New Music

Bantams – “Sucralose”

April 10, 2024

Combining two things that I used to be into and occasionally find myself going back to, fake sugar and wrestling, is not something I thought I’d be writing about in 2024 but here we are. Bantams‘ latest is “Sucralose” (faux sugar) off of their Turn Heel (wrestling term) album. Formed by Chris Rathke from Penn’s Woods (Pennsylvania for those of you who are too lazy to google), this at least seems to be a trio (James Hoag and Mike Vermeil have song credits in addition to Rathke). This is a sub three minute gem of an indietronica at it’s finest; synth, drum machines, funky sounding bass. Rathke’s vocals punctuate throughout (giving some James Murphy vibes) while providing the sort of mouthfeel you’re used to from bands like Squeeze, Bleachers, or even Modern Baseball. You can hear “Sucralose” on Spotify, or check it out below courtesy of YouTube.

Holding Hour – “Parallel Lines”

April 9, 2024

Holding Hour, the duo formerly known as Elison, is based out of Des Moines, Iowa and “Parallel Lines” is their latest. We’ve previously covered the band as Elison here at the Blog and we’re happy to report that we still enjoy what we’re hearing!  Made up of Marissa Kephart on guitar and vocals and Scott Yoshimura as producer and jack of all trades, Holding Hour finds that perfect balance betwixt shoegaze and dream pop… That can be difficult, but Holding Hour understood the assignment here. Warm guitars layered together produce a lovely sound that compliments Kephart’s vocals perfectly – ya know, that whole shoegazy thing where it all blends together. Speaking to the track, Kephart had this to say: “Parallel Lines’ is about the push and pull of relationships, the tension between two people who are close but over time slowly grow distant.” You can hear “Parallel Lines” on the[...]

Memorial – “Silver”

April 7, 2024

UK-based duo Memorial specialize in heartfelt indie folk songs like their latest single, “Silver.” A stunning showcase of the band’s ear for melody; beautiful harmonies; and a tried-and-true acoustic guitar backbone, “Silver” is beautiful and somber without ever dipping into true ennui territory. Fans of Pinegrove, Elliot Smith, and Big Thief will find lots to dig into here. About the song, Memorial says: “Silver is about betrayal within friendships. This centres around how some friendships, particularly working relationships, feel so important that there can be a heavy focus on protecting it, which can lead to isolation. Being within that involves sacrifice in other important aspects of life such as romantic relationships, pastimes and opinions.” ICYMI – here’s our writeup from a previous Memorial single, “Corduroy” Check out “Silver” below via the Spotify embed, or, check out other listening options via this Linktree link..

LB Beistad – “Dogma”

April 7, 2024

LB Beistad makes religious trauma sound stunning on the alt-pop of her latest single, “Dogma.” Having grown up in rural Tennessee, Beistad’s childhood was rather isolated. She discovered a world of beautiful music when her family purchased a computer at age 10 – the rest is history. With gauzy synths; chuggy guitar and bass; and Beistad’s soulful delivery, “Dogma” reckons with the stifling box that religion can often stuff us in… LB is thankful for the proverbial doors that computer opened, and now, so are we! You can find “Dogma” on Soundcloud (below), or, listen via Spotify. LB Beistad · Dogma_Mastered_unreleased.wav

Taxidermy – “Rot”

April 7, 2024

Copenhagen’s Taxidermy describe their new song, “Rot,” as “marked by an unrest, a journey through doubt.” Sometimes, a band just knows themselves best, and in the case of this unique act, they’ve described it perfectly. “Rot” is dark, post-punk at its finest, channeling Pile, Unwound, and Sonic Youth with its guitar-driven neuroses that threatens to dip into dissonance but always remain palatable. The song ultimately explodes into a distorted energy, a lovely juxtaposition against “Rot’s” icy and calculated intro. Check out the video for “Rot” below, or, check out this link for all the different streaming options.

frog team – “KAMIKAZE!!”

