Buffalo

SLPCLSDTH Shows Off Potential On “Brains”

May 7, 2014

Tucked away on a relatively small soundcloud page, Buffalo hip-hop artist SLPCLSDTH (pronounced Sleep Close Death), has been releasing a stream of music over the last two years, and his newest track “Brains,” is probably his best. It’s one of those songs with lyrics where I don’t really know what they are, but at the same time, I know exactly what they mean. It’s an interesting track. SLPCLSDTH jumps from talking about artistry, love, and life in general, all around a chorus of “Nervous as it worsens, person nerves twitch, itch, no service.” SLPCLSDTH does a great job using assonance throughout, as each string of lines seem to revolve around the same sounds. All over a particularly catchy, unique keyboard loop, these elements fused together create a very pleasant listening experience on “Brains.” Check it out here:

The Observers Release Self-Titled Debut Album

May 6, 2014

A lot can happen when a bunch of local songwriters and musicians happen across each other’s paths and subsequently decide to make some music. Sounds come together, voices fall into harmony, and direction begins to take form. Coming off their self-titled debut release, The Observers seem to have little else on their minds than following a road they have ardently begun to forge for themselves and busting out of Buffalo’s coddling grips. “The trajectory seems to be moving in a positive direction,” says Josh Gage, multi-instrumentalist and founding member of the now seven-person ensemble. “Coming off the CD release, our goal is to get on the road as much as we can…and possibly do a house-concert tour along the 90 corridor.” It couldn’t be a more perfect regional introduction for an acoustic band that is just coming of age. “It’s kind of our bag. When we can forget about the[...]

Brother Keep Releases To You and Yours

May 6, 2014

Brother Keep are some angry mo-fos! Their new EP, To You & Yours, listens like a middle finger to the “empty girl” who ran off with guitarist/vocalist Nick Sessanna’s former best friend. The four track release opens up with the pop punk “Windy City” and ends with the whimsical “Laces”. In a lot of ways, this recording is classic boy meets girl, girl betrays boy. Just listen to any Senses Fail record. Where Sessanna and company differ from Buddy Nielsen and Senses Fail is that there isn’t any huge climax where Sessanna kills his ex. To You & Yours is more than a revenge record.  It has real sustenance, something that can really hold you over until dinner time. To You & Yours is that ‘Dear Jane’ letter that you drunkenly leave on the nightstand after you have packed the last truck load of your belongings from the studio apartment the two[...]

Dr. Ooo Premieres New Malt Disney Directed Clip

May 5, 2014

One of the blog’s favorite Buffalo MCs, the now Brooklyn residing Dr. Ooo (or Drew Aintworriedboutnuthin Hartman to his friends), has released the new music video for his track “Comfy.” Directed by Malt Disney, frequent collaborator of the Toats Orig Crew and Jact Toft, the clip finds Hartman strolling around Chinatown channeling his inner foodie and hitting up some markets. The track appears to be a part of an upcoming project called Canary Yellow, so keep your eyes peeled for further details. You can watch “Comfy” below.

New Visuals from Local Rap Trio Nameless

May 2, 2014

Coming off of the Walking on Water EP that dropped back in March is Niagara Falls trio Nameless’ hard hitting track “Milli.” After an intro from the EP’s opening track, the dreamier “In The Air,” the mood switches to the hard-hitting “Milli.” With a backdrop of some gritty western New York scenery, each of the group’s members gets a verse over some pretty dope, murky production. Highlight lines include “I tried to keep it modest but it simply wasn’t honest, what you think I hustle hard for, I studied Reaganomics.” from the second emcee of the group and “Hi Mom, drugs are awesome, so damn high I bet I could Moss em’,” from the third guy rocking the ski mask. I can’t figure out their individual names, but with the name ‘Nameless,’ I think that’s the point. Check it out .

