Buffalo

Sonny Baker Releases Full Band EP flesh it out

September 1, 2015

As both a supporter of local music and a Buffalonian (these are mostly safe assumptions to make—you are reading buffaBLOG), what comes to mind upon hearing the name Sonny Baker? Wooden Waves? Lazlo Hollyfeld? A Hotel Nourishing? As an Eden native, I could toss Uberfunk into that list, but that’s a story for another day. The truth is, between his multitude of projects and musical cameos in the projects of others, Sonny Baker really is one of the hardest working musicians in Buffalo.  And hot off the late-August release of his latest solo EP, flesh it out, Baker only strengthens his stake to that claim. Though in this case, there is only so much truth in calling his latest sonic outpourings “solo” work. For flesh it out, Baker has assembled an actual trio, featuring Chris Gangarossa on bass and Ryan Campbell on drums. This in itself is a departure—very rarely[...]

Night Slaves Share Demo Track “Into the Nowhere”

August 31, 2015

Earlier this spring, Night Slaves, a new industrial duo featuring John Toohill (JOHNS, Alpha Hopper) and Dave Kane (Them Jazzbeards), shared the unnerving first track from a soon-to-be released demo. Now, with summer almost over, the pair has quietly released a second track from the demo upon bandcamp, the dark yet strangely soothing “Into the Nowhere.” Night Slaves are still prepping said demo, but hopes to have it ready to go this fall with a physical cassette release as well as a live performance and a FLATSITTER produced music video. Keep an eye out for the duo’s fall performance and release date, and in the mean time, check out “Into the Nowhere” below. Into the Nowhere by Night Slaves

Cooler Releases Debut Track “Cringe”

August 28, 2015

Although Cooler is an infant in band years , the group is already well on it’s way to explode beyond Buffalo’s music walls. Composed of a blend of solo artist Aileen Yates, two members of Brother Keep (Nathan McDorman and Nick Sessanna), and rounded out by former Lancer drummer-turned-bassist Adam Cwynar, the band has hit the ground running, already landing a deal with emo upstart label, NDE Records. With an EP titled 1993 coming out September 22nd and another batch of studio sessions already completed, 2016 is set to be a breakout year for the fledgling four piece. This past week, Cooler’s grungy debut track “Cringe” hit the internet on esteemed scene blog CouchKing. Unsurprisingly, the song is all about looking back at all those things you regret doing in the past. Those moments that haunt you in the final minutes before falling asleep or the “on-repeat” moments you have when driving all alone. Fans of[...]

Edwang Releases 333 Remix Album

August 26, 2015

As one of the city’s most creative hip hop producers, Edwang’s output is always worth checking out. He’s cooked up original songs with rappers and also done some great remix work, the latter of the two being the inspiration for this post. Ed’s taken on remixing duties for some tracks off of The Tortoise and the Crow, an album from LA/Hawaii duo the Grouch and Eligh in a project called 333.  The Grouch and Eligh present a nice canvas for which Ed to work on. Eligh usually comes through with the faster of the flows, whereas the Grouch has a gruffer approach to his rapping. It gives Edwang more variety with how he wants to attack his beats. The first minute and a half of “All These Lights” is centered around some nice piano keys and then the beat is turned on its head as it evolves into some crazy post-dub electronica. Its[...]

Matthew McCheskey Shares Rapture EP

August 26, 2015

Former Early Attic vocalist Matthew McCheskey debuted his new solo EP Rapture earlier this month. The five track release features an energetic synth pop style with melodic vocal hooks and visceral drums as well as bittersweet instrumentation. The singer’s slightly melancholic vocals on “Time to Go” create a pensive atmosphere, which along with emotive synths and expansive sound design make for one of the more memorable cuts from the record. More experimental moments can be found on “Circle in the Square” and “Principle” where cerebral sounds are balanced with tranquil vocals and lush breakdowns. Listen/download Rapture on McCheskey’s Bandcamp page.

done. Releases New Singles

August 25, 2015

As we wind down the summer months and students start preparing for their dreaded return to classes, there is a certain influx of cool new music that usually hits us from the college towns. The creative last gasp of summer. Today’s scouring of the interweb yields a late-summer two song ripper from emo-math duo done., who have ties to both Buffalo and New Paltz. The singles bring us the notable “Ghost House,” a mathy and meticulous tribute to the emo revival movement, sharp riffs slinging akin to vets Sunny Day Real Estate or The Appleseed Cast. “Pawns,” the latter of the two tracks, follows in that same vein. Check it out below.