April 3, 2024

There are rare occasions where buffaBLOG’s words are just… less effective than an artist’s own description of themselves. This is one of those times: “Frog Team is The Front Bottoms meets The Fall of Troy meets Family Guy, and that’s supposed to be an insult.” The absolutely blistering, buzzsaw emo of “KAMIKAZE!!” caught us off guard with its unbelievable blast of energy. Gravelly vocals and a breakneck runtime keep you on your toes throughout the entire listen. Inspired by everything from The Hotelier to My Hero Academia, this Denver trio isn’t afraid to do whatever the F*#& they want. In fact, if a math rock band was tasked to write an anime intro, let’s just say frog team would be the perfect act for the job. You can enjoy “KAMIKAZE!!” on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube (embedded below).

maxime. – “Quitting Time”

April 3, 2024

buffaBLOG mainstay maxime. is back with yet another slice of bedroom-pop wizardry, this time in the form of “Quitting Time.” ICYMI, we’re maxime. stans here at the blog (see here, here, and here for proof), and “Quitting Time” is yet another gem that he’s slotted into his growing catalogue of greatness. Fuzzed-out woofy bass tones, curious keyboard blips, and maxime.’s half-slurred vocals give this a mysterious feel, full of vague warnings to give up on what we can only assume is some semblance of a relationship. It’s nebulous and cool and we think you’re going to like it too. You can find “Quitting Time” on Soundcloud (below) and Spotify. maxime. · quitting time

RAINSONG – “Coma Baby”

April 3, 2024

London based RAINSONG brings us their latest with “Coma Baby.” Chock full of effects for that reliable shoegaze tone, RAINSONG plays around with faraway/breathless sounding lyrics with a touch of the melancholia. This honestly sounds how I think a new Goo Goo Dolls could sound if they made an album with My Bloody Valentine for some random reason. That isn’t to say this sounds like it’s pulled from the 90’s, far from it: everything sounds fresh and new, even if there’s a strong Cure influence here. There was a tone or two that put that idea in my head, along with the lead singer’s voice sounding vaguely reminiscent of the Goos’ John Rzeznik. The track ends on a long fadeout with all of the instruments intermingling, like what some bands do when they go off stage before an encore. You can hear “Coma Baby” on Spotify, or wherever else you[...]

Makeout City – “Everytime”

April 3, 2024

Philly based Makeout City brings us their latest single, “Everytime,” and it’s a poppy shoegazy banger. The band refers to themselves as “Mid-Atlantic Dreamgaze” – upbeat guitars and tight drums drive the song forward, while some synth is thrown in for additional flavor. Everything meshes together well into a shoegaze/dreampop concoction, starting slow and picking up tempo as the track progresses. It’s upbeat and twee, but with some deeper underpinnings, as the band discusses below: “‘Everytime’ is an introspective track about trying to understand your own thoughts and emotions when navigating life’s uncertainties. We often find a sense of comfort in nostalgia and express that in a lot of our writing. The line ‘drive me back to where I want to be’ touches on wanting to escape the anxieties of adult life and return to a simpler and more carefree time.” Fans of Alvvays, Far Caspian, or Beach House would[...]

Sofia Bolt x Stella Donnelly – “Bus Song”

April 3, 2024

Sofia Bolt and Stella Donnelly teamed up for a dreamy new single in the form of “Bus Song.” Not to be confused with the Jay Som song of the same name, “Bus Song” finds the duo playing with swimmy guitar chords, plunking bass, and a ruthlessly catchy call-and-response chorus. Fans of Big Thief, Alvvays, and the aforementioned Jay Som will like the smooth and creamy indie found here – keep your ears peeled for the tasteful sax and cool guitar plucks in the chorus. Check out “Bus Song” below via the YouTube embed, or, on Spotify.