Billy Drease Williams Drops The Long Awaited EDREYS MMIV

April 30, 2014

Billy Drease Williams is a veteran of the Buffalo hip-hop scene. If you’re not familiar with his work you might recognize one of his five songs (as a part of the duo Raw Intel) that made it onto the ESPN NFL 2k5 video game, the ultimate sign of success in the music industry. 15 years out of winning the Buffalo Music Awards Hip Hop Artist of the year award, Billy Drease releases EDREYS MMIV, a full project with an interesting backstory. Per his Bandcamp page, EDREYS MMIV was recorded 10 years ago and kept under wraps until this week in celebration of Billy Drease Williams’ birthday. The title is a nod to his given name, Edreys Wajid, and in Roman numerals MMIV is 2004. With the exception of “If I Should Die,” and “Hold Me Tight,” Billy Drease also handles the production on the whole project. It is really a wonderful piece of[...]

Stepfriends Premiere New Song From Forthcoming LP

April 25, 2014

Lucky day! We here at buffaBLOG have recently stumbled upon an exclusive track from the new Stepfriends LP, set to drop by early summer. Stepfriends, of course, is a collective of sorts, featuring all sorts of musicians from the WNY area, but mainly focuses around the duo of Johnny Lucas (from Buffalo but currently based in NJ) and Greg McClure (who you might recognize from Buffalo-based band Del Paxton). “I Know You” blends a subtle horn section, some beautiful vocal harmonies, and nimble guitar lines.  Check it out below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/146290766″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

The Afterbirth Tycoon Releases The Filthy Late Bloom

April 24, 2014

The ground is finally thawing and Buffalo is alive and well. To celebrate our survival of old man winter, several bands released new music this past weekend. The Afterbirth Tycoon is one of the bands which decided to get in on the celebration of spring with the righteously titled Late Bloom. Late Bloom is a 10 song, crusty, whiskey swilling, honky tonk bar brawl of a blues record. You can feel the broken beer bottles whizzing past your head with this one. The record makes you want to go out and do some day drinking out on Allen Street, and get into as many bar brawls as possible. Just make sure you have your bail money on the ready, though, because you have to work tomorrow. Late Bloom marks the first release from the band in nearly ten years. Originally formed in 1998 by Jason Pitcher (guitar/vocals) with a revolving door[...]

Del Paxton Announces Signing to Secret Audio Club

April 24, 2014

This week, Del Paxton, one of our favorite neighborhood indiemo revival acts, made public its signing with Rochester-based label, Secret Audio Club. The label is set to release one of Buffalo’s strongest albums of 2013, Del Paxton’s Worst. Summer. Ever., on vinyl this May. Secret Audio Club is a project run by Kyle Chapman, one of the minds behind 2013’s scene must-have, Wax Packs, which featured a series of limited edition 7″ from Such Gold, Banquets, and Podacter. Pre-orders for Worst. Summer. Ever. can be found here for $13. Well I guess they’re just burning a hole in your pocket. Photo Credit – CG Photography

Pizza Pizza Comes Through With Some Fresh Slices On Pie I

April 23, 2014

Airy synths, lead bass rhythms, and a variance of drum noises help form an impressive first album for Buffalo electronic hip hop artist DJ Pizza Pizza.  A pitched down “Pizza Pizza” DJ drop spatters throughout the songs, and they are probably the only words that matter on the whole project. The rest of the vocals heard serve as instruments as Pizza Pizza crafts a debut full  of different head-bobbing trip-hop/trap instrumentals.  Pizza Pizza is probably worth looking into due to his image alone. Every picture on his social media accounts is pizza related, and  his logo is of Little Caesar’s mascot holding an MPC and rocking a gold grill in his teeth with some gold on his wrist.  The format of the album, titled Pie 1, is that each song is a numbered slice that makes up the whole pie. The first song, “Slice 1,” is a really hard hitting trap beat[...]

