Buffalo

Sleepys Hahas Release First Single from From the Bottom of a Warm Lake

June 9, 2015

Speaking of lineup changes, Sleepy Hahas has gone through a bunch in the group’s four year existence, most recently losing long time drummer Steve Tripi and is currently operating with its third bass player. We think? Anyways, the frequent changes have not stopped the band from refocusing its sound once again and dropping its latest song, “Deep River,” the first single from the group’s forthcoming, 11-track LP, From the Bottom of a Warm Lake, earlier this morning. Recorded with sound engineer Drew Vandenberg, whose impressive resume includes work with Deerhunter and Toro y Moi, “Deep River” is an industrial tinged cut of psych rock, maybe something Nine Inch Nails and of Montreal would record together it they collaborated. The track is long way from the group’s early sounds of Arctic Monkeys-esque garage rock, and is a further example of never knowing what to expect from Sleepy Hahas, not to mention[...]

Sixties Future Drops Newest Single “Sugar”

June 9, 2015

Having just recently emerged on the local band circuit, Sixties Future is on a bit of a roll here, despite its infancy. Last month, the quartet dropped two introductory tracks in “Skeleton” and “Shot,” giving us a solid preview of what the band is all about: straightforward rock-and-roll that is handsome, catchy, and radio-ready. This week, the group brings us another freshie in the form of “Sugar,” an upbeat fireball of a track channeling Springsteen in his best moments. The song, recorded at GCR Audio with Buffalo boardlord Jay Zubricky, balances quick, tom-driven percussion and loud, urgent guitar playing for a high-energy sweet spot that makes me want to front-kick holes in drywall. Fans of The National or The Gaslight Anthem: you’d dig. Sixties Future will play its first gig this Saturday at the Humble Braggers’ EP Release Party; don’t miss out. Until then, give “Sugar” a spin below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/203939123″[...]

Zak Ward Releases Music Video for “Who You Really Are”

June 8, 2015

Late last week, Niagara Falls born singer/songwriter and former Son of the Sun front man, Zak Ward, released the music video for his excellent song (and our #8 song out of Buffalo in 2014), “Who You Really Are,” the lead single to his latest EP, That’s What You Get. The clip, which gives a clever nod to That Thing You Do, finds Ward backed by a new band, the Glad Hands, as the songwriter delivers a performance of the M Ward-esque number. Maybe the Shrimp Shack Shooters weren’t available? Watch the video for “Who You Really Are” below.

Queen City Music Lottery Band, HOTMediummild, Drops Debut Material

June 3, 2015

With 10 new Queen City Music Lottery bands set to make their live debuts this Saturday at Sugar City, a couple of bands have begun to leak their material to the interwebs. One of those bands, HOTMediummild, dropped a 4-track demo, the Mild EP, yesterday afternoon. Featuring Damian Weber (Difficult Night), Norelle Merlo of Mallwalkers and 2014 Lotto band, Scajaquada Creeps, and a very WHAM-like drum machine, HOTMediummild reminds us of Wesley Willis, Kimya Dawson, and Geneseo’s Slackjaw. HOTMediummild (band #8 if you have been following the QCML progress since the beginning) will kick of its set on Stage 2 right around 7pm Saturday night. Listen “Chess Club (I’ll Show You All),” the standout cut from the Mild EP, below so you have a favorite song to clap to.

Pizza Club Productions Premieres Latest Cool Little Music Session feat. Zealot

June 2, 2015

While we wait for that ever elusive release from Fredonia bred fuzz act, Zealot, the band has been busy filming a Cool Little Music Session with Pizza Club Productions, which has previously featured sessions from fellow Fred-town act, Mooses, as well as Buffalo trio Wolf. The new, North Buffalo filmed clip is once again presented by Fredonia’s Cool Little Music Shop and captures the threesome performing cuts “Spent” and 2013 debut single “Magic Eye,” in addition to an interview with Zealot singer/guitarist, Jesse McMahon Eagan. Look for the forth installment in the series, featuring Buffalo emcee Bagel Jesus, in the near future. In the mean time, watch Zealot’s Cool Little Music Session below and make sure to catch the band performing at Record Theatre on June 20th as part of the Steak & Cake Herd Fest showcase.

