Latest Posts

Pink Elephant – Around Your Neck

September 4, 2017

Rochester garage/noise-rock outfit, Pink Elephant are hot off their recently released single, and have dropped a new LP, Around Your Neck on 20 Blood Records. The four piece consists of Eric Witkowski on vocals and guitar, Greg Wilcox rocking the bass, Jeff Thompson banging on the drums, and Nick Walter rounding out the group on guitar. Around Your Neck is a conjoined effort to put out some solid tracks that bridge the gap between pysch-noise and post-rock. What sets Around Your Neck apart from other alt-rock records is with its diversity. There’s so much going on with the record that things never get stale, like week old bread left out on the counter. These songs aren’t a band trying to reinvent themselves, or a band straining to be “different”. Instead, this diversity just shows how strong Pink Elephant are as a band. Songs like the title track, “Around Your Neck”[...]

Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile to the Surface

August 4, 2017

Indie rock stalwarts Manchester Orchestra have returned with their fifth album, A Black Mile to the Surface. It follows a several year gap that saw the departure of multi-instrumentalist Chris Freeman, the birth of founding member Andy Hull’s daughter, as well as Hull and lead-guitarist Robert McDowell scoring the Daniel Radcliffe-Paul Dano led film Swiss Army Man. The new record is yet another departure in sonic aesthetic, something the band has done with every release throughout their career. Starting out in the emo realm with I’m Like a Virgin Losing a Child in 2006, it has been a meteoric rise the last 11 years, with the band expanding and advancing their sound every step of the way, as they became one of alternative music’s more beloved acts. Each record has been a new experience that both builds on and pivots away from the previous one, first with supercharged alt.-rock (Mean[...]

Slow Dancer - In A Mood

Slow Dancer – In A Mood

July 7, 2017

“Less is more.” It may be one of those little things you’ve heard flutter by you, said on a commercial or by a wise elderly neighbor. So, in trying to be on the lookout for new and exciting music, the idea of “less is more” is sometimes not a criteria that’s really ever considered. The new record titled, In A Mood by Slow Dancer, released on ATO Records on June 9th, wants to make you rethink that notion. Slow Dancer is the stage name for vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, Simon Okely who hails from Melbourne, Austrailia. The strongest element on In A Mood is Okely’s vocals which are smooth yet powerful, like a croon that reaches out to touch you. The vocals are supported by a mix of throwback 60s and 70s folk and blues with strong pop song-writing. Everything is kept in harmony, never letting one element over power another.[...]

Supergoner – A Really Good Friend

July 3, 2017

Buffalo 90s indie rock outfit Supergoner has come back into the light after a break with the release of their album A Really Good Friend. With guitarists Sean Wild and Mike Fuller experiencing fatherhood and drummer Bill O’Connor moving to a farm in Watkins Glen, the band took a bit of a hiatus from Supergoner. The band has been a part of the Buffalo indie scene since 2003, with three of the members coming from the defunct Concubine, and bassist Lisa Yamagishi rounding out the group. A lot of the guitar work on A Really Good Friend pays homage to indie rock in the ‘90s. The guitar solo on “A Lot of Nothing” is reminiscent of the guitar stylings of a Dinosaur Jr. song; loud, smooth and rolling. Heavier guitar work comes out on “White Lines,” with the guitars coming in along the lines of punk, but also returning to the lighter side[...]

Amber Arcades – Cannonball EP

May 29, 2017

Two days may not seem like a lot of time to cut an EP, but Dutch artist Amber Arcades (aka Annelotte de Graaf) finished the Cannonball EP during her time off in New York from touring supporting Nada Surf. The EP follows the release of de Graaf’s debut album Fading Lines last year, which featured members of Real Estate, Quilt, and The Men. Nick Drake’s “Which Will” gets a new twist from de Graaf, trading Drake’s acoustics for an electric punch through the guitars. While it is a different interpretation sonically, the cover still pays homage to the message of the song, carrying a strong feeling of somberness as de Graaf’s vocals light the way through the hazy Krautrock instrumentals. On the third track “Wouldn’t Even Know,” Bill Ryder-Jones adds depth to the track with his somber crooning, which pairs well with the contrast of de Graaf’s lighter voice. The[...]

