New Music

Dirt Buyer – “On & On”

April 9, 2023

I could go on and on about the new single “On & On,” recently released by New Jersey-born, New York-based band, Dirt Buyer. The palm-muted intro to this song had me moving before any vocals had even kicked in. The chugging, grungy, alt-rock guitars carry through the entire song and were actually written just days before “On & On” was recorded… Even crazier, the lyrics were written right before vocalist Joe Sutkowski had to sing them. The song was co-written and produced with Ruben Radlauer (Model/Actriz) and Jeff Berrall (Caveman.) Fans of rocking-but-accessible bands like Manchester Orchestra, early Kings of Leon, or My Morning Jacket will dig this one for sure. Sutkowski has entered a self-proclaimed “new era of Dirt Buyer” and part of this new era was dying his hair a vibrant shade of red which he feels adds to his electrifying live performances. “On & On” isn’t just[...]

Buck Raines – “Rocks”

April 9, 2023

Mysterious act Buck Raines is here with a fresh bedroom-pop single, “Rocks.” Buck, (aka Ryan Raines (aka DJ Kid Gloves)) utilizes his electronic influences alongside strong story-telling lyrics to create a dreamy vibe that music lovers across many genres can enjoy… But if you love Mac DeMarco or Porches, you’re pretty much *guaranteed* to be a fan of Buck. Each verse is filled with ear-catching melodies you’ll have stuck in your head after one listen-through. This song hits the trifecta when you add in the tasteful drums and icily emotional guitar leads. Born in Key Largo, Florida, and now a current L.A. resident, Raines works as a producer/songwriter and even drums occasionally, which explains why his songs are so well-rounded. You can find “Rocks” on Spotify and Apple Music. Check out the YouTube embed below.

Animal Scream – “Strangled Up In Two”

April 9, 2023

Hailing from Pittsburgh, Animal Scream is made up of duo Chad Monticue and Josh Sickels.”Strangled Up in Two” is a banger of a track from that literally starts off with a BANG and doesn’t let off the gas, except to occasionally allow you to catch your breath. This comes from their most recent album Heartbroke Motel (April 7th) from label American Hermitage, also out of Pittsburgh, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. The raucous cacophony in “Strangled” brings to mind Death From Above 1979, Parquet Courts, and a hint of Thom Yorke – with a beat that is simply infectious, just tell me with a straight face you couldn’t dance to this song all night long. The duo’s (successful) experiments with sound throughout Heartboke Motel similary don’t disappoint and listeners of anywhere from Grimes to Animal Collective would find enjoyment in the eclecticism. Be sure to check out “Strangled Up in Two”[...]

Angus Wayne – “Blacksheep”

April 9, 2023

Straight outta Nyack, New York (say that 3x fast), Angus Wayne is here with their latest feel-good single, “Blacksheep.” The catchy vocals combined with their use of down-home tones and hypnotic drums create a song you’ll want to listen to every time there’s some sun in the sky. Fans of The Mountain Goats, Chad VanGaalen, and Alex G will definitely resonate with the vibe of “Blacksheep.” About the song, Angus says: “This song is about many things, and you can dissect each verse. But you might notice a theme of animals, birds and sheep and bears. I’d love for this song to be received well, thanks so much for listening!” You can find “Blacksheep” on Spotify, SoundCloud, and of course, don’t forget to follow their Instagram. Check out the YouTube embed below.

Kicking – “Slower”

April 9, 2023

Jackson, Mississippi’s not-so-hidden gem, Kicking is back with the angsty jam, “Slower,” off of their latest 2-song EP, Cheeks//Slower. “Slower” instantly pulls you in with a catchy, moody guitar lead that swells into the familiar doomy shoegaze sound that has attracted buffaBLOG from the start. Add in singer Bobbie Flanders’s hauntingly beautiful vocals and you’ve got a recipe for a song you’ll instantly want to add to your “favorites” playlist. Being mixed & mastered by Buffalo native John Angelo is the icing on top. “Kicking” serves you those nostalgic 90’s fuzz vibes courtesy of former-Buffalonian bassist, Lacy Ellinwood paired with catchy, dreamy riffs provided by JD Burns and SG Shepherd. Their newest member, Lexie Gay, seems to have seamlessly come in as well. Fans of My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive and Slothrust shouldn’t sleep on “Slower.” You can find “Slower” on Spotify and Apple Music. Don’t forget to check out the Bandcamp[...]