Tonight: Montage of Heck

August 20, 2015

For one night only, the fine folks at Cultivate Cinema Circle teamed up with North Park Theatre to bring one of the year’s most-acclaimed films to Buffalo, Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck. With production beginning nearly 8 years ago, Brett Morgen became the first filmmaker ever offered full authorization to make a documentary on Kurt Cobain. Granted this privilige, Morgen was given access by the Cobain family to over a decade’s worth of home movies, diary enteries, audio tapes, and artwork. What Brett Morgen has crafted is a vibrant and harrowing multimedia collage that seeks to recreate who Kurt Cobain was as a human being. Rather than recap the pop mythology of Nirvana, Morgen’s film tells the human story about a deeply damaged outsider who brought his childhood pain to his art. A pain that somehow resonated with a public who had never heard anything like it, to make him[...]

King Midas Releases “Take a Trip” Video

August 19, 2015

“Take a trip, make it flip.” Its not a complicated formula, but its absolutely working for Buffalo rapper and Loot Boy King Midas on his latest track “Take a Trip.” With youthful exuberance, Midas flips and whips over a playful instrumental remnant of the ringtone era of rap music. Catchiness has been the law of the land in rap, and Midas is certainly doing his part with this head-nodding chorus and digestible verses. The beach-vibe video maintains the fun summer sounds. The track serves as the second single from Midas’ upcoming project Midas Touch, and the Loot Boys are cooking up No Free Loot for release in September. Give “Take a Trip” a watch below.

Father Baron Releases Debut EP

August 18, 2015

Strung Way Out is the new EP from the Buffalo crust punk outfit Father Baron. The three piece is no strangers to buffaBLOG – the Crook brothers and Trey Hollowood have been previously seen in impressive Buffalo acts that span multiple genres (think Mandy K, Arctic Death, and Nelson Type). But if you’ve come here expecting jaunty indie rock or dream pop, you should brace yourself. In typical fashion, these dudes have genre-hopped again; Father Baron is about as filthy as it gets. Some other great words to describe the act include (but are not limited to): disgusting, vile, angry, and brutal. Not convinced? Listen below.  

Joe Mason Releases The Feels EP

August 13, 2015

Multi instrumentalist and songwriter Joe Mason released one of the more infectious local debuts last year when his infectious, melodic self-titled LP, which earned Album of The Week honors here at buffaBLOG. With vocals similar to Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew, hazy synths, and soulful rhythms, the artist’s dense arrangements feel vibrant and evocative, bringing a sense of wonder to the listener. The straightforward, patient songwriting style present throughout Mason’s releases is present on his latest EP, titled The Feels, a five track effort with a psych-pop flavor and melodic instrumentation. Opening track “Stay The Same” begin with a sonorous synth and offers a spacious sound defined by reverb-heavy, soulful vocals and beaming keys. “Pretty Sun” sonically reflects its’ namesake with reflective melodies and dusty percussion, which along with “When I’m Away,” presents a dream-pop oriented sound previously unheard from the artist. In contrast, the immediacy of the title track takes[...]

