this challenging (in a good way), advanced listeners will feel like they’re listening to eternity encapsulated. “Blood Wound” is a wild introduction to Zucker’s music. The song starts out with some ambient chaos – pulsing, bizarre percussion; 80s darkwave synth swells; and twinkles of clean guitar wash over you[...]

SUKH – Heading East

October 6, 2024

Fun-fact, singer/songwriter SUKH may be the first bona fide doctor/musician that we’ve ever had the pleasure of reviewing here at buffaBLOG. In his decade-plus career, SUKH has drawn from his experiences in the medical field to create a hopeful and uplifting brand of pop rock. His latest offering is the eight-song LP Heading East, and we think you’ll agree – it’s exactly the kind of music I’d want my doctor creating. If Heading East is your introduction to SUKH, a listen through his impressive catalog might surprise you – his 2022 album Age of Strangers is dark, almost anxious at times, with spiraling guitars, introspective lyrics, and minor-chord mentalities (see the jaunty blues-inspired “Don’t Fall Behind” or the crushing crescendo of “Rendezvous”). Heading East feels like a genuine shift in both tone and mindset, full of lighthearted pop rock songs that go down with ease. Let’s just say while Age of[...]

Wexford – Silent Key

September 22, 2024

Who knew?! There’s more to Sandusky, Ohio than a bevy of excellent roller coasters. In this case, we’re talking about Wexford, a quartet with a veritable laundry list of expertise and talent. Their latest offering is Silent Key, a 13-song collection that combines their backgrounds in hardcore and metal with a reverence for alternative, post-hardcore, and OG emo. A listen through Silent Key is a peep hole into their varied influences, ranging everywhere from Social Distortion, to Fugazi, all the way to System of a Down. With said influences, it should be pretty obvious that this is an aggressive, guitar-forward album. Lucky for its listeners, it’s one that feels like a happy amalgam of its influences, rather than a reproduction of them. Wexford kicks off Silent Key with a verified banger, “Change Your Mind.” Here, we’re introduced to the mainstays of their sound – chugging guitars and blistering beats that absolutely bleed[...]

Fuzzrod – III

September 20, 2024

Rochester’s Fuzzrod is a no-nonsense kind of band. In a world full of twinkly and ethereal lo-fi beats to study and chill to, Fuzzrod’s latest EP, III, might function as the exact opposite. Sure, there’s a time and a place for mood music, but there’s no substitute for heading out to the Bug Jar on a Friday night and having your eardrums destroyed by a dimed Big Muff. Fuzzrod aims for a happy medium – produced by drummer Stephen Roessner (as always), III is a rare, fuzzed-out record that focuses on songwriting as much as its fun, punked-0ut live energy. It’s intentionally five (5) songs in length – a “healthy dose to support daily use” for those of us relegated to our nine to fives. “Map of Outside” kicks off the album with a spitty guitar riff, spring-loaded with plenty of retro punk energy. The sludgy tones here are masterfully captured[...]

Bee Eigen – Sanguine

September 7, 2024

Nevada City-based singer/songwriter Bee Eigen is fresh off the release of her latest EP, Sanguine. A short-and-sweet four-song offering, Eigen specializes in heartfelt, bare-bones compositions that are lyrically driven. These songs are stuffed with clever verbiage that conjures razor-sharp imagery, leaving you feeling breathless and dewy-eyed. There’s no disguising anything here and that approach feels intentional – these songs are stripped-down to mostly acoustic guitar and Eigen’s winsome vocal character. With such a personal-sounding release, it’s best to hear a bit from the artist themselves – here’s an aside from Bee about where the inspiration from Sanguine came from: “The bliss of nothing. Uncertain footing and mourning old identities. The disgusting need for external validation. Life and all of its bittersweet qualities. These are some of the themes explored in my debut EP, Sanguine. Written over a span of 3+ years, these songs explore the ways in which my identity has[...]

Lily Meola – Heartbreak Rodeo

August 30, 2024

There’s something wild about Americana greatness coming from someone born outside the continental US, but Hawaii-born Lily Meola is busy putting out perfectly twangy pop. Her latest offering, the five-song Heartbreak Rodeo, is obviously Americana-inspired, but also flirts with country and pure-pop flavors, running the gamut between saloon-inspired balladry to straight-up hook factory pop songs. Lily was smart to kick Heartbreak Radio off with the most overtly catchy song on the EP, “Cowboy.” An indie-pop acoustic guitar progression bounces into your eardrums while a subtle shaker chicka-chickas in the background. The intro of the song is pretty enough, but around the thirty second mark, Meola unleashes an insane vocal run – it’s ruthlessly catchy and acts as a motif through the rest of the song. There aren’t many cowboys in Buffalo, NY (well, maybe in the suburbs), but it’s not hard to imagine “Cowboy” appealing to the Swifties of the world, especially[...]