Lesionread Unveils Massive Summer Tour

June 2, 2015

The ever restless pop artist Lesionread has unveiled a summer tour itinerary that is frankly ridiculous. The nearly 50 city, 10,000 mile cross-country tour (see route map here) begins next Monday, June 8th, and will feature fellow local (and formally local) musician friends – Space Cubs, Logan Locking, and Kristachuwan – joining Shawn Lewis on various legs of the summer tour. The just announced tour will include a couple Buffalo dates to start out, beginning Monday night supporting Yawn at Sugar City and an afternoon set at Record Theatre on June 20th as part of the Steak & Cake Herd Fest lineup. In addition, while not a Lesionread show, Lewis’ lotto band, ELVIRA, will makes its live debut at the Queen City Music Lottery #2 Showcase this Saturday, also at Sugar City. PUSH by Lesionread + Jon Bap

Black Sol’s Dean Chatham Drops “Enrollment” Video

May 28, 2015

The very active, but until recently, somewhat visually lacking Black Sol hip hop collective has been a regular feature on the blog over the last couple months as tracks from Saint Opal, Melo-Nymbus, and [ez amädi] have been keeping our hip hop writers quite busy. Collective all-star, Dean Chatham, just dropped the music video to the track “Enrollment” which can be found on his recently released Dean’s List EP. The well timed video is just begging to be played at commencement ceremonies for students entering the post-grad world. “The concept for the video is that I’m encouraging people to follow their passions/talents and to take action to make things happen for whatever those passions may be.” Chatham explains of the clip’s uplifting message. Watch the video for “Enrollment,” which features the whole Black Sol crew backing Chatham, below and follow all of Black Sol’s activity of the group’s soundcloud page.

Pappy Stardust Reveals Fresh Single “Want You to Know”

May 28, 2015

Pappy Stardust, the Buffalo based/Rochester bred psychedelic garage rock outfit for the solo work of songwriter Steve Leszyk, just unleashed a fresh track upon the masses last week. The leisurely track, titled “Want You to Know,” offers flavorful guitar riffage that grooves, shreds, evolves, combines, separates, and repeats. Leszyk peppers the track with his blues-tinged hound dog vocals, but usually lets the guitarwork do the singing for him, striking a satisfying balance of slack, garage, and psyche. The track reminds me of something an ambitious Devendra Banhart might put out, maybe if he started throwing back shots with Mac Demarco and hit the studio for a day or two. “Want You to Know” is the first single of the band’s upcoming album and is available for free download on their bandcamp page. Keep your ear to the ground for more from these guy(s) in the near future, and blast that[...]

VWLS Releases Soft Block EP

May 27, 2015

Multi-platform artist, Bobby Griffiths, has released his latest collection of ambient drone under the VWLS moniker through his record/media label, Bad Drone Media. The 7-track Soft Block opens with the warm “Early Prighs” and continues to change pace between the ominous “Glass Of Water, Fork In The Sink,” abrasive “Weathervane,” and hopeful “Words Used.” Its a moving collection of experimental music (something the drone genre rarely does to me), and fans of fellow local noise musicians like Logan Locking and Kevin Cain, the latter of whom previously collaborated with Griffiths on last year’s Low Prospects EP, would be wise to give it a spin. Listen to the EP standout “Words Used” below.

THICK WINTER BLUD Releases Music Video for “Garden Face”

May 26, 2015

Wondering what to do with all of those leftover Memorial Day condiments? Take a page out of THICK WINTER BLUD‘s book – they made the best of their surplus in the music video for the new song, “Garden Face.” TWB excels at keeping things simple; think the best parts of I Can See Mountains mixed with ear-candy pop rock along the lines of Third Eye Blind or Guilt Show-era The Get Up Kids. There’s also a subtle “Banana Phone” reference… For all you Ebaumsworld alumni.

