Buffalo

way2wavybaby & chango4 Break on Thru to Planet 9

July 20, 2020

Right in time for the most catawampus Fourth of July in American history probably since the original and our ongoing Coronavirus summer, Buffalo’s hip hop scene delivered not one but two vital albums for our long, hot summer, Westside Gunn’s latest, which we’ll leave to Pitchfork now that the Grizelda crew has gone supernova; and Planet 9, a  gloriously shiny and irresistible collaboration featuring emcees way2wavybaby and Chango4 that’s chilled out yet laser sharp, and a very encouraging glimpse of the future. If it feels like the ground is moving beneath  our feet that’s because it is, and way2wavybaby and Chango4 are part of this seismic shift. You love to see it: artists explicitly breaking down the exclusionary and oppressive limitations of old paradigms to get and be free, and the aspirational, DGAF lyrics and hypnotic grooves of Planet 9 feels like a welcome manifestation of this phenomena. Gen Z emcees like way2wavybaby and[...]

Savannah King – “Sweetest Dream”

June 9, 2020

Alt-folk artist Savannah King recently released a new three-song EP, featuring lead single “Sweetest Dream.” On “Dream,” King’s lilting vocals sit atop a tune that feels alt country, indie folk, and adult contemporary all at once. At just over five minutes, this one feels like a nostalgic journey, almost like the song’s subject matter, inspired by a brief stay in the scenic Utah desert. There are hints of sadness and hope in this one, best experienced for yourself. Check it out below. Savannah’s latest release, Moab, is available now via Bandcamp and Spotify. Moab by Savannah King

Humble Braggers Break Out With New Single “Locked Inside”

March 11, 2020

Buffalo synth pop quartet Humble Braggers have dropped a very tight new single “Locked Inside” that’s exactly what you need inside and out after an exceptionally sunless winter. Humble Braggers don’t play around on this single, with every element on song from the achingly vulnerable tenor and evocative lyrics of frontman and creative guru Tom Burtless,  a crystal clean guitar solo also from Burtless, “Locked Inside” breaks free to achieve proper lift off thanks to it’s genuine and meaningful empathy, it’s M83 worthy synth lines reaching for outer space, and some club friendly change ups and 80’s drum vibes encouraging you to get free. Check it out below and let some sunshine in. Locked Inside by Humble Braggers

Carrier Pigeons Release Debut Singles

March 9, 2020

The new year and decade has started with a resurgence of vibrancy in the Buffalo music scene, as newcomers Carrier Pigeons, introduce themselves to the world with the release of their first single, “Death of a Salesman.” The title track has definite traces of 1990s alt and grunge rock. Lead singer Logan Giddins emotes, with strength, a sense of longing. It borders on emo, but does not dive in directly. Perhaps that is due in part to the instruments used on the track. Percussion, guitar, and banjo. The banjo creeps up in the mix and compliments the tone of the track nicely with a metallic Side-B, “Waves About to Break,” seems to flip around the alt-emo-folk balance of “Death of a Salesman.” The second song is an upbeat song with a half-time tempo that makes it hard to not tap your toe. The banjo has a more prominent role, and[...]

Short Moscato Lets Production Hands Shine on New Beat Tape

March 6, 2020

The grind doesn’t stop with Buffalo hip hop artist Short Moscato; The rapper, producer and frequent collaborator is back with a new project in Slow Drifting Home that focuses on his skills behind the boards and ear for dreamy sounds. A member of 14 Trapdoors, Moscato is a scene mainstay relentless with his releases. His latest drop in his prolific output is a 10-track instrumental project with a familiar ambient feel. Album opener “Reincarnation” is build around Kid Cudi’s moans from Kids See Ghost’s “Reborn,” accentuated with some head nodding bass drum. Moscato again flips a recognizable loop of Grimes’ iconic “Genesis” with a mesmerizing boom boom clap. Other highlights include the cinematic ambient soundscape of “redhead gurl” and the bright keys of aptly titled “weed beat.” Take a listen below and see another side of the scene leader.

