Buffalo

Lower Pony – Bluette

November 17, 2025 Ronald Walczyk

If you’re at all familiar with Buffalo’s music scene, you already know the guys in Lower Pony. Ray Fulton, Dave Calos, and Ryan Besch have been in and out of Harvest Sum bands for years, and they recently tapped Passed Out frontman Andy Pothier (another recent Harvest Sum inductee) on drums. So their first proper 7-inch, Bluette, isn’t really a debut, it’s more of a “hello again.” After a years-long stream of demos, these four tracks finally put the band’s sound on wax: lo-fi, 90s-indebted slacker rock. It’s a refreshingly traditional guitar/guitar/bass/drums formula that leans on good, honest songs, not studio tricks, pulling hard from influences like Dinosaur Jr. and Sebadoh. The EP starts fast with the single, “Bluette,” a 59-second sprint that’s all tangled guitars and resigned lyrics (“if you feel this way / there’s not much I can say”). It’s as jagged as it is engaging and[...]

Astronaut Head – “Talk To Frank”

November 7, 2025 Jake Sessanna

Once again returning to buffaBLOG, Astronaut Head, the solo project of Buffalo’s Jessica Stoddard, treats us to an epic, movie soundtrack-esque piece of lo-fi, indie trip hop called “Talk To Frank.” Stoddard has worked on projects that are at least part-Scottish, such as The Deep Red Sky and The Little Birds. Not too long ago, Astronaut Head also released the 5-song EP Meek Moon, a musical grouping reviewed by buffaBLOG’s Ronald Walczyk. The EP departs from Stoddard’s past creative endeavors, and presents with an alienesque echo. “Talk To Frank” is a similar, yet continued evolution of Stoddard’s journey – it is drenched in reverb with titillating synthesizers and massive electronic drum queues. The song provokes, all at once, intense introspection and dream-like entrancement. It feels natural despite its intensity at times. Stoddard is very mindful, exact, and practiced in her approach to songwriting and musical production. One can definitely[...]

Crows Will Cry – Maelstrom

October 24, 2025 Kennedy O'Brien

With electrifying instrumentals and haunting vocals, Crows Will Cry truly lives up to its name. The Buffalo-based act is known for its post-rock, ambient, and cinematic elements and genres, spinning trance-inducing webs of sound woven into powerful melodies. Their latest LP, Maelstrom, is a ten song offering that features a broad selection of both instrumental tracks and songs with hauntingly stunning vocals, showcasing the band’s interesting dichotomy – captivating rhythms and beats versus vocal-driven melodies. The tracks that do have lyrics are amazingly written. Songs like “You,” “Solace,” and “Fire” provide the audience with deep and emotional lyrics about feeling alone, betrayed, and abandoned. The raw energy that is exhibited throughout Maelstrom shows the band’s immaculate ability to display both intense and emotional feelings through music. A standout track is definitely “Chemical,” with dynamic and fun beats and harmonic, almost robotic vocals. The track is emotionally charged and builds as[...]

The Mookies – “Grocery Store”

October 22, 2025 Ronald Walczyk

Sporting an updated lineup and a slight rebrand, The Mookies (formerly Mookie) have dropped their latest single, “Grocery Store,” a track that gives the Buffalo five-piece a solid launchpad for their jangle-pop trajectory. Recorded at Watchmen Studios and mixed/mastered by Nathaniel Weiss (of Rom Com Victims), the track is a quick, boppy earworm that has surf-punk leanings, showing a bit more teeth than their previous work. The instrumentation is tight and energetic, a fitting foundation for a song that’s all about the dizzying internal monologue of spotting a potential crush in the produce aisle. The concept is relatable enough–letting your imagination run wild with “what-ifs” in the context of an alluring stranger–but it’s the execution that makes the song shine. Giuliana Bauman’s vocals are sweet and disarming, offering a counterpoint to the song’s blazing pace and jangly, overdriven guitars. It’s bubblegum punk of the highest degree–accessible enough for a[...]

Godlvng – “Go!”

October 20, 2025 Matt Moretti

Godlvng is an abstract hip hop trio from our city that challenges the zeitgeist with their lyrics, and sends you to otherlands with their sounds. Vocalists Tr38cho & Father Baker tend to meet producer Hunger Artist wherever they are. On their latest track, “Go!” that appears to be in some sort of dark, vaguely evil dungeon. Each vocalists lyrics are far from vague, posturing within some purgatory of understanding. “Go!” explores the relationships between prey and predator, both with foxes and hens and lions and sheep. They repeat the line “A Lion doesn’t concern himself with the thoughts of a sheep – that’s a lie if I ever heard it. If a lion doesn’t try to think like its prey then how does it eat?” examining conventional societal wisdoms. What else is nonsensical? What else need not apply? Should we lean into nihilism? That thought is also proposed here[...]

Stephen Babcock – “Hockey Town”

October 14, 2025 Nick Sessanna

The Bab-man strikes yet again – the latest in a series of Buffalo-adjacent singles, “Hockey Town” trades Buffalo Bills mania for the quiet and stoic life of a Buffalo Sabres fan. Sure, the Sabes have become a long-struggling team that are now essentially a farm team for the rest of the league (e.g. Eichel, O’Reilly, Okposo, Reinhart etc.)… Bit I digress – if you were around in the late aughts, the Sabres were an absolutely electrifying team that brought honor and glory to our Rust Belt locale. Babcock brings a similar prestige with his understated, almost folksy approach to “Hockey Town,” evoking small-town nostalgia with an approach not unlike Sam Fender or Catfish and the Bottlemen a la his signature twang and ultra-clean production. Check out “Hockey Town” via the YouTube embed below. Spotify and Apple Music exist too.

Roy Flush – “Buggin’ Out”

October 13, 2025 Matt Moretti

The Eastside of Buffalo continues to produce some of the most compelling artists in the 716. One of our favorite new acts is rapper Roy Flush, who brings a street sensibility to each of his bars. “Buggin’ Out” is one of his recent highlights. It’s a great track to explore Roy’s mindset and his experiences, as each line drips with authenticity. Verses describe his connections within the prison system, intimidation with a purpose and the gravitational pull of the streets. A voice representing a conscious asks Roy on the hook about his behavior, and his poignant response is essentially that it’s just the way things have to be. Roy’s anchored on the beat by a melancholic soul sample that really grounds Roy’s street diary. Its sweetness counters Roy’s aggressiveness and creates a perfectly well-rounded sonic experience. Give it a spin below. Check out Roy’s latest run of singles on Spotify.[...]

Urge Surfer – Misnomers

October 3, 2025 Nick Sessanna

Urge Surfer, the moody electro-pop project of Jordan Maelyn Smith and Chelsea O’Donnell, are back with their third release, a three-song EP they’re calling Misnomers. Continuing their trend of creating literate music with a well-thought-out thesis, Misnomers picks up where previous release Alphabet Archive left off. Where AA dove into themes of language and self-identity, Misnomers explores “how misunderstandings can lead one through the haze of heartache and awe.” Smith and O’Donnell’s chemistry is on full display right from the get-go, as lead song “Responsible” dissects relationship ennui. Dark instrumentals become an immediate theme – more of a dirge than a melt-your-face single, “Responsible” pairs a gently-plucked acoustic guitar with bitcrushed electronic drums. O’Donnell’s one-of-a-kind vocal is set off by a feature by Sheena Ozzella of Lemuria fame – about as close to a Buffalo legend as you can get. “Public Exits” gets a lot grittier – a sludgy bass feature takes center-stage[...]

deb. – “Ankle Weights”

August 29, 2025 Nick Sessanna

deb. Is it a statement? Is it a person? Is it a defunct, ’90s-era retail store in the McKinley Mall that specialized in prom dresses? It’s actually a newish Buffalo band with a pedigree you might recognize – members of Previous Love, Canetis, Slow Animals, and Animal Sounds came together to create this super tight super group… And they’re creating sounds that are exactly what you might expect from these particular members. Springy, watery indie-pop with the perfect polish for 103.3 The Edge – think Young The Giant, The 1975, or Still Woozy. Eternally-nice eternal-front-man Brendan Orr shares the spotlight with his very capable bandmates this time around, including bassist Erik Corrie; lead guitarist Dakota Lord, and drummer John Perdue. They’re happy to share their “deb.ut” single, “Ankle Weights” – it won’t be hard to identify all the sugary-sweet melodies here, but keep your ears peeled from vocal performances[...]

JOEYB – anything can come apart.

August 25, 2025 Admin

JOEYB’s latest album’s leading song is “the murder of john lennon,” but was originally named “anything can come apart,” the title of the upcoming musician’s complete second LP. The sounds in the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist’s first track can be compared to that of Alex G – think “The Same” of the seminal indie rocker’s album Race. The “big” first song that accompanies both of JOEYB’s albums features the same kind of intent, featuring explosions of metamorphizing sounds, on what is otherwise a wonderful combination of guitar work and vocals. While anything can come apart can be catalogued as an over arching indie rock, other tracks call to mind Phoebe Bridger’s work as an indie folk artist. Take “new year,” a carefully finger picked song, that shows anything can come apart is full of carefully embedded craftsmanship. There are also moments where JOEYB blends feedback and heavier sounds which can[...]

