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Marcus: the Apex Predator! – Newborn Fossil

February 26, 2025

Detroit-based Marcus: the Apex Predator! (MTAP) return from a seven-year gap with their latest offering, the five-song Newborn Fossil.   Newborn Fossil kicks itself off with a telling title track, highlighting their penchant for gritty, guitar-forward sounds – jaunty rhythms conjure hints of Death From Above 1979, while gravely-voiced singing from frontman/songwriter Kevin Watts instantly recalls the rawness of ’90s legends Archers of Loaf. Bandmates Nick Marko (drums) and Sean Bondareff (bass) form a rock-solid rhythm section that anchor Watts’ oddly melodic guitar playing. Lyrically, the band explores unique imagery – in this case, literally a “newborn fossil,” with Watts proclaiming that said fossil is his doppelgänger. If this is a roundabout way of coming to terms with the aging process, Watts & co. have found a thought-provoking way to portray it. Track two, “Lo-Fi” continues the Archers of Loaf vibe, with big, lightly-discordant guitar theatrics that tickle the eardrums with[...]

Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles – Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles

February 17, 2025

Kyle & The 8-Minute Miles (K&T8MM) is an Orlando, FL-based garage rock act who mix gritty and raw production with fun, and smartly melodic compositions. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between nerdy-but-articulate emo rockers like Modern Baseball or Mom Jeans and the fuzzed-out cacophony of bands like WAVVES or FIDLAR, their latest album, a self-titled affair, is a 10-song exploration of chunky, guitar-driven songs that are full of cuss words, self-hatred, and more than a few sugary melodies that find themselves worming their way into your brain.   The album kicks off with a four-on-the-floor drumbeat that explodes into a wall of guitar feedback. Right away, Kyle & co. put their best feet forward (which may explain their respectable eight minute mile time) with “Despair,” pairing fun and extra-rhythmic vocals with tasty melodies. The guitars here are grungy as all get out – sounding almost atonal at times, but never[...]

Cape Crush x Good June x Impossible Dog – Good Dogs Wear Capes

February 4, 2025

Isn’t it a lovely thing when local bands get along? This spicy collab between Boston-based acts Cape Crush, Good June, and Impossible Dog even has the perfect, all-encompassing name – Good Dogs Wear Capes – a six song collection of heartfelt emo, indie, and pop songwriting lovingly crafted by like-minded musicians.   Teaming up first with Good June first, Cape Crush and crew conjure up “Apple at the Aggy,” an excellent way to launch the EP – with big, chunky chords and a sugary-sweet na-na-na melody, we’re immediately taken back to our favorite songs from bands like Weezer, Tigers Jaw, and/or Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. With lyrics ranging from eating apples a la mode to proclamations of being unforgiveable and/or formidable, this has all the quirky-but-poetic hallmarks of excellent emo. Charming harmonies and big breakdowns help to give this song an extraordinary sense of movement – wrapping it all[...]

Bob’s Dock – The Mystic

January 29, 2025

Sometimes a band is just a group of dudes who love music – and that seems to be the m.o. from Grand Rapids Michigan act Bob’s Dock. They specialize in the kind of pop rock that has an omni-appealing vibe, highly influenced by music from the 70s, alt rock, and indie rock. Their latest offering is The Mystic, a 10-song collection of guitar-driven songs with a jam/prog-band edge, feeling summery and fun without ever stepping too far into feel-good territory. Here’s a little bit about the band from guitarist/singer Jason Heath:   “Some artists are all about entertaining their audience with their music, but others have a deeper goal. They want to make a genuine connection… This is the case of Bob’s Dock.”   The project starts with “Don’t Look Back,” a great introduction to Bob’s Dock’s sound. Crispy and clean guitars sing out in unison to kick the song off[...]

Ian McCuen- As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls

January 24, 2025

Buffalo singer-songwriter Ian McCuen combines bedroom folk with jazzy synth pop in their latest album, As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls. Highlighting their personal struggle with understanding the socio-political state of the world, each of the 22 tracks speaks to a different emotion. From capitalistic nature to grief and search for individuality, this record has something for everyone.   Track one, “The Overture,” sets the overall tone with a haunting instrumental. It is unsettling and anxiety-inducing in a way that horror films have perfected and wonderfully portrays the turmoil expressed in later tracks. In addition to “The Overture,” nine other tracks act as ‘tone-shifters.’’ These instrumentals divide the album based on feeling and topic – going from unsettling depth (see “Indoctrinated, Propagandized”) to contemplative closure (see “Outerlude” and “Encore”) – with a unique utilization of piano, acoustics, Omnichord, and many others.   The first lyrics are seen in[...]

The Kartetch – The Fallacy

January 24, 2025

Georgian musicmakers (the country, not the state) The Kartetch specialize in guitar-driven music that compresses elements of shoegaze, indie rock, and industrial music into a primordial, grungy sludge. Their latest EP is called The Fallacy, a four-song offering that will challenge your perceptions of modern alternative music with its wild (but utterly calculated) exploration of what guitar-forward music can truly be. In their words, The Fallacy is:   “Loud guitar music based on principles: ‘Don’t dodge the answers’ and ‘Shoegaze can be with fists.’ However, this may be only a misconception.” Certainly a profound statement from a profound band… But this profundity is on-brand for this mysterious act, and certainly explains a lot as you’re digesting The Fallacy throughout your first few listens.   The Kartetch kicks off the EP with a strong offering, the fleeting “The Sightseeing Night.” Here, we’re introduced to the mainstays of The Kartetch’s sound – unhinged guitar[...]

Rosetta West – Night’s Cross

January 20, 2025

It’s not too often you hear a band like Illinois’ Rosetta West. The prolific duo specialize in blues rock with unique flairs – think Romani folk music and psych rock – that pushes the limits of what one might consider “blues.” Their latest offering is the disarming Night’s Cross, a twelve-song collection that explore themes of death and mortality without ever feeling somber. The album is stuffed with raw and unfiltered rock ‘n roll that’s gritty, rough, and wild – just like rock music was meant to be.   Immediately, Rosetta West kicks off with the drunken swagger of “Save Me.” Slinky slide guitar moans and groans throughout this song, laying down a woozy backbone for frontman Joseph Demagore’s gravel-throat vocals. Structurally, “Save Me” is pretty traditional, at least from a songwriting perspective – laying down a twelve-bar-bluesish chord progression with a rock solid bass/percussion presence. That tried-and-true build is really[...]

T.F. Gambon – As We Dreamt

January 19, 2025

For the last six years and change, T.F. Gambon has been a mainstay of the NYC indie scene with his band Meyru. As any prolific songwriter knows, sometimes you come up with a batch of songs that just doesn’t quite fit your current project, so Gambon funneled his creativity into a folksy eight song album he’s calling As We Dreamt. Recorded in a Brooklyn apartment, Gambon teamed up with his friend and pryor Meyru producer Cal Maro to bring these songs to life. The result is an introspective, heartfelt, and most importantly, sincere collection of songs – a perfect debut for T.F. Gambon, the solo-artist.   “Eyes” is the opening track here and an excellent introduction to Gambon’s sound. A gently-strummed acoustic guitar will be the star of the show throughout the course of this LP, strumming a constant hum through your speakers. A gentle harmonica whines softly in the background,[...]

From Harm – Arcane Pardon

January 15, 2025

Fort Worth-based act From Harm (FH) have something to say – their newest offering, Arcane Pardon, is a six-song EP full of hardcore punk that grinds out an important social message inspired by pagan hysteria. Feeling oppressed? Tired of the way the world’s being run? So is the project’s lifeblood, Jon Chapman – he uses From Harm as his vehicle to express his disappointment with the world. Expect throat-shredding screams with a yelping timbre; hard-and-fast drums pounding rhythmically in your ears; and angsty instrumentals that inspire emotions from anger, to urgency, to straight-up fear.   From the get-go, From Harm impress with their unique blend of brutality and melody. Intro track “And You Shall Receive” is only a minute long, but with a unique 11/4 (?) time signature, it’s an immediate ear-catcher. Stabs of discordant guitar leap into your eardrums with prickly, staccato melodies as another guitar smashes out a doom-inspiring[...]

Scott Clay – Aurora – Remixed

January 13, 2025

Scott Clay has been a featured artist on buffaBLOG before (see here). While you might be used to the “complex but uncomplicated” Americana that he’s been crafting over the course of his six full length releases, Clay has stepped outside of his twangy comfort zone to release something different. Clay enlisted producers Josh Richins and David Murray for a re-imagining of a song off of his 2022 LP Let It All Lay Bare, “Aurora,” which marks his first foray into electronic music with a trip-hop/downtempo approach to an ol’ classic.   Inspired by a friend, Britt Warner, and her experiences viewing the northern lights for the first time, “Aurora” came together eerily quickly, and was a fun challenge for Clay to write from the perspective of someone else. Britt also applied all the video treatment and editing for the song’s stunning visual accompaniment, captured by cinematographer Spencer Johnson. Filmed at[...]

Holy Void – All Will Be Revealed in Time

December 31, 2024

Holy Void has one of the best band bios we’ve ever read – it’s only fitting to start out this psych-rock journey with such beautiful prose. See below:   “A psychedelic hexad emerges from the nidus that is Winnipeg, charting sonic dimensions with a fervour that captures the depth and complexity of the human psyche”   A nidus, by the way, is a place where bacteria flourish and thrive… Or the epicenter where something may develop or be fostered (yes, we had to look that up). But we digress, whether their hometown of Winnipeg is a sludge factory or the perfect petri dish, this crew has certainly spent a significant time culturing their latest offering. The album’s roots started way back during the COVID-19 pandemic – a story you’ve probably heard a thousand times by now… But their patience and persistence has paid off – they’re now sitting on a[...]

Romcom Victims – Rainy Days

December 27, 2024

Buffalo’s resident jangly powerpop group Romcom Victims have released their sophomore EP Rainy Days – a buzzy, four-song ripper that has found itself on a shortlist of the best Buffalo releases of the year.   The EP opens with “Absent Minded,” which sets a fun, surfy pace right out of the gate. Anchored by floating guitar lines over a tight rhythm section, the vocals instantly command your attention with their light and airy delivery. Dipping in and out of the spaces present in the reverbed-soaked textures, “Absent Minded” is an immediate earworm. The second track “Street Rat” is a churning offering, led by earnest vocals recalling a hypocritical scumbag, or more appropriately, a rat.   The EP is anchored by the title track “Rainy Days.” A definite EP standout, “Days” is a bouncy two-stepper that alternates through slower orchestrated parts with blasts of shuffling drumbeats and an impossibly nimble bass[...]

Makeout Tactics – Skunk House

December 23, 2024

Buffalo indie-pop outfit Makeout Tactics has released their first EP, Skunk House. Waxing philosophical, we are presented with a slice of life view of a group of friends in their 20s. Seemingly mundane, these stories and experiences are elevated through their eyes, creating a compelling story that captures our attention.   The EP opens with “311,” laced with a heartfelt urgency that draws you right in. Anchored by the haunting vocals of Akasya Croiser, lyrics float ethereally over the jangly and enveloping guitar lines. The banality of placing a 311 call becomes a plea; a call to action. Second is the driving “Laundromat Thief” which opens with guitars that could play against a gunslinger showdown in a Western. We are then presented with a scenario in which someone has stolen our narrator’s underwear (amongst other things). “Laundromat Thief” is a driving track that underpins our narrator’s struggles. While the drums[...]

Society of Beggars – Levitator

November 30, 2024

Society of Beggars is a Melbourne-based act who just released their latest album, Levitator, a ten-song offering full of dark and brooding rock tunes. Inspired by a period of grief due to the loss of frontman Yianni and brother Jim Michalopoulos’ father, the band holed up in Birdland Studios with over thirty (!) demos to choose from. They whittled the tracks down into the ten songs you hear on Levitator, and the deep emotions attached shine through in the final product. Here’s a little more from Yianni about what Levitator means to the band:   “When you’re feeling that manic energy that comes with grief, it can be all-consuming… Our drummer Dibi and bassist Zoë Alexa’s friendship and musical connection provided the foundation we needed to create.”   The title-track and intro to the album, “Levitator,” feels like the perfect way to kick off this album. A punctuated guitar riff pounds out[...]

Sir Jay – Running From Yourself

November 25, 2024

Sir Jay is a Helsinki-based musician who has been gearing up for the release of his latest album, Running From Yourself (RFY), since the pandemic. With that much time to tweak, tweez, and polish your magnum opus, it’s borderline ironic that RFY sounds so effortless. Taking queues from electronica, soft rock, and psychedelic rock, Sir Jay’s nine latest songs are a group of whirring gems – stuffed with nuance and texture in a way that makes it perfect listening-music for many moods.   Jay was smart to start the album with the swirling ambiance of “Box Animal.” A slow-burning start introduces the listener to Jay’s sonic palate – expect gauzy bleats of synth, simmering string accompaniments, and drums that percolate at a pleasant, reserved pace. “Box” inspires feelings of being underwater – whether it’s Jay’s all-encompassing instrumentals or a poolside vibe is up to the listener to decide. Throughout its three[...]