Zazen Tapes Enters the Scene

March 3, 2020

Sean Wild has completed another part of the music business portfolio. Known for his work behind the West Side punk act Pink Guitars, Wild decided to venture from behind the cuitar and create his own record label, Zazen Tapes. The label specializes in low quantity cassette tape releases. In November of 2019, Zazen Tapes released their inaugural release, II, from the band Glue, a punk and experimental rock band, which helped introduced the label as hardcore oriented. Soon after, Zazen Tapes released Wild’s own project Pink Guitars’ We Are Made of the Sun.  The label created twenty-five copies in existence are hand dubbed on a tape deck by Wild, as well as the design, cutting, and folding of the j-cards. As an avenue of releasing music, cassette tapes have been utilized by a wide range of genres, as production costs are cheaper than vinyl, but listening is more reverential than an[...]

West Ferry Releases New s/t EP

February 26, 2020

Emo rockers West Ferry just dropped a concise self-titled EP last Friday. Clocking in at just over six minutes, it’s a quick yet impactful listen. Each of the songs has a distinct character; angst. While each had an anthemic quality, the standout was “Forever Home.” The group really seems to have settled on a sound, and the DIY energy is still present in their recording. If not already on your radar, a must listen especially for fans of Cursive, Tiny Moving Parts and early Brand New. Check out the EP below, you’ll have time. West Ferry by west ferry Written by John Smigielski

Sons of Luther Drop New Single “Kill Your Darlings” Featuring Medusa and Bkpr

February 5, 2020

Rochester indie guitar rock heroes Sons of Luther have teamed with Buffalo darktronica guru Medusa and beat maestro Bkpr to drop “Kill Your Darlings,” a dark, mesmerizing and modern take on British 90’s electronica. Floating on an impeccably tasteful Bkpr loop, Portishead  and Massive Attack vibes, and multi-tracked harmonies that reach for the infinite, “Kill Your Darlings” showcases some killer soul vocals from blog favorite Medusa and unobtrusive yet effective production from Sons mastermind Wren Werner that gets the job done. Check it out below, and keep an eye out for Medusa’s upcoming album Boy Of The Year due early this year. Kill Your Darlings feat. Medusa & Bkpr by Sons Of Luther feat. Medusa & Bkpr

Cee Gee Produces Western NY Hip Hop Collaboration Album

February 4, 2020

Buffalo hip hop producer Cee Gee (Columbus Green) connects with a who’s who of rhymesayers from 716 and beyond for his latest release, album Classical Gifted. The noted cratedigger dug deep into his bag for creative samples and molded it all into sonic undertones ranging from elegant to gritty depending on each track’s vision, creating a uniquely Western NY experience. Classical Gifted succeeds in being a traditional NY hip hop album, with menacing beats built for cyphers and freestyles. Packed with references to Western NY elements including Spectrum news, garbage plates, the Great Lakes and more, Cee Gee’s constructed a showcase of what hip hop can sound like in our region. His production rides the influence of sample-flipping legends like Madlib and Havoc of Mobb Deep, Gee’s beats are understated at times but steadfast in their deliberation. Cee Gee‘s production project is aided by ‘stories,’ the vocal contributions headlined by some of[...]

Cardiac Cassette Releases Three Song EPSnow Birds

February 3, 2020

Buffalo pop-punkers Cardiac Cassette dropped their first three-song single, Snow Birds. Made up of former members of local bands Go Glorious and Better Now, Cardiac Cassette has spent the past year playing shows and recording their first release with Orlando bands Our Escape and Audio Creep.  Snow Birds has the hallmarks of a modern pop-punk release: catchy hooks, heavy power chords off-set by upbeat drumming, and relationship-centric lyrical themes. Cardiac Cassette is the kind of band that’ll reel in fans of mainstays like Saves the Day and The Story So Far, but they’re no carbon copy of what’s already been done. Frontman Pat Kerr’s vocals are resonant and full, with thoughtful, often poetic lyrics, and the guitars offer fresh, ear-pleasing chord progressions. Overall,Snow Birds is a promising first release from a fairly new band on the block. It’s available on all streaming platforms, and below, too. Check it out. Snow Birds by[...]