Harmony With Hunter – Different Kind of Strong

August 9, 2024

Harmony With Hunter (HWH) started like many current projects… COVID. We all became rather resourceful during the pandemic, especially musicians. Whether you mailed your tracks back and forth through the mail like The Postal Service, hosted live Zoom sessions to collaborate, or finally wrote that solo EP you’d been talking about forever, songwriters found a way to keep creating. Hunter is no exception – with no safe way to collaborate with others, Hunter embraced the forced lockdown and learned how to loop. He studied and perfected the art of looping until he became a one man act – even going as far as to learn how to record and mix his music and make his own music videos. We’re a few years removed from COVID now, but Hunter has finally dropped an uncompromising album, the 11-song Different Kind of Strong. “Easy Answers” kicks off the album with the hallmarks of[...]

Increased Damage – Spark

August 7, 2024

Increased Damage – no, we’re not talking about min/maxing your latest MMORPG build, we’re highlighting the songwriting vehicle for Cleveland-based artist Robert Carrick. His latest offering is called Spark, a ten song album full of blistering pop-punk layered with tinges of emo, alternative, and pop. Sugary, spicy, and energetic, Spark is reminiscent of the great music that came out of the late ’90s and early ’00s. Since most of us are now viewing that era through rose-colored glasses, Spark comes at a perfect time, bringing to mind bands like The Starting Line, Blink 182, and Saves the Day without completely aping their signature sounds. Produced over a nine-month period, the album is an introduction of sorts for Carrick – he’s “finally found [his] sound,” and now, “it’s time to find [his] tribe.” Here’s a bit about Spark from Carrick himself: “I write music that is familiar but also evokes emotion. Lyrics that[...]

The Singer and The Songwriter – Dreams! The Dead! Ghost! Future

August 2, 2024

Oakland, CA probably isn’t the first city that comes to mind when you think “modern folk,” but The Singer and The Songwriter (TSTS) seem to be the type of act to eschew categorization. This award-winning, queer, mixed-race duo, composed of singer Rachel Garcia and Thu Tran, specialize in songs inspired by “grief, late-stage capitalism, and their enduring 18-year friendship.” Their latest offering is the 12-song Dreams! The Dead! Ghost! Future; the title of which was inspired by an abandoned storefront in McDermott, NV. This album often feels desperate in a hopeful way, but also feels like home, cataloguing loss, love, dreams, hope, and everything in between. The album opens with “Dreams,” and immediately we’re introduced to the backbone of TSTS’s sound. Make no mistake, this is barebones folk at its finest – raw, gentle, and heartfelt. There is no distortion to hide behind, no wall of sound to disguise any[...]

Modern Wildlife – Cost of Living

July 30, 2024

Minneapolis-based act Modern Wildlife formed in the summer of 2023 – they craft simple but intriguing songs that range from dark and moody to energizing and fast-paced. Their debut album is called Cost of Living, a 10-song offering that looks at the various anxieties and woes that plague our collective existences. As a trio, the group outputs a surprising amount of sound, opting to utilize unique chord structures and ear-catching bass in their own personal versions of punk rock, post-punk, and the spaces in between. Opening song “Another Place” rings strongly of Big Muff-soaked guitars a la Siamese Dream-era Smashing Pumpkins. The three-piece keep things simple and digestible, with a pleasant ride-cymbal-driven beat, fun bass licks, and the aforementioned fuzz sputtering pleasantly in your ears. While the entire album doesn’t smack of early 90s grunge glory, “Another Place” certainly does… Billy Corgan would be proud of this one. Even the longing[...]

You Fool! – What is the Meaning of This?

July 28, 2024

Newly-minted indie rockers You Fool! come from Washington D.C. Their debut album is called What is the Meaning of This? (WITMOT moving forward) and it spans the complete spectrum of indie rock, ranging from effervescent fun and danceable indie pop; all the way through post-rock; and even some dark, synth-pop moments. Between their exclamation point-laden band name and the could-only-be-an-inside-joke album title, it’s clear the fourteen (!) songs offered here come from a group of musicians who love what they are doing and are having fun doing it. After all, they started after an impromptu jam session inspired by karaoke performance of “Colors in the Wind” from Pocahontas. Guitarist and songwriter Josh Ryan explains the meaning of their album title below: “The album title has sort of a double meaning… On the one hand, it reflects the introspective and contemplative nature of some of the tracks on the album. But[...]

Kayze – Decadence

July 27, 2024

Decadence (n.) – moral or cultural decline as characterized by excessive indulgence in pleasure or luxury. Arizona-based Kayze is back with his fourth official release, the seven-song offering Decadence. As the spiritual successor to his previous releases Mutually Assured Destruction and Katharsis, Decadence is a cool blend of trap and hip-hop that takes aim at instant gratification, AI, digital culture, and our increasingly online-lived lives. “No Tomorrow” opens the album as a perfect demonstration of Kayze’s instrumental and vocal stylings. Tight electronic drums are bolstered by twinkling guitars, whistling synths, and a late-night drive vibe that begs for midnight cruising below neon lights. Kayze’s delivery is closer to a monotone drawl than a full-fledged rapper – think the disassociating drawl from Wicca Phase Springs Eternal/ex-Tigers Jaw frontman Adam McIlwee. Lightly autotuned, Kayze drops surprisingly catchy melodies with inspired rhyme schemes that touch on deeper societal issues. Track two, “For a Night,” has[...]