Network Releases New “Winter” Single

April 23, 2014

Buffalo experimental hip hop project Network have been hard at work on their latest album, expected out sometime early this summer. In the meantime, the group, who recently added former New York producer/songwriter Jon Bap as a full-time member, has shared a new track titled “Winter.” The wavy instrumental moves with a creeping pace, with sharp percussion and washes of feedback, providing a surreal soundtrack to lyricist Quinton Brock’s stream-of-consciousness delivery. The track is available as a free download and hint’s at more genre-defying, ambitious material from the group in the future. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/144872404″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Sexist Releases Updated Demos

April 23, 2014

Since Record Store Day, everyone has been talking about Jack White’s new song, “Lazaretto,” the world’s fastest record. Seriously who cares about Jack White? Yes, he’s a genius, and he’s going to be making great records for years to come. Rather, let’s talk about Buffalo’s feminist riot grrrl outfit, Sexist, instead. Sexist not only played at Spiral Scratch for Record Store Day, but the trio also released some much anticipated demos. Now I know I have said in the past that you shouldn’t ever judge a band based on its demos, but after having a few conversations with these girls, I feel it is perfectly acceptable for Sexist Sexist Demo represents the Queen City girls perfectly. It’s chocked full of  fast, aggressive ammunition loaded ADD feminist anthems, from the opening audio clip of the right wing puppet Rush Limbaugh on “Respect” to the closing “I am Woman.” Still, the real[...]

Well Worn Boot Returns With BOOT IN SPACE

April 22, 2014

Returning from the outer reaches of the universe with a shitload of space weed, Well Worn Boot recounts their star cruising exploits in the new comic book/EP titled BOOT IN SPACE. The Boot jams out harder than ever before, and if these tracks don’t make you party your ass off you should take your pulse or check yourself into a nursing home. Wildly heavy, funky, and of course accentuated by soaring flute melodies, the band experiments with inter-species erotica by way of alien chicks, terrorizes hot tubs, and gives an ultimatum with “Riverbottom Nightmare Band.” Intoxicated and speeding into the future, the band is being pursued by a highway patrolman when they are abducted by aliens and launch into the crowd favorite, “Drunk on the Highway.” A run in with space jail isn’t enough for the dudes, as they party on and try to repopulate the universe before their inevitable[...]

Ancients Of Earth Releases Valley of the Suns LP

April 22, 2014

Ancients Of Earth is a grungy, psychedelic, blues stoner rock band from the Queen City. There isn’t anything like them in Buffalo right now. They are writing nine minute songs and are refusing to apologize for it. Formed in 2011 by Thomas Oliver Daulton (guitar/ vocals), Ryan Tomaka (bass) and Tyler Kurtz (drums), they first started out as a shoegaze outfit, an endeavor that was quickly scrapped. Ancients Of Earth’s first full length, Valley of the Suns, is everything that Queens of the Stone Age should have been after Kyuss disbanded in 1995. Equal parts, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Kyuss and Clutch, Valley of the Suns listens like an open letter. It’s full of sludge, peyote dreams, bareback horse rides through the Mojave desert and goblins, lots and lots of goblins. Don’t worry these are the nice kind of goblins, not the evil, soul engulfing goblins, but the ones who[...]

Kristachuwan Releases Beachers Cassette

April 18, 2014

Kristachuwan’s latest release Beachers ranks, in my books, as the best ambient album I’ve heard while living in Buffalo. It’s not pushing any heavy beats in my face, forcing my hand when it comes to dancing. “Dill’s Pick” is a good example. Kristachuwan arranges the elements in a light manner that when added up, equal a strong groove with pumping shakers and an angelic bell egging the track onward.  When adding accessories, such as a saxophone or heavier synth, it’s used tastefully. In the EP’s title track  and “Shimotahitubo,” the saxophone is broken up and tossed in with a static sound and occasional synth tones.  Kristachuwan is no stranger to creating down time. “Pump” gives the listener a quieter break, as the music explores downtempo clicks and varied electronic synths. Bleachers caps off at a little less than a half hour, which is the perfect length to listen to before you start the[...]