Cupid Girl – “I Drop Everything”

April 9, 2023

Cupid Girl is the project of Norway native Julie Engelsviken, and in three minutes with “I Drop Everything,” shows us her solid indie-pop chops. Songs like this always bring me a certain degree of joy because you can hear everything from relatable lyrics, to the plucky guitar, and lush synth leads, just-so-tightly produced to perfection. With her swaying dream-pop vocals, Engelsviken evokes some similarities to fellow Norwegian artist Girl in Red (or even HAIM) but with with 23% more 80’s influence thrown in. “I Drop Everything” also brings to mind “I Can’t Stop;” a fellow 80s-tinged track we recently reviewed by Dragon Inn 3. With a decent following over on Spotify and a strong collection of songs released within the past two years, be sure to hop on over to Spotify or Apple Music to hear this and more from Cupid Girl. Come for the incredible production value, stay for[...]

Babe Lewis – “New Growth”

April 8, 2023

Babe Lewis, the solo project of Virginia based multi-instrumentalist Joseph Harder, is here is with an infectious indie-pop track, “New Growth,” and it is bursting with youthful wonder and a lust for life. Harder brings the powerful, positive, and poppy sonics with acoustic strumming; vocals delivered with a cool slacker vibe; lyrics that excite all the senses; percussion that tickles and pops while it pumps with a rhythm of an excited heart beat; and it’s all rooted with an lively smooth electric bass line. The song captures the spirit of wonder and pushes it right into your soul and down to your toes. Harder shifts and moves the instrumentation, keeping the effervescent feeling present and ever-tantalizing – the perfect example of this is the short burst of synth that leads into a delicious buzzy guitar solo. Harder’s goal for the song is clear and executed with such joy you won’t[...]

Dead Slow Hoot – “The Moistest Beak”

April 8, 2023

London based four piece Dead Slow Hoot has just released a new track (check our previous feature on them here) – the alt-country “Moistest Beak” rocker has a bittersweet warmth and poetic lyricism that you’ll love. Distorted lead guitar plays an infectious melody while a clear toned backing guitar bends and wails like pedal steel, creating a ambiance of large factory spaces and aged industrial humming while accents of banjo add a flannel warmth to the track. The imagery is pushed further with the measured, warbly vocals that sing of unchanging machinery that is proudly resilient to the outside world. Ancient stories and making mistakes that create unforeseen yet fruitful outcomes, all of which evoke images of youth in a small rural town with stubborn history that imprints as much as it needs to be rebelled against. “Moistest Beak” culminates with a crescendo, a powerful finale washes you in big open[...]

The Creepy Crawlies – “Frozen Lake”

April 4, 2023

Los Angeles is the land of dreams and The Creepy Crawlies are just that – coming in hot (and cold) with their new single “Frozen Lake.” They don’t make you wait through an intro… Their Kinks-vibe vocals come right in along with distinguished guitar leads and tasteful drums that make you want to keep listening. If you’re a fan of The Strokes or The Yardbirds you’re bound to love T.C.C. “Frozen Lake” gives you the good vibes we’re all searching for right now. About the song, Chris of T.C.C says: “‘Frozen Lake’ is an upbeat ode to feeling like your own worst enemy caught in a spiral of depression and isolation. A cheerful cry for help from under the ice. The lyrics are *insanely* relatable and if the vocals don’t pull you in, the guitar tones will.” You can find “Frozen Lake” on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, or Soundcloud. The[...]

Nathan Connolly – “Fires [feat. Simon Neil]”

April 4, 2023

“Fires” is the debut single off of Nathan Connolly‘s upcoming album The Strange Order of Things. You may already be familiar with Nathan from his turn as Grammy-nominated Snow Patrol’s guitarist, as well as his previous project Little Matador, but Connolly finally struck out on his own for this groovy indie rock jam. “Fires” features a guest appearance from Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro (as well as shared songwriting duties) and the duo brings the gravitas you would expect: powerfully layered guitars; big melodies; and uplifting, heartfelt lyrics. If “Fires,” along with his previous work, is any indication, not only will this be a fantastic album but certainly one worthy of an addition to your summer playlist. Keep an eye out for Strange Order of Things out on 4/21 through Third Bar Records. In the meantime you can hear “Fires” on Spotify and stay tuned for more updates on Nathan Connolly’s[...]

