Buffalo

Yellow House Drop Fuzzy New EP

April 12, 2018

Yellow House have been a buffaBLOG favorite since their 2016 debut. After a short period of inactivity, the self-proclaimed “overblown shoegaze” act is back, boasting the blend of shoegaze-meets-punk-meets-emo that we’ve all come to love and expect from them. Their latest offering is entitled III, a four-song EP that is as refreshingly simple as it is mysterious. III was recorded across two sessions across the spring and winter of 2017 and finds the duo chasing a more vocally driven mix than its predecessors… The songs explore themes of nostalgia, hopelessness, and existentialism, case-in-point, EP opener “Walking Away.” In a minute-and-a-half of fuzzed-out guitar riffs, drums, singer/songwriter Matt DiStasio sings about feeling empty-headed and unmotivated. Similar vibes can be found on EP closer, “On Sunday.” Beneath the crunchy tones and smart riffing, it’s clear DiStasio is battling the ennui of day-to-day drabness. EP highlight “Montana” is a bit more nuanced, bringing to[...]

YLXR Collabs with Teflon Sega & Drops the Track “Closure”

March 29, 2018

Rochester producer YLXR tag teams with Teflon Sega, an up-and-coming crooner in the fast lane, for the sensual electro-R&B track, “Closure.” Sega’s talents truly shine as he wallows in YLXR’s lonely, cloud surfing production with a serenading voice that’s vulnerable and emotionally striking, making for a heartbreaking listen you won’t get tired of hearing. Close your eyes and get lost in this tactile tune below. Check out more YLXR and Teflon Sega tracks on their SoundClouds here and here.

Deadwolf Drop “Cold Reception” B-Side

March 27, 2018

Local heavy psych rockers Deadwolf just dropped a “b-side” from their excellent 2017 Heavy Heart full length, and “Cold Reception” is as archetypal of what a b-side represents as you can get. Experimental and utterly unbound by restraint or convention, “Cold Reception” is bonkers and verging on prog, with constant time changes and left turns that recall late 60’s Syd Barrett/post Syd pre Meddle Pink Floyd by way of modern psych heroes The Flaming Lips and their preternatural gift for making your ears feel funny. You can check “Cold Reception” out below, but avoid operating heavy machinery until you’ve come out the other side… for all our sakes. Cold Reception by Deadwolf

Space Cubs Reveals New Single “Quitting”

March 21, 2018

Reborn Buffalo electronica band Space Cubs are getting ready to release What iff, their first EP as a quartet in a few weeks, and for an enigmatic and tantalizing teaser they’ve just released it’s lead single “Quitting.” Inscrutable like Amnesiac era Radiohead, “Quitting” floats in on a hazy cloud of Ken Culton’s hard to pin down poly-rhythms, eerie guitar riffs from Adam Pressley, the ambient Eno vibes of Shawn Lewis, and Suzanne Bonifacio’s otherworldly and hypnotic vocals, building to an off-kilter crescendo of chaos before succumbing to sweet entropy that sounds great in your inner ear. If the rest of What iff is as exquisitely crafted and affecting as “Quitting,” we will be in for a genuine treat when the EP drops April 7th, with a release party at the Mohawk that night featuring Jack, Sonny Baker, and Bold Folly. Pic by Jeanette Chwan

Pendulum Girl Drops Mysterious heart demos

February 22, 2018

Leah Loefke, formerly of Love Scenes, is back like a phoenix out of the dark under the enigmatic nom de plume Pendulum Girl, and her recently released debut release heart demos, a magical lo-fi electronica dream pop gem that’s an instant triumph. Less an EP and more a collection of hymns to memory and getting through living, heart demos connects instantly with it’s hazy soundscapes, whispered, prayer like vocals, and delightful capacity for minimalist understatement and heavenly, out-sized emotional strokes, sometimes in the same song. Achingly heartbreaking from the very start, “magnet” sounds like a childhood dream about heaven, if it was directed by David Lynch and produced by Brian Eno, floating over a sweet metallic air conditioner drone. I’m definitely going to cue up the organ drenched and delicate “crying in the carwash” for my next trip through the Delta Sonic, and if I get overcome by the moment, I’ll be[...]