Short Moscato and Truey V Team Up for “Aaliyah”

May 22, 2015

Buffalo emcees Short Moscato and Truey V are two of the city’s most talented, and one month before their appearances in Herd Fest’s 2015 Hip-Hop Showcase presented by Deep Thinka Records, they’ve teamed up for a great collab. Taking the name from the late turn-of-the century RnB goddess, “Aaliyah” begins with a mystical beat of which Moscato remarks “Sometimes I wonder why all my songs sound like intros.” His verse goes on to be bar-rific with shoutouts to a young Batman (who he cleverly calls “Lil’ Wayne”) and “girls that do power squats” before he hands the chorus and second verse off to Truey V.  V’s verse starts off with the line “Sometimes I rhyme slow, sometimes I rhyme quick,” an allusion to the oft-referenced 1991 hip-hop classic “Sometimes I Rhyme Slow” from Nice & Smooth. It ends up being something of a guideline for his verse, as V’s flow becomes[...]

Teenage Satan Releases Latest Song “She Was My Ocean”

May 19, 2015

Experimental bedroom project, Teenage Satan (now performing under the name Kimmy), sneakily dropped a new song a couple days before the fully fleshed band open from Krill last night at the Glitterbox. Fronted by local writer, Dan Bauer, the now four-piece’s latest tune, “She Was My Ocean,” sounds like Bob Dylan fronting mewithoutyou. With a newly expanded band, and new name, keep an eye out for future releases from Teenage Satan/Kimmy at the band’s bandcamp page. Listen to “She Was My Ocean” below.

The Slums Debut New Song “Craw”

May 18, 2015

Something about the word “craw” reminds me of The Slums – it’s almost as if I can envision them using the word regularly in conversation. Regardless, I think we’ll all be seeing the word “craw” around more often now. Fresh off their show with PILE this Sunday, The Slums have pumped out another half-hardcore, half-garage rock anthem. These dudes have been buzzin’ around town for just about a year now – articles and blogs are mentioning The Slums at every turn. If you’re late to hop on the bandwagon, imagine the dirtiest, sludgiest rock song from the 1950s with a whirling dervish for a front man… I hope that’s an apt enough description. “Craw,” the lead single off the band’s upcoming summer album, is available for your streaming pleasure below. Enjoy.

Frigid Giant Releases “God Loves, Man Kills” Video

May 15, 2015

Hip-hop has been a platform for social commentary for the entirety of it’s existence. From Kurtis Blow through Ab-Soul, uncovering society’s hidden truths has remained a theme in rap everywhere. On “God Loves, Man Kills,” Buffalo’s Frigid Giant takes on the calculated glorification of drug trafficking, and that which relates to it. “They promote rappers to glorify the crack rock,” he says as the video depicts deaths and paraphernalia associated with drug use. It’s heavy, eye-opening stuff from the Polar Nation Originals emcee, and it needs to be discussed more. The track features some great cuts and chops from DJ Blacklisted and a menacing beat from the hands of Fresh Kils. “God Loves, Man Kills” comes off of Giant’s full-length project From My Cold Dead Hands. Give it a watch and listen below.

Bill Nehill Releases From Wilderness to Where? Live EP

May 15, 2015

Long time Mohawk Place staple and TMMC front man, Bill Nehill, released a live recording earlier this week, capturing he and TMMC keyboardist, Ed Hallborg, opening for Bert Jansch at Town Ballroom in 2010. From Wilderness to Where? is the four track recording of the pair’s set, featuring Nehill’s wonderfully weary and heartbreaking vocals and Hallborg’s understated keys. Nehill has long been one of Buffalo’s musical gems and if you have yet to catch him live solo or with any of his ongoing projects, From Wilderness to Where? is a nice place to start. The full live EP can be listened to at Nehill’s bandcamp page. In the mean time, listen to the set opener, “Don’t Worry Darling,” below.