French Alps Tiger – “Heavy”

April 4, 2023

Swansea, UK based three piece French Alps Tiger brings not only a dandy of a single with “Heavy,” but also an EP collection of their singles entitled Switch Off All the Time. In their own words: “[Switch Off]’ is described as “Tapping into guileless, primal feels that we didn’t know were there, we’ve cut the shit and smashed out the sounds and words that best plunge us into that childlike wonder, fitting for an inceptive release, to catch you up on what a fuckup we’ve made of our lives so far.” Releasing a sort of “greatest hits” for such a young band is a ballsy move and certainly worthy of a listen. If you only listened to “Heavy” you’d only be getting part of the picture; this subdued, dirge-y indie gem certainly shines on its own but as part of a whole it stands out as a strong shoegaze-laced endcap[...]

Savagery – “Void”

April 4, 2023

I’m going to be completely honest with you, dear reader, I know next to nothing about the (presumably) one-person act known as Savagery. Honestly though, it’s kind of refreshing to have an artist present their music and just leave it at that. Here’s what I do know: Savagery seems to be composed of one person who has a strong understanding of composition. Their dulcet tones intersperse throughout a carefully curated midi-flavored track, layered with subdued guitar/drums/bass that create a sort of low-key, electronica/shoegaze-y mix. As described upon receipt of this track, this is “pop music, gone awry” (an apt description of shoegaze, to be sure). “Void”, along with the rest of Savagery’s tracks would be a good fit for someone who enjoys the amalgamation of sounds from bands like Beach House, Porches, or even Cocteau Twins. Be sure to delve into the mystery of of Savagery on their Soundcloud, Spotify,[...]

American Trappist – “Seg Fault”

April 4, 2023

01000001 01101101 01100101 01110010 01101001 01100011 01100001 01101110 00100000 01010100 01110010 01100001 01110000 01110000 01101001 01110011 01110100 00100000 00101101 00100000 00100010 01010011 01100101 01100111 00100000 01000110 01100001 01110101 01101100 01110100 00100010 Philadelphia-based American Trappist bring us a fun alt-90’s inspired single “Seg Fault;” so named for when a computer program loses track of memory and tries to write or read from an inaccessible part of memory or segmentation fault. [The computer based title is also the reason I so cleverly started this blog in binary (computer code 1’s and 0’s)]. The title fits well with the theme of changing over time, yet trying to maintain your sense of self, without losing who you originally are. The discordant intro sets the stage while meandering yet thoughtful guitar provides the perfect backdrop to Joe Michelini’s focused wailing that evokes Dinosaur Jr. or Pixies, with perhaps a dash of Deerhunter. Be sure to[...]

Tonton AI – “Vamos todos dançar”

April 1, 2023

This one is sure to put some pep in your step. Be sure to play this bumping jam as loud as you can over the nicest speakers you can find because you really can’t help but dance to this beat. “Vamos todos dançar” is from Paris, France-based musician (and producer, and DJ, and record label owner) Alexis Camous’s project, Tonton Al. This could very easily be the music for a slick movie opening or an ironic, self-aware dramedy on HBO. Barring that though, this tightly produced track will easily be at home in your headphones, a pumped up shower song, or on the dance floor. While a bit difficult to put into terms of “indie music this sounds similar to,” fans of Saint Motel, Matt and Kim, or even the raucous sound of LCD Soundsystem would certainly find things to enjoy from Tonton Al. You know the drill: Soundcloud, Spotify,[...]

Doug Holmes – “Spare Me Lonesome Days”

March 28, 2023

One man act Doug Holmes brings us a heartfelt thinker of a song by cataloguing the cruel passage of time on “Spare Me Lonesome Days.” His guitar gradually builds and adds additional layers as the song crescendos, but keeps a dirge-like beat that considers the shared experiences betwixt father and son. Holmes captures that America-based malaise that exists in a lot of us, especially being from the Buffalo, NY/rust belt area (like me). If you grew up with parents with decent musical taste, you might be familiar with Bruce Springsteen’s more story-based efforts (not just Born to Run), which this track definitely reminded me of. Not to mention the late great Chris Cornell’s more soulful performances (“Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart” immediately comes to mind). Be sure to check out “Spare My Lonesome Days” on Soundcloud, Spotify, or Apple Music. Please be sure to let us know via Twitter what[...]