Latest Posts

Tristan Turdean – 5 SONGS TO GET OVER YOU

July 17, 2025

Tristan Turdean aims to tug at our collective heartstrings with a brand new breakup EP that traverses all the different stages of grief… From denial all the way through acceptance (we omitted anger, bargaining, and the all-encompassing depression, but Tristan sure didn’t), 5 SONGS TO GET OVER YOU is a nu-age pop-punk journey that aims to assault all of your senses with powerful musical compositions, heart-on-your-sleeve vocals, and excellent production.   Normally we’d start with the opening song, but we’re giving our nod for album favorite to album closer, “Leave You In The Past.” While the rest of the EP is an incredible ride, there is something special about hearing Tristan’s acceptance of his situation. Especially since, as per his words: “This project is about feeling everything, surviving it, and moving forward stronger.” on “Leave You In The Past,” Tristan delivers vocals that are restrained yet emotionally resonant, while the[...]

Plàsi – Camino

June 23, 2025

“Scandinavian clarity and Mediterranean warmth” – a design element that fits oddly well when describing singer/songwriter Plàsi. On his latest EP, Camino, the Greco-Swede explores gentle, acoustic-folk with his trademark vulnerability. Hushed and intimate while simultaneously exploring the genre’s infinite bounds, Camino is an album that encourages you to break free from expectations and societal pressures. Instead, project mastermind Mikael Bitzarakis crafts natural-sounding songs that are the aural embodiment of following your passions and retaining a childlike sense of wonder.   Even when Plàsi is exploring heavy topics, like a rough father/son relationship on album opener “Father’s Eyes,” his music sounds warm and inviting. It speaks to his talent as a writer – exploring these hard-to-breach subjects with an underlying musicianship that makes them feel approachable and normalized. Here’s a little more from Bitzarakis about the powerful message beneath the song:   “… We don’t want to see or learn from our similarities.[...]

The Unlimited Stars – Impossible

June 16, 2025

Whip out your black outfits and eyeliner – Texan quartet The Unlimited Stars (TUS) have a new EP out that’s sure to please your inner goth. They’ve named the EP Impossible – four songs (including a live track and a radio edit) that showcase the group’s penchant for ’80s-inspired post-punk that brings The Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees to mind while also channeling shoegazers like Slowdive… And while don’t want to get ahead of ourselves, consider this a last hurrah of sorts for this version of TUS – the chameleon-esque band will be switching to a more high-octane industrial/EBM sound in the near future, reflecting their shared love of industrial metal.   The EP kicks off with the title track, “Impossible – LIVE,” a song that has evolved with the band over their four-year tenure. The band purposely worked to capture the je ne sais quoi of their live sound,[...]

Cartman – Waves

May 30, 2025

One listen to the new album from Denver-based artist Cartman and you’ll wonder if he’s telling the truth about recording it in a walk-in closet in a guest bedroom. Residing at the vertex between hip hop, indie rock, and pop music, Waves is a collection of breezy, summer-sounding songs that rest heavily on excellent production, acoustic-guitar twinkles, squiggly synths, and Cartman’s past as a hip-hop artist. Expect plenty of earworms, perfect for putting on for your next poolside gathering.   The mysterious and nebulous “Gold” opens this fantastic album – at just about a minute in length, this one is fleeting, but hits hard. Cartman’s flow is smooth and unbothered, gliding over a 3:4 time signature like some sort of modern day waltz. Just when you think it’s about to explode into something beautiful, he launches into song two, “Tonight.” “Tonight” is an archetypal Cartman song – catchy hip-hop-inspired rhythms, twinkly[...]

Glitter Etiquette – CERULEAN, DEEP BLUE

May 29, 2025

Glitter Etiquette (GE) dives deep into synth-forward indietronica bliss on their latest release, CERULEAN, DEEP BLUE. Highly conceptual, the album dives deep into highbrow ideas about socioeconomic and cultural archetypes… And while we’re usually pretty good at parsing out the meaning behind lyrics, in these instances, it’s usually better to hear a snippet from the band’s own words – see below:   “The album contrasts the tranquil, expansive hue of blue (cerulean) with the ominous force of darkness thru the metaphoric red army, portraying a cosmic battle between clarity, empathy, and depth versus aggression, ego, and decay. These colors become metaphors for clashing worldviews: blue as the fading ideal of unity and imagination, with the antithesis showing the toxic acceleration of greed, polarization, and control. Through its swirling textures and lyrical critiques, Cerulean warns of the rise of socioeconomic and cultural archetypes—techno-feudal overlords and their machine counterparts, influencer-worship, manufactured identity—that[...]

Rob Finlay – Sunset | Darkness | Sunrise

May 21, 2025

Whatever happened to the humble singer/songwriter?! Rob Finlay is here to prove that the artform isn’t dead with his latest EP, Sunset | Darkness | Sunrise (SDS). As with any good, acoustic-driven music, SDS is a well-orchestrated and emotional affair, finding Finlay wearing his heart on his sleeve more often than not. With a bevy of pro musicians in tow (including session musicians from Feeder, Rag’n’Bone Man, Beyoncé, and Keane), this collection of songs is dripping with emotion and a longing-but-hopeful disposition. Led by Finlay’s ever-pleasant voice, this EP was meant for those that grew up in the 90s, particularly the late ’90s, when Matchbox 20, Edwin McCain, and your favorite one-hit-wonder bands were ruling 1998-era pop radio.   For those looking for a quick one-two punch, we’d recommend starting with lead single “Afterglow.” An archetypal Finlay jam, “Afterglow” jangles along with a deep and touching emotion, letting his poetry[...]

The Sunmills – The Art of Burning Bridges

May 8, 2025

Seeing as how we’re located in the northeastern US, we don’t get a ton of opportunities to cover acts from Utah. Here’s hoping The Sunmills are our first of many – they’ve just released their debut album, The Art of Burning Bridges, an eight-song collection of riffy rock n roll that catalogues the messy roller coaster that is, well, love. Whether we’re talking ex-girlfriends, failed situationships, and self-deprecation, The Sunmills cover it with a wry smile and a healthy dose of sarcasm. You might leave a listening session of The Art of Burning Bridges wondering “… Are these guys ok?” At the same time, you’ll notice their songs have the same sunshine-y polish that you’d expect from ’90s luminaries like Third Eye Blind, Everclear, Fastball, or Semisonic… And it’s not like those guys weren’t singing about failed relationships to great success.   The album opens with “Take Me Away,” a blast of pop-punk energy[...]

little champion – Peaks Island and Other Places

May 8, 2025

It’s tempting to make a silly turn of phrase like “little champion… big sound” when discussing the new album from Asheville, NC-based singer/songwriter Dustin Goldklang (aka the aforementioned little champion)… But that would be a lie. The reality is that little champion specializes in intimate and loquacious slices of life – aurally painting what seem like oddly-specifically descriptions of oddly-specific places. Underneath the specificities of his writing lies a little pain – like that found in an awkward moment stuck in your head for eternity or, as LC puts it, “trying to laugh about things you’re not sure are funny.” That’s the vibe you can find throughout his latest album Peaks Island and Other Places – super intimate and a little awkward (in the most endearing possible way). at the end of a listen through this album, you really feel like you’ve grown up alongside Goldklang in the oddly-specific town of[...]

The Ram – I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere

April 30, 2025

The Ram, the affectionate nickname for singer/songwriter Mark O’Donnell, is an “American triptych” (I wish I came up with that, but those are his words, not mine). Living a refreshing Southern California lifestyle while remaining influenced by his northeastern roots (go Bills), his latest album, the Americana and surf inspired I Am Nowhere, I Am Everywhere (IANIAE) is an amalgamation of everything that has made The Ram’s long and winding life what it is. Full of rosy-colored reflections on family life and his beloved late father, IANIAE glides through your speakers with the ease of California living while not-so-subtly informed by his snowier roots.   A cursory observation of IANIAE will show that there are only a few songs that are less than five-minutes long. While there are no three-minute, hook-in-your-face, ruthlessly-catchy radio rock hits on this LP, you’ll soon realize that IANIAE is more of an artistic expression – a picture[...]

Mission to Sleep – A Spark or The End

April 30, 2025

Boston-based act Mission to Sleep have recently dropped their debut album, a seven-song collection of relentless and cinematic alt rock they’ve titled A Spark or The End. Across the EP you’ll hear downtuned guitars, impassioned vocals, and layers upon layers of textures. Fans of the nuanced side of nu-metal (think Deftones) will love what they hear here, as well as fans of heavier, mid-aughts emo-influenced acts like Thrice, Glassjaw, or The Receiving End of Sirens.   The album starts out strong with “No Anchor” – here, you’re immediately thrown into the maelstrom of Mission to Sleep’s sound. This band has found a way to weave intricate, metal-inspired instrumentals into catchy, pop-oriented melodies. They were smart to start here – there’s an immediate hook in the chorus: “Search mission is over!” It’s a juicy earworm, and a harbinger of what to expect as you meander through the rest of this album. Song[...]

