Latest Posts

Johnny & the Man Kids – Everything is From Now On

April 24, 2025

Buffalo’s Johnny & the Man Kids have been a reliable source of garage pop goodness for about a decade now, and their foothold in the local scene is both established and well-deserved. Following up on 2023’s It’s Nice to Meet You Again, the now five-piece indie rock outfit of siblings Johnny, Jake, and Tyler Marciniak along with Andi Pszonak and Alex Bogart have returned with Everything is From Now On, their latest EP and our album of the week. It’s another welcome entry from a band that has gotten deservedly comfortable in the realm of indie rock, showcasing their unique ability to blend songs that feel light and easy with astonishing levels of heart.   That brand is immediately apparent on Everything is From Now On. The EP confidently navigates the band’s strengths, from the riff-driven energy of opener “The Way Things Go,” to the layered, party-like atmosphere of “Mr.[...]

Foothands – Off of the Roof

April 3, 2025

Buffalo-based songwriter Erik Happ, operating under the solo moniker Foothands, recently unveiled his third EP, Off of the Roof. Self-released on March 10th, this six-song EP follows 2021’s Gentle but Firm and 2023’s Year of the Year, further developing the project Happ launched after his time in groups like False Pockets and Pomelo. The release continues the trajectory of his distinctive brand of intricate acoustic math rock and snags our album of the week.   The defining characteristic of Off of the Roof is its intricate density. Happ masterfully layers acoustic guitar lines, creating complex rhythmic patterns and rich textures that often feel like output from a fully-kitted band. Comparisons could be drawn to the rhythmic propulsion of The Dodos, the textural layering of early Animal Collective, and the melodic acoustic sensibilities of Owen, yet the combination feels distinct, especially for the WNY region.   Listeners familiar with Foothands’ earlier[...]

Bryan Dubay – “Call Your Mother”

March 31, 2025

Man of many talents/genres Bryan Dubay is back with another song – this one called “Call Your Mother.” Not known to pigeonhole himself into one genre, Bryan’s latest is folk-forward, showcasing sighing steel guitars and acoustic strumming as the buttresses for his pleasant vocal timbre. His influences, think Elliott Smith and Fleet Foxes, come together perfectly here, melding the former’s intimate singer/songwriter presence with the modern-day folksy sensibilities of the latter. “Call Your Mother” is more for an evening spent fireside (since we’re all still freezing up here in Buffalo) rather than a dive bar barnburner, so brew yourself a nice cup of cocoa, bundle up, and enjoy Dubay’s latest this evening.   “Call Your Mother” is available now via your preferred streaming service.  

Torture Agenda – Another Fine Day

March 24, 2025

Irreverent Buffalo grindcore favorites, Torture Agenda, have unleashed their bruising debut full-length, Another Fine Day. For the uninitiated, band members Bryan, Adria and V tangle sludge, grind, and hardcore influences together into a blood knot of raw, sonic physicality. Their brutal sound, dubbed “Rust Belt Wrath,” is confrontational and chaotic and not for the weak of heart nor hearing. Listen for Bryan’s overdrive guitar riffs quaking under Adria’s frenzied blast beats while V screams socio-conscious verses with the intensity of a rabid pitbull.   Standing at 13-tracks, 38-minutes, Another Fine Day includes abrasive new material as well as fresh recordings of oldies such as “Occupational Hazard” and “Skull Magnet.” The record opens with “Ravenous,” a foreboding ambient noise track from featured Arizona artist ScreamingLake that sets an ominous tