Latest Posts

The Burkharts – “Please Don’t Wake Me Up”

March 24, 2026

The Burkharts have done it again – another retro-inspired, beach-pop jam they’re calling “Please Don’t Wake Me Up.” As always, the band’s image (and imagery) is on point – superimposing images of lighthouses and the ocean over their finely-tuned, red button down aesthetic. The band themselves appear comfy and cozy in a bedroom, adorned with wood paneling and bold colors, not unlike something you’d see in one of those legendary JC Penney photoshoots from the ’80s. Juicy harmonies, jangly guitars, and a 3:4 time signature help to give this one a slow dance vibe – Fans of The Beach Boys, Real Estate, and Best Coast’s lighter fare are in for a treat on this pretty little waltz.   Check out the video embed for “Please Don’t Wake Me Up” below, or, stream it on Spotify.    

Del Paxton – Dogeared EP

March 19, 2026

It’s been 13 years and change since now-legendary trio Del Paxton debuted their brand of humble, everyman rustbelt-emo to the masses. I’m kidding, of course – their particular brand of scrongly, guitar-forward emo is about as archetypal to the genre as it could possibly be. Hammer-ons and pull-offs; big, beautiful bass parts; and punk (but like, refined punk) drumming are the typical m.o. for these three – not to mention their stubbornly DIY sound/ethos and seemingly infinite command of time signatures other than 4:4. Recorded at GCR studios with Jay Zubricky, their latest offering, the three-song Dogeared EP, is another proud, Buffalonian entry in their now lengthy oeuvre. All things considered, Del Paxton is inarguably one of the most important bands to come out of Buffalo since the turn of the millennium… It’s not a stretch to see them pop up as the latest feature in our Album of the Week[...]

Sickness Anna – Sorry For Everything

March 5, 2026

“Mad and sad on purpose” is a mission statement to live and die by, perfect to represent the debut EP from newly-formed Buffalo trio Sickness Anna. Sorry For Everything (SFE) listens like a journal entry, six songs of heartfelt guitar rock, no doubt influenced by the 90s alternative greats like Smashing Pumpkins, and whatever wave of ephemeral emo/post-hardcore we’re currently on. A somewhat-subtle nod to frontman Nick Sessanna’s name (try switching the ‘N’ and the ‘S,’ folks), the band’s moniker is both self-referential and fitting, a pit-in-your-stomach vibe that feels morose. Joined by drummer Jake Sessanna and Everything in Waves frontman Anthony DelPlato (who mixed and mastered SFE and is also co-writer for his/Sessanna’s electronic project Jaugust), the trio slams through six heartbreakers, bringing new art to life while also burning ceremonial bridges tied to other eras. Also, we have to wonder, how did they get the iconic Buffalo landmark Cameron’s[...]

Romcom Victims – “Alaska”

February 26, 2026

Are there any bugs in Alaska? Is that a dumb question? Because Romcom Victims are buzzing hard, and their latest single, “Alaska,” is indication why. The band’s been an unstoppable force in the last year or so, putting out jangly college rock vibes that make use of twinkly guitars, lilting vocals, and blistering paces. “Alaska” seems like a step forward for the group – excellent production values certainly help, but the song itself is a neurotic listen through jangle-pop bliss. The bass guitar is thumping, the guitars are plucky and spry (thanks Rickenbacker), and the tempo is fast enough to make this a must-hear on your next trip to Milkie’s or Nietzsche’s. The video itself is a good time too – music videos are notoriously tricky, but the live performance captured is all-smiles and on point, while a CRT tv provides just enough vintage charm to keep it cool and[...]

TAKER – Sons And Daughters

February 19, 2026

TAKER is a veritable Buffalo supergroup – featuring members of Violent Way, Corvo, Healer, They Live, Big Dog, Big School, Green Slime, Candy and more, their uncompromising brand of oi and punk rock needs little introduction or explanation. On new album, an eleven-song barnburner called Sons and Daughters, TAKER takes cues from The Ramones, The Misfits, and… Guided By Voices? Yeah, you read that right – this will more than likely be our only time mentioning oi and GBV in the same sentence, but hey, there’s a first (and probably last) time for everything. At any rate, the album is fast, ferocious, and energizing… And that’s why we’ve decided it’s our Album of the Week this week.   The album opens with the palm muted onslaught of “Reach Out” – an excellent introduction to TAKER’s stylings. The guitars do a lot of heavy lifting here, thundering overtop rolling tom beats.[...]

New Words – “Meteor”

February 7, 2026

Last time we checked in with New Words, we were psyched on the big hooks and emo energy of single “Gave You More.” Project mastermind Benny Scheibel is back and has doubled down on the emo energy, this time with a track called “Meteor.” Fans of Listener or La Dispute will appreciate the passionate sprechgesang that kicks this one off, before a chunky, guitar-driven chorus brings everything home a la The Early November or Knuckle Puck. It’s clear Scheibel loves the art of “emo,” in it’s many forms/waves – get sucked in by the emotional catharsis and stick around for the phat hooks.   “Meteor” is available via Spotify – see below.  

halfstride – “Reading With The Lights Off”

February 6, 2026

Halfstride is a newly-minted Buffalo-based band that specialize in indie rock sounds that go down ultra-smooth. Their latest single, “Reading With the Lights Off” is about “late nights, quiet thoughts, and the moments that linger after the noise fades.” A ringing, rhythmic ride cymbal sets the scene for a chuggy, palm muted guitar backbone and an impressively nimble bassline. Astute readers of the blog may recognize former members of Ponder (the Giraffe) in this act, so expect a little bit of funkiness to this otherwise pleasantly straightforward rocker.   Check out the music video for “Reading With the Lights Off” embedded below.    

dolly sods – self titled

February 5, 2026

It’s a rare thing for a local project to appear, disappear, reappear, and somehow put together anything beyond a reunion show or an anniversary showcase. Local bands are fleeting by nature, it’s an inconvenient truth. Buffalo’s dolly sods, however, have been reborn from ashes. After a years-long hiatus following guitarist/vocalist Jesse James Kaufman’s stint in Brooklyn, the trio–originally formed in 2021 from a pedigree of local mainstays like Tomoreaux, Award Show, and Passed Out–is back on home turf. Their self-titled debut EP, released January 16th, isn’t really a comeback though… It’s more of a long-overdue introduction, and now it’s our album of the week.   Recorded at GCR Audio with Jay Zubricky, the EP captures this icy, cosmic weight that pairs well with these subzero temps we’ve endured for the past couple weeks. While the studio recordings feature original drummer Andy Pothier, the current lineup has since solidified with Monika[...]

Passed Out – I just don’t feel like myself anymore & Do you miss anything at all?

December 18, 2025

Buffalo’s own Passed Out has been a fixture of our local basement shows and bar stages for a decade now, but December 12th marks a massive shift for the five-piece. Instead of a standard release cycle, they dropped a massive double-feature on Buffalo mainstay label Harvest Sum: their first full-length LP, I just don’t feel like myself anymore, and a companion EP, Do you miss anything at all?. It’s a lot of ground to cover, especially since we haven’t had new music from them since 2021, but the wait feels justified. By splitting the songs across two releases recorded at different studios–Afterglow with Cody Morse for the LP and The Garden with Johnathan Bobowicz for the EP–the band gives us two moods to chew on. Both were tied together in the mixing stage by Justin John of Mammoth Recording, and then mastered by John Angelo, ensuring that despite the different[...]

West Ferry – Watching the World Run By

December 15, 2025

West Ferry have been not-so-quietly building an oeuvre of passionate, emo-tinged indie punk for 15 years. They’re back with another three-song EP, Watching the World Run By, which finds the band pushing their sound even further, playing around with Midwest emo riffing, folk-tinged punk, and raw emotive passion.   Opening track “Ralph” is as Midwest as it comes – a twinkling guitar riff is the star of the show here, setting the scene for hard-hitting lyrics. Lines like “I’m gonna break every rule so you react / gonna count down every minute till you get back / gonna act like I don’t hear you call my name / gonna clean your plate, gonna keep you SAFE!” are spit out with defiance and a voice-breaking intensity – reminiscent of Conor Oberst’s Bright Eyes, but a bit more aligned with the high-intensity punk of Desaparecidos. Keep your ears peeled around the 2:10[...]

The Burkharts – “Tell Me”

December 12, 2025

Buffalo’s surf-pop loyalists The Burkharts are back in the spotlight with a new single, “Tell Me,” serving up another dose of their 60’s-soaked California style rock and roll. The single, their first new release since 2024, comes hand-in-hand with an official music video that nods blatantly (but charmingly) to the freewheeling antics of The Monkees TV show.    In the video, the boys tee up a series of lighthearted shenanigans as they race through several notable WNY filming locations, all soundtracked by their signature retro jangle and stacked vocal harmonies. Seems we won’t have to wait long for more new music either, as the single is the “first of many to come soon” according to the band’s Instagram.   “Tell Me” is streaming now on all major platforms; check out the music video below.    

Science Man – “Monarch Joy – Pt. 3 (The Laughing Hour)”

December 8, 2025

Buffalo hardcore punk act Science Man are capping off their ultra-busy and ultra-noisy 2025 with the visual release of “Monarch Joy – Pt. 3 (The Laughing Hour),” the final installment of their Monarch Joy album-accompanying short film series.   Featuring the songs “Puzzle Hoax,” “Lesser Species” and “The Laughing Hour,” the latest short soundtracks the conclusion of the abstract journey of our unnamed protagonist as they navigate a dark fantasy world inhabited with unexpected friends and dangerous foes.   Directors Lindsay Tripp and Science Man frontman John Toohill bring their Terry Gilliam-inspired vision to life using an impressive DIY combo of homemade costumes, papier-mâché masks, green screen, and stop-motion. Their art direction continues to stand out as unique and singular; building upon a surreal collage of landscapes and characters scrapbooked together with mismatched paper cut-outs and clippings, similar to the cover art of the Blood Brothers classic …Burn, Piano Island,[...]

Ian McCuen – After I Descend from the Sky, Before I Return to the Dirt

December 4, 2025

Ian McCuen operates on a creative clock that ticks a little faster than the rest of us. For the past nine years, the Buffalo-based singer-songwriter has delivered a new full-length record on a nearly annual basis, a pace that would exhaust most musicians. Their latest offering, After I Descend from the Sky, Before I Return to the Dirt, arrives just a year after the electronic-tinged As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls. But where 2024 saw McCuen experimenting with synthetic textures, this massive 24-track collection marks a return to the soil. It is a sprawling, organic entry into the bedroom folk canon that Ian has honed in on over the past decade, and it’s our album of the week.   Despite the “bedroom” descriptor (the album was self-recorded), the sound here is far from sparse. McCuen has once again assembled a recurring cast of collaborators to flesh out their[...]

New Words – “Gave You More”

December 3, 2025

Buffalo-based New Words is led by vocalist Benny Scheibel – they’re here with the ’00s-inspired bombast of new single, “Gave You More.” With the energies of Jimmy Eat World and a hint of All-American Rejects, “Gave You More” is built around a super catchy guitar rhythm and a rolling drumbeat. Scheibel’s vocals are proud and powerful, complimented perfectly by the thundering basslines found here. This one was tailor-made for anyone processing a breakup – so, especially if you’re feeling heartbroken, let the anthemic vibes run through your bones and be prepared to be humming this one the rest of the week.   “Gave You More” is available on Spotify, too.  

Super Flea – Demo

November 28, 2025

It would be safe to assume we’re writing a nostalgia piece about the popular, Cheektowagan market that closed in 2014 and was revitalized in 2022… But no, we’re talking about a new emo/pop punk crew that have named themselves Super Flea. Cooper Taylor and John Carr (of Autoignition, Speed Dial, and other projects) teamed up with Milo Duhn to come out swinging with a three-song EP, simply called Demo… With a few friendly faces in tow. Expect fantastic drumming from Del Paxton’s Greg McClure and the tried-and-true Jay Zubricky/GCR Studios treatment, who both suit this project perfectly.   If their pedigree tells us anything, Taylor/Carr are becoming masters of pop-punk songwriting. Opening track, “86,” is a great place to start – blistering drums from McClure lay the groundwork for Taylor/Carr explosiveness. Fans of Knuckle Puck, Neck Deep, and The Story So Far will enjoy the bratty, gravel-voiced vocals and sharp[...]