PHWOAR – Flowers Through the Concrete

April 22, 2025

Birmingham-based duo PHWOAR come out swinging with a strong mission statement on their debut release, Flowers Through the Concrete. Full of full-fledged rock n roll vibes, you can expect big guitars; tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and spot-on takes on social commentary. Driven heavily by guitars and four-on-the-floor drum bombast, this duo of Paul (guitar/vocals) and Helena (drums/vocals) have crafted a full-throated sound that would sound perfect destroying your eardrums in your favorite dive bar.   The EP opens up with “Reckless” – a glammy and snotty introduction to this energy-packed duo. Buzzsaw guitars blast through your speakers with an impressive fervor, while drums slam along as the perfect accompaniment. There’s a retro quality to these tunes – nodding to 90s alt rock greats (think Spacehog or Garbage) while filtering in a bit more 2010s energy from acts like The Black Keys. Being reckless is what this kind of music is all about –[...]

SOZI – Bloom

April 13, 2025

As we enter a much-needed Buffalo summer, it’s time to refresh our playlists with new and exciting music that reverberates that infectious energy – we’d like to direct your attention to the latest from SOZI on her new, four-song EP, BLOOM. Full of airy and infectious alt pop, BLOOM “is all about stepping into a new season of growth and letting go of what’s been holding you back.” If you’ve been stuck indoors for the last six months like we have, this is the perfect way to break out of your shell and embrace the incoming springtime.   “Seconds” kicks off the album with a lighthearted-but-energetic opening. Quick percussion lays the backbone for SOZI’s lilting presence – coming fully into fruition in the super catchy chorus – “How do the seconds turn to minutes? I just can’t keep up.” SOZI continues the profound lyrical content with lines like “these are your best years,[...]

Victims of the New Math – Open Highway

April 13, 2025

Acting like a vessel for eras past, singer/songwriter Thomas Young has channeled his energies into alternative act Victims of the New Math. With a reverence for ’60s garage rock, ’90s alt rock sensibilities, and a love for Guided By Voices-esque production values, his latest offering is Open Highway, a nine-song collection of lo-fi tunes peppered with upbeat songwriting, big energies, and classic-sounding songs that go down real easy. The album tackles many themes, including: love, frustration, fear, and beauty (what else from a classics-inspired album?), and has rightfully been mastered by Todd Tobias – GBV’s producer and engineer. The result is a sunny-sounding album that respects DIY production roots while valuing good songwriting – a fun and laid-back listen that will appeal to fans of psych rock, indie rock, and the gone-too-soon 1990s.   “ORANGE AND PURPLE SKIES” is the album’s opener and for good reason – it’s one of the LP’s[...]

Safehouse – Collision Course

April 8, 2025

Safehouse is the songwriting vehicle for Dillon Vetere – a singer/songwriter from West Palm Beach. His latest offering is the twelve-song Collision Course, a punchy and raw nod toward early ’00s pop-punk brattiness. Gone are the atmospheric and ethereal indie vibes from his previous output – Collision Course course-corrects into simple but effective punk rock songwriting. Expect big power chords, straightforward attitude, and nursery-rhyme-melodies from Vetere – Blink 182 is the obvious comparison, but dig a little deeper and you’ll hear hints of nerdcore icon Atom and his Package and/or deeper cut acts like Allister or Fenix TX.   Vetere kicks things off with the surf-inspired “Mockingbird” – chunky, chorus-laden guitar chords stab out swimmy laces of notes overtop a rolling tom beat. The song is delightfully simplistic, letting its easily-digestible parts come together into a catchy and relatable whole. Vetere’s vocal melodies are the true appeal here, cribbing the aforementioned Delonge-method[...]

The Heligoats – Goodness Gracious

March 30, 2025

The Heligoats are commemorating the 15th anniversary of their album Goodness Gracious, and we’re here to let you know it’s worth celebrating. The work of a lone man and (mostly) his acoustic guitar, The Heligoats is the stage name of Chris Otepka – a vehicle that he uses to convey his jangly brand of indie/alternative/folk. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between Neutral Milk Hotel, Wilco, and Conor Oberst, Goodness Gracious is perfect for fans of aughts-era songwriting, singer/songwriter flavors, and powerful lyrics and story telling. Also, is it just me, or does 15 years ago feel like it should be 1995 and not 2010?   Like many musicians, Otepka’s criminally-underrated past bubbles beneath the heartfelt power of the songs found on Goodness Gracious. While the album literally kicks off with cricket noises, “A Guide to the Outdoors” is anything but a snoozefest. Otepka’s endearing vocal delivery channels Jeff Mangum with hints of[...]