No, seriously by Hate Club

Hate Club – No, seriously

May 25, 2017

Hate Club is an Albany based band that exhibits all of the raucous and raw energy you’d want to find in an indie pop/slacker group. On April 19, Hate Club released their debut EP titled, No, seriously. It’s a refreshing 4 track outing that packs a punch. The 4 piece, consisting of Audrey Goodemote on vocals/guitar, Noah Bondy on vocals/guitar, Alex Brooks on bass, and Ethan Sullivan filling out the drums, are a relatively new band, only coming together in January 2017. The band describes themselves as Tweemo, a nice sounding portmanteau (unlike most other ones) of twee and emo. Vocalists Goodemote and Bondy trade off vocal duties, striking a balanced approach with neither band member overshadowing the other. Their voices mixed together have a dreamy quality to them, like wisps of smoke from two separate sources weaving in and out of each other. This particular sound quality is aided[...]

Julie Byrne – Not Even Happiness

January 27, 2017

There’s something about the songcraft of downstate-based singer-songwriter Julie Byrne that appeals to more than just the ears. Her music, at once spectral and tangible, whisks the listener to Byrne’s weightless place of soft melodies and personal experience. And it is this very suspension in which Byrne spends most of her latest album, Not Even Happiness. A sprawling musical simplicity contrasts the album’s deepest exploration of feeling, in what can be considered one of the most striking collections of songs so far this year. Musically, Byrne channels artists like Cat Power, Leonard Cohen, and Sufjan Stevens, all of whom with music that shares innate, personal elements. Not Even Happiness uses that element liberally, with tracks that explore the places, namely the Pacific Northwest, and feelings of Byrne’s most recent years. The expansive skies and ebbing tides of this record almost purposefully paint it a faint blue, with songs that breathe[...]

SURVIVE – RR7349

October 11, 2016

The second half of 2016 has been a very good to Austin, Texas electronic band SURVIVE. The preposterous viral success of Stranger Things on Netflix this summer catapulted the largely unknown band into the public’s imagination thanks to adoring articles from Pitchfork, NME, and AV Club, a hot two volume soundtrack album from band members Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein, the show’s obsessive fans, and the band is making the most of it with a national tour and a well timed sophomore album, RR7349. But could it live up to the expectations that come from sudden increases in attention, and could it exist separately from Stranger Things? The answer on both counts is definitely. SURVIVE as a full band trades emotive minimalism for glacial synths and pulsating, widescreen vistas that occupy an entirely different sonic space. The layered sounds of RR7349 conjure 80’s futurism, bleak coldness and human struggle, to create subdued but epic soundtracks for movies[...]

Prince Daddy & the Hyena – I Thought You Didn’t Even Like Leaving

September 7, 2016

Do you like Bomb The Music Industry!? Do you like PUP? Do you like Weezer?  Do you like WEED? If you answered any of those questions, you should probably go put on I Thought You Didn’t Even Like Leaving by Prince Daddy & The Hyena.  Hailing from Albany, NY, the four piece has been ripping it up in the DIY circuit since the release of their two tapes, Skip Cutscenes! Blow Loud! and Adult Summers, which we loved. After signing with emo super label of sorts, Broken World Media, the group really started picking up speed. Simply put, I Thought You Didn’t Even Like Leaving somehow pulls off being a total fucking blast, while still tugging at the heartstrings. From the driving title track to the all too easy to relate to album closer, Really?, P Daddy takes no breaks. The album boasts nine brand spankin’ new tracks, as well as clean sounding re recordings[...]

De La Soul – and the Anonymous Nobody…

September 2, 2016

It isn’t easy being De La Soul. Almost from the start, the struggle has been real for the Long Island trio: instead of enjoying immediate cultural impact of their debut album Three Feet High And Rising and it’s idiosyncratic and irreverently funny explorations of hip hop and it’s possibilities, they got to be sued over a sample not even used in a hit song by the utterly forgotten original artist (Flo and Eddy?). They refused to be pigeonholed by fans and critics, confounding both on subsequent albums De La Soul Is Dead and Buhloon Mind State, and have seen their whole catalog get trapped in legal and record label Hell. After all this there was much rejoicing when the band announced that they were working a new album, their first in eleven years, and more when it arrived last week. Made possible by a resoundingly successful Kickstarter/Go Fund Me/whatever campaign, and the Anonymous Nobody by De La Soul finds Pos,[...]