Into The Wake Release Dark, Three-Song EP

February 21, 2018

Into The Wake has been through a lot… For them, 2017 was a year of many shows (solo and otherwise), but an equal amount of loss and frustration. They soldiered on through a member change and still managed to hit the studio with Jay Zubricky at GCR this past autumn… Now standing strong as a solid quartet, the band is moving forward as always, having just released a three-song EP called Listening Through Silence. On Listening Through Silence, the band has honed their biting, political approach into something more emotional and nuanced. Into The Wake has polished many of their rough edges here – their songs are flush with lead guitar, and layered thick with shimmer and ambiance. There now exists a palpable darkness to their hard rock/heavy-emo songwriting – think somewhere between A Perfect Circle and Thrice. On lead single “The Note,” the band trades anger and guttural screams for tasteful[...]

Buffalo Trio Ghostpool Releases Debut EP

February 13, 2018

Pop-punk refuses to die, and it probably never will… Mostly because of bands like Ghostpool, a Buffalo-based three piece whose m.o. is crunchy guitars and hooks aplenty. Their debut EP, There is a Hole at the Center of Everything, is a five song offering chock full of catchy pop-punk tunes, set off by emo-esque vocals about longing, self-hatred, and growing up. Fans of Alkaline Trio, Green Day, The Menzingers should give this one a listen. “Nightmare Eyes” kicks things off perfectly with a simple chord progression, backed by a catchy lead guitar riff, and distant vocal ooohs. Ghostpool is at their most nuanced here, channeling bands like The Hotelier through unique progressions and dynamic changes. Songs like “Dropout” and “Humanoid” are more Green Day/Alk3 oriented, pairing spitfire guitar work with big, irresistible vocal melodies. It’s worth mentioning that Ghostpool has a knack for writing big pop hooks… They just happen to be wrapped up in a gritty punk[...]

Marigold Releases Fresh Acoustic Take on Debut EP

February 8, 2018

Early last year, Marigold (aka Benjamin Lieber) put out an EP packed with shimmery, dreamy emo-pop called Counterfeit Art. Full of fully fleshed-out songs, the EP was almost entirely written and performed by Lieber (with a little help from bassist Alexander Matos) at GCR Studios with Jay Zubricky. As any determined solo artist will tell you, it’s tough to acquire and keep a full band going… So Marigold is now predominantly an acoustic act. His latest EP, aptly titled Counterfeit Art (Reprise), embraces his newfound approach with a fresh acoustic take on five of the songs from Counterfeit Art. “Foothold (Reprise)” is a gentler take on the driven emo rock of the original “Foothold.” Lieber’s debut EP was reminiscent of the new wave of emo dream rockers like Turnover or Citizen… But “Foothold (Reprise)” is a good introduction to Marigold’s impressive range. Here, he trades a full drum kit and distortion pedals for shakers and acoustic[...]

Post Prom Releases Debut Music Video for “Cyclical”

January 18, 2018

Newly-minted Buffalo quartet Post Prom just released a music video for their debut single, “Cyclical.” The video features a cameo from fellow Buffalonian Elliott Douglas (who you may recognize from MAGS), and is a simple but poignant demonstration of how one’s day-to-day life might begin to seem, well, “cyclical.” Most importantly, “Cyclical” is a great introduction to Post Prom’s cathartic blend of pop-punk and emo, combining a unique 3/4 time signature with heartfelt vocal harmonies and twangy guitars. If you like what you hear, “Cyclical” is available on Bandcamp for free.

Alleys Release Farewell EP, Sliver of Great

January 9, 2018

Buffalo trio Alleys are in a strange place, figuratively speaking of course. Drummer/vocalist Sebastian Cichon recently moved about as far across the country as possible… About 3,000 miles to be exact. But mere distance couldn’t stop Alleys from releasing their latest and final(?) offering, a four-song EP titled Sliver of Great, recorded at GCR studios with Jay Zubricky. If you aren’t familiar with Alleys, they’ve perfected the art of mathy pop-punk with tinges of emo, twinkle, skramz, and any other sub-genre you might be able to think of. Opening track “Strange Things Are Afoot At The Circle K” is a wonderful waltz that highlights Alleys’ strong attention to syncopation. At just over two minutes in length, the song presents as one long crescendo, exploding into a fuzzed-out ending, supplemented perfectly by a disgustingly dirty bass tone. “Have Fun Being Married to Satan” is another two minute banger that finds Alleys exploring a more upbeat sound, pairing spitfire vocals with an[...]

Ugly Sun Drops Fresh Single “LITTLE SISTER”

December 21, 2017

In time for your holiday shenanigans, local garage punks Ugly Sun have graced us with a new single by the name of “LITTLE SISTER” and an accompanying lyric video that’s funny and trippy as all hell. A skull crushing ode to making time with somebody’s little sister (probably yours), there’s something eternal and timeless within Trey Hollowood’s punk riffs, Harrison Crook’s galloping backbeat, and John Crook’s yearning howl, and “I want to be the space in between” is just a killer lyric. Rudy Scheider’s lyric video is a psychedelic treat of lo-fi video effects, ridiculous detours, including some vaporwave and a cameo by a very sad Joe (Made Violent) White, and distortions that will remind some of trying to watch the Playboy Channel on the sly unsuccessfully with an old cable box. The fellas in Ugly Sun always seem to be up to no good, and I love them for it. Enjoy.

Cooler Release Single off Buried

December 20, 2017

Emotive Buffalo trio Cooler packs a lot of punch in the fleeting yet effective  “Buried,” a touchstone for the confident avoidance of life’s burdensome trials and tribulations. The lyrics point to a mind overpacked with anxiety brought on by a grueling, task-filled day ahead. The narrative fastens itself to the desire for a simple alternative capable of upending such a mindstate, its chorus announcing the line “I wanna spend my day buried in your sweater.” With cool assertiveness and distortion-laced power chords abounding, “Buried” harkens back to Exile in Guyville-era Liz Phair. A high spot of the track is its simmering down into an acoustic bit shortly after the two-minute mark, which is rejoined by surrounding instruments in a seamless flash. Cooler’s brand new EP, on which “Buried” will appear, is due out January 12th through Admirable Traits Records.

First Ward Drop Video For “Speck Of Dust”

December 14, 2017

Zak Ward’s current band First Ward has a new drummer and a new video for “Speck Of Dust” that suggests the future is bright for these veteran musicians. With Buffalo Music Hall Of Fame member Jeff Schaller (Here Come The Comets, Black Rock Zydeco, Soul Patch) on drums, sweet vocals that call to mind Squeeze’s Paul Carrack and Caleb Followill from KOL before it all went wrong, and a lyric video that’s a gentle BFLO take on that classic Dylan video, “Speck Of Dust” is further proof that while rock is allegedly dead, there’s definitely a rock revival going on with a bunch of bands defiantly keeping the flame alive at the local level here in Western New York. You can catch First Ward this Saturday at the Tudor Lounge with Bold Folly and Soul Butchers and December 29th at the Town Ballroom opening for The Trews.

Carmen & Lizzy Release Folksy New Single “Runnin’ Away”

December 13, 2017

We’re excited to spotlight acoustic duo Carmen & Lizzy, who have been making lots of waves in the WNY music scene as of late. C&L (more specifically cousins Carmen O’Keefe and Lizzy Bassler) specialize in crafting a gentle brand of acoustic folk, reminiscent of acts like The Staves, Nickel Creek, or HAIM. We’re jazzed on their latest offering, “Runnin’ Away,” which features an emotion-filled guitar line and lush harmonies sure to warm even the coldest of hearts. Where Are We Now? is out now via Nonexistant Records. If you like what you hear, head over to Bandcamp for a digital download.

Passed Out – The Aforementioned and How It Pertains to Absolutely Nothing…

December 8, 2017

The Aforementioned and How It Pertains to Absolutely Nothing…, the new 18-minute album from Buffalo indie punk quintet Passed Out, is a no-holds-barred effort laced with fast-paced rhythms and clever turns of phrase. The opener, “Bukowski and Brautigan” is a single minute in length, but it should manage to touch any listener lyrically or at least make them jitter around the room. It’s carried into the next tune, a more subdued track, by way of feedback. This one, entitled “…and in Doing So” is a clever song speaking of a relationship under the guise of an endless, extremely cold winter. “Aimless Endeavor” is another less turbulent song, save for a brief guitar solo and the last 30 seconds, which consists of heavy blows of instruments and vocals. “Summer Thing” shows traces of both The Cure and The Clash in its tough exterior but vulnerable core, as thinly veiled jabs are[...]