Mic Excel and L-Biz Release Unsettling New Vid

August 7, 2015

Oktoberfest is in stores, so some Halloween-y, horrorcore-inspired hip hop from Buffalo’s Mic Excel and L-Biz couldn’t be more welcomed. Though not quite horrorcore in the vein of artists like Gravediggaz and Three 6 Mafia, “What’s Under Your Bed?” is certainly on the creepier spectrum of rap music. On the track, Mic Excel delivers an emotionally manic verse, and L-Biz follows it up by discussing his demons as well. Framing the verses is a crooning hook from Angelica R, who begs the question of the track’s title. The track, produced by Angie M. Conte (aka Sparklebomb), includes funeral organs and running dialogue of what sounds like a taped phone conversation between a serial killer and a sex hotline worker. This is definitely a video that will be getting some plays back for the upcoming Halloween season, as it includes occult imagery, some demented barbies, and a Psycho-inspired shower scene. Turn a[...]

Valor Shines on “The Grove”

August 5, 2015

Buffalo rapper Valor is a fun listen. He flirts between serious and nonsensical, and his sound seems purposefully lo-fi and one-takish. On “The Grove,” Valor rides the beat with a pacing and bounce emulative of something form the New Atlanta scene. It seems unorthodox at times, but always remains where it wants to be. Valor also has somewhat of a tongue-in-cheek subject matter, evident by the opening words of the chorus, “Wake up in the morning and I piss sunshine.” Buffalo producer melisahasagun came through with a great, versatile beat that could be flowed over in numerous ways, and the way Valor chose to attack it has me excited for his beat choices down the road. Give it a listen below.

Wood Bois Release New EP Sex Playlist

August 5, 2015

With the break-up of Buffalo’s beloved goofrock band/art project, Well Worn Boot, the local scene has been void of a talented group of talented musicians that can simultaneously deliver good music and “wait… what did they just say?” Enter Wood Bois, a three-piece electro-goth project featuring Blaine Wood (vocals/keyboards), Julius Bois (vocals/samples) and Hiding in the Dark Hiding in the Shadows (keyboards). I am assuming that’s not his birth name. Anyway, the trio released a new EP this past week, titled Sex Playlist. riding  As far as the subject matter,  it’s all over the gambit. The EP starts off with “Razor Scooterz.” The track is led by a gothy-synth and soon evolves into a song about how much a job sucks and how you can’t wait to just get out of work and ride a Razor Scooter. The second track of the album, “The Sparkles,” could easily be a Cure/The[...]

Cemeteries Release New LP Barrow

August 4, 2015

Former Buffalo resident Kyle J. Reigle has been making spacious, atmospheric music as Cemeteries since 2010 when he released a pair of virtual 7″ singles, Brighter Colors/Living Alone along with a subdued cover of Neon Indian’s “Should Have Taken Acid With You”. The now Portland, Oregon-based project has gone on to include Jonathan Loviero and Kate Davis during live performances since the release of their 2012 debut LP, The Wilderness. Praised for its’ ability to sonically reflect a warm summer night, the sometimes sombre record balanced melancholic tones with optimistic melodies similar to artists like Wild Nothing, Youth Lagoon, Mister Lies, and Foxes in Fiction. From the reverb-laden vocals to the eerie soundscapes reminiscent of vintage horror films, the artist’s progression has allowed these core elements to come across more compelling than ever, with his latest LP, Barrow, representing the most imaginative, intriguing collection in the project’s short discography.  The record’s fictional setting[...]

Thick Winter Blud & I Can See Mountains Merge, Form Super American

August 3, 2015

The run of Thick Winter Blud proved to be a short one as the pop-punk trio, which emerged from the ashes of singer/bassist Mat Cox’s I Can See Mountains, is no more. Instead of disbanding, though, the group merged with a couple members of the fellow defunct Buffalo act to form Super American. The newly branded group reminds us of our favorite shouty, gone-to-soon local act, All Blondes Go to Heaven, along with some up-and-coming nationals like Modern Baseball, Somos, and Front Bottoms. You can get the full story of the four piece’s birth right here by the way. The quartet has promised to drop some new material early this fall, so until then, listen to “Nevermind,” a track the band quietly shared near the end of July, below.