Ian McCuen – Songs of Fleeting Permanence, Vol. III

January 29, 2020

Beware the quiet man, for when others speak, he plots. Buffalo singer/songwriter with an overflow of empathy, Ian McCuen, has just completed the final step of his greatly laid plans. Volume three of Songs of Fleeting Permanence has been released. The thirty-three song collection spans three separate releases , and chronicles a period in McCuen’s life where isolation lead to great reflection and self-discovery. The album begins with the track “Buried at Sea.” A strummed chord progression played on acoustic guitar drives the song, which starts stripped down until other elements are artfully added to the mix. McCuen’s signature vocal styling, which register above a whisper but pack enough diction and emphasis to level a room, cut straight to the chase. The first lyric, “I went looking for myself/Descended straight into hell,” is as wildly creative as it is poetic, scary, and enticing. As the track progresses a piano and[...]

Super American Drops New EPYOBWOC

January 28, 2020

Pop punk duo Super American just dropped their newest EP YOBWOC. Where their 2017 release Disposable gave us an angsty unabashed pop punk sound, their 2018 full length Tequila Sunrise showed us a more mature, refined sound. Clocking in at just over five minutes, YOBWOC is a perfect hybrid of their two previous releases. Super American 2.5 shows us their ability to write deeply infectious and energetic pop punk songs, that still have the nuance a maturity of Tequila Sunrise. YOBWOC opens up with the blistering “Chlorine Fight Song” which at only :40 definitely leaves us wanting more, in the best possible way. Next up is “Untitled” which blends early Blink-182 energy with the nuance of a band like The Story So Far. Finally, “Tangerine + Guava” simmers along with energetic outbursts in the midst of a restrained energy. I sincerely hope that YOBWOC is leading to another full-length release[...]

denzelworldpeace Teams with Humble Braggers on New Single

January 22, 2020

Up-and-coming Buffalo beatsmith denzelworldpeace has teamed up with Humble Braggers mastermind Tom Burtless to drop the first local jam of 2020, “Time Can’t Help,” and takes us to church. The classically trained denzelworldpeace aka Denzel Crockett has been producing since he was a kid, quietly building a catalog of sexy bedroom electronica since late 2018, but he’s poised to come on strong this year with this exquisitely tasteful slab of electronic love wrapped up in Cathedralesque sonics and hymnlike blue eyed soul from Tom Burtless. This is it and it is everything..

Olmsted Debuts New Singles

January 6, 2020

Buffalo bedroom pop newcomers Olmsted have emerged onto the Buffalo DIY scene with their first single, “The Storm.” The duo, composed of bassist/vocalist Lydia Beinhauer and former Halo Nellie guitarist Nathaniel Miller, co-write dreamy, raw pop music with contemplative lyrics. “The Storm” is a building, ethereal waltz. It starts out simple, with a guitar track and Beinhauer’s lone voice. The song becomes more fleshed-out as it continues, with gossamer synth, a drum machine, experimental noise sampling, and vocals from Miller as well. Beinhauer and Miller’s pleasant voices complement each other, which we also see on the single’s B-side, “The Eye.” The songs are approachable and calming, even though the words suggest a little more unease. From both tracks, we get a good idea of what to expect from Olmsted in the future: relaxed, organic, and endearing lo-fi pop. Olmsted plays January 31st with Modest Mouse tribute act Pompous Rat on[...]

John Moore And Missing Star Release New Single, “Work It Out”

December 24, 2019

John Moore and Missing Star‘s latest single “Work It Out” recently caught our ears in a lovely way. Moore has been hanging around Buffalo for a while – previously fronting the WNY-based act 53 Days. This time around, he and the Missing Star has pairing a twinkly guitar riff with spacey keys and haunting vocals, revolving around a haunting but catchy refrain of “Gonna work it out, gonna work it out again.” Check it out below and pick it up his latest album on Bandcamp if you’re feeling  this jam as much as we are. All In Your Head by John Moore And Missing Star