Governess – (Let Me Be Your) Governess

August 10, 2016

Have you ever partied so hard that you blacked out? If so, think of that last thing you remembered happening when you woke up the next day. Whatever that may be is what Governess sounds like. The bands’ debut album, (Let Me Be Your) Governess is a foul blast of fresh air to purify your poisoned hearts, and gleefully torch your saccharine souls. The concept of “rock n’ roll” has been twisted into so many different forms over the years but at the root of all the best kinds is attitude, energy, and some sort of lust, which this album is soaked in. You can’t fake this; sure you can try, but the kids always suss out the posers and this should pass any test you wanna throw at it. There are many influences heard on Governess’ debut (hard rock, 70’s sleaze, vintage punk, & a sprinkling of metal, in case[...]

The Branch Davidians – Sex, Death, and Things Less Boring

August 3, 2016

The Branch Davidians have released their EP Sex, Death, and Things Less Boring. Based in Rochester, the band began as an indie folk duo, before lead man Ben Stephanus expanded both the size of the group and the scope of its sound. Their five-song release is full of fuzz and shoegazey vibes. The lead guitar’s grimy buzz is a consistent force throughout the EP. They fuse throwback ‘90s tendencies with noise-rock elements to achieve a dissonant pop sound. Stephanus’ vocals are trippy with a dash of reverb, and reminiscent of melodies from underground ‘60s rock. The groovy “Bridges of Madison County” sounds like it could be a pop tune from The Zombies fed through the lens of a Tame Impala rocker. The lead guitar riff on “Your Sex Wants You Dead” is textbook pop punk, but with much more distortion. It’s not until the final track, “Blessed Water,” that the[...]

Mitski – Puberty 2

July 5, 2016

While attending SUNY Purchase, indie-rocker Mitski self released her first two albums. After graduating, she signed with Double Double Whammy to release a third. Now with Dead Oceans Records, her fourth studio album Puberty 2 is an earnest look at growing up. She likens the pain and awkwardness of this major transition into adulthood as a second form of puberty. Though slightly more polished, lo-fi production is still at the heart of it all for Mitski. She neatly combines drum machines with rousing electric guitars, and employs a vocal distortion that brings her rich, mid-range voice to life. This effect perfectly compliments the tone of her lyrics, as she somberly details life’s qualms and inevitable loneliness. The arrangements are raucous and range between delicately sparse and all-out in your face, reminiscent of life’s ups and downs. The overall focus of Puberty 2 can be seen as contemplation of meaning and[...]

The Hotelier – Goodness

June 21, 2016

Massachusetts natives The Hotelier are just a little bit lighter on their latest release. The underground emo revival champions’ third record, Goodness, was prefaced with a statement from lead singer-bassist Christian Holden. In it, he indicated a subtle shift from deep introspection to contemplation of outwardly relations, with people and the world. While the album may not be as dark as its predecessor, it is still thematically heavy and packs an emotional punch. Goodness starts out with just Holden softly delivering a spoken-word poem. From there, thunderous drums and heavy guitars take over. He varies his vocal tone throughout, from barely audible quietness to over the top yelling. It is a pure rock record, but with well-varied dynamics that give it its kick to the gut. There are moments where the music builds to a chaotic crescendo, only to be suddenly stripped away to nothingness. It perfectly mirrors and accompanies[...]

Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial

June 8, 2016

Recording under the moniker Car Seat Headrest, Will Toledo has self-released eight albums between 2010 and 2015. He finally made his major label debut last year with Teens of Style, a collection of reimagined tracks from his previous albums, now performed with fuller arrangements. This year, he has a new batch of songs with an even more expansive sound for his second album on Matador Records, and tenth overall. Titled Teens of Denial, it is an epic foray into full-tilt indie rock. Toledo is pumping life back into guitar-driven indie, infusing it with the prog influences of the ‘70s and the catchy tunefulness of the ‘60s. He makes use of overlaid spoken word, screamed backing vocals, ornamental synths and horns, and layers upon layers of heavily distorted guitars. There are no tight 3-minute rockers here, as each song is carefully composed and the arrangements are fully fleshed out. The record has an effervescent ebb and flow to it, twisting seamlessly[...]