Stephen Babcock – “Osaka”

August 20, 2025 Nick Sessanna

It’s a Bab-man summer – Stephen Babcock that is – and our Rust Belt bub is back with yet another banger. Inspired by a late-night moment in Japan, “Osaka” details what it means to get lost, grow up, and let go. Bab/Bub keeps it simmering on “Osaka,” trading his acoustic guitar for a driving bass part, but still keeps that bubbling-under vibe that makes his music so listenable. Keep your ears peeled for some spicy harmonies, and an appreciation for the super tight drum sound that gives the whole affair an extra intimate vibe. Fans of The American Analog Set, MJ Lenderman, or Jack Johnson will surely get down with the vibes here. Check out “Osaka” in all the usual spots. Stephen Babcock · Osaka

Amateur Hockey Club – “UPPERCASE!”

August 8, 2025 Nick Sessanna

Stalwart Buffalo-based emo-punks Amateur Hockey Club are back with a brand new song, “UPPERCASE!,” found on the recently-released (August 1st, 2025) three-song-EP of the same name. The title-track is built around a jaunty lead guitar riff and razor-sharp vocals, playing around with pop-punk undertones, but mostly adhering to a Motion City Soundtrack meets Third Eye Blind kind of power pop… aka “IPA-rock,” as they’ve affectionately (and somehow accurately) deemed themselves. Even though the song’s about battling negative self talk, it’s a fun and engaging ride across its 2:41 run time, which includes a guitar solo, some tasty self-deprecation, and lots of energy. Check out “UPPERCASE!” on Apple Music, Spotify, or the Soundcloud embed below. Amateur Hockey Club · UPPERCASE!

Sweet Talker – Summer 2025

August 1, 2025 Matt Burgerhoff

Grab some sunscreen and soak up Sweet Talker’s scorching new two songer, Summer 2025. The Buffalo hard rock and rollers consists of members of local Buffalo punk and hardcore acts Buried Alive, Exhibition, and Big. Following up last year’s Not Your Daddy’s Rock and Roll, this brief, one-two punch continues to see the band mix hardcore punk with old school heavy metal. The opening song, “Someone Like You,” hits like a nut shot with a frenzy of galloping drums, buzzy basslines and barking vocals. The track permeates big circle pit energy and will rough you up before downshifting into a shreddy, halftime bridge. Spin this at your Gallagher Beach party bash and watch things get a little crazy. Rounding out the release is “Tough Tunes,” a time capsule of the days of VHS, corded telephones and Judas Priest. Sweet Talker energizes this melodic, throwback track with NWOBHM power[...]

Lynz – “just wanna be yours”

July 30, 2025 Chris Miller

LA based act Lynz gets to leave Buffalo, but there’s a secret agreement where we have to mention if an artist originally hails from here (sorry if you’re trying to fly under the radar). Her latest single, “just wanna be yours” is her second (the first being “Fallin’), and it’s a nicely layered indie pop track (more cake than onion). Lynz starts off with gentle acoustic guitar that gives way to a reaaaaally groovin’ bass beat that meshes with drums and other effects. If it doesn’t have you bobbing your head or swaying your hips, we’d encourage you to get checked out for something… Anything really. Once it gets to the proto-disco beat please please please turn up the volume and tell me you don’t feel something. “just wanna be yours” is available in the usual gamut of of streaming: Soundcloud, Apple Music, and Spotify. You can hear[...]

Mookie – “Energy”

July 28, 2025 Michael Moretti

If you’ve been keeping your ears to the Allen St., then indie-pop act Mookie should already be on your radar. Since forming just over a year ago, the band has been consistently on the grind playing local line-ups and adding their jangly energy to the bills. Earlier this month, Mookie released a video for their first single “Energy,” which was filmed at popular queer bar, TwentySixAllen. The song “Energy” is all about the early stages of a romance and navigating the line of excitement and vulnerability. Sound-wise, the track is accessible, fun, and catchy, much like lead guitarist / singer Russell Leone’s previous work in Sofa Kings, who buzzed around Buffalo in the later 2010s. Mookie could be compared to San Cisco, Rilo Kiley, or Frankie Cosmos with their upbeat, bounce-y vibes. Check out the video below.