Garage Sale – “Movie”

April 3, 2024

Melbourne’s Garage Sale specialize in heartbreaking shoegaze/emo – we’re recommending their latest single, “Movie,” for your listening pleasure.. Sounding like a perfect mix of Smashing Pumpkins, OVLOV, and Duster, the band seems to have mastered the quiet/loud songwriting method with downtrodden verses that explode into fuzz-filled glory. Diary-esque lyrics about borderline disassociation cut straight to the bone, as the dirty and angry guitar tones offset the ennui with their punishing presence. Perfect for fans of Midwest emo, shoegaze, and everything in between. You can find “Movie” on Bandcamp (below), Movie by Garage Sale

Rain Gregorio – “Foggy Stepper”

April 1, 2024

Los Angeles based Rain Gregorio brings us his latest single with “Foggy Stepper,” off of the pleasantly-named Anxiety Blanket Records. An indie rocker’s indie rocker, RG brings an intriguing deeply layered track with a healthy dose of bass and colorful synth shining through. It almost veers into a gothy post-punk feel with the downbeats and somber refrain “You’re better off” (plus the aforementioned layering). This sort of discordant sound is a progression from his last big release, the “Myrtle on Holiday” single, which gave similar vibes. Oddly enough (and this is not a plug, but sort of is) this kind of reminded me of one of my favorite local bands, Hundred Plus Club, and the sound they’ve been embracing as of late (check them out too!) Be sure to check out “Foggy Stepper” on Spotify, Apple Music, or the video down below pulled from YouTube. tl;dr = Indie rock with a[...]

Heddy Edwards – “black tunnel”

March 30, 2024

Singer/songwriter Heddy Edwards is here with her latest single, “black tunnel.” Recalling ’90s luminaries like The Cranberries and Garbage while channeling modern-day juggernauts like Alvvays and Hazel English, “black tunnel” feels timeless and fresh all at once. Gauzy synths, effected vocals, and a very palatable indie-rock sound are some of the features you can expect here. Fun fact – Heddy worked with Alan Day (of Four Year Strong fame) on “black tunnel,” and while you won’t hear any chugging pop-punk breakdowns here, his experienced touch surely helped to bring this one to the next level. You can find “black tunnel” on Spotify and Soundcloud (below). heddyedwards · black tunnel

Glom – “Below”

March 30, 2024

Glom and buffaBLOG go way back (see here, and here, and here, and here). We’re adding to our Glom collection with their latest single, “Below.” While Glom surely knows how to get upbeat and ebullient, “Below” takes a more mid-tempo route made popular by contemporaries like Slow Pulp or Goon. Deep, plucky guitars and charming synth tones pair perfectly with Glom’s simple-but-effective lyrical style. We’ll let Glom take it away with a perfect explanation of how “Below” came to fruition: “To me, ‘Below’ almost materialized out of thin air. I picked up my guitar and tuned it down— lower than I’ve ever tuned it before with this project… Something about the low pluck of the strings brought out the melody and lyrics about me coming to terms with what I thought was expected of me as I grew up. I was 29 and creeping up on the next decade of[...]

Little Oil – “I Wanna Know”

March 30, 2024

California’s Little Oil is fresh off the release of their latest single, “I Wanna Know.” Driven by a dirge-like tempo and twinkling acoustic guitars, “Know” brings to mind acts like Elliot Smith and Duster with its lo-fi ethos and chill-out vibe. Of particular note here is the chorus of cacophonous guitar bending – it feels like a much-needed explosion of energy after the otherwise reserved verses. Here’s a bit more about “Know” from Little Oil himself: “[“I Wanna Know” is inspired by the] type of person we all know and marvel at who just goes with the flow, never worries about anything and everything just works out for them. The kind of person who makes you wonder ‘what do they know that I don’t know?’ I wanna know…” You can find “I Wanna Know” via Bandcamp (below) or on Spotify. Check out their Linktree for even more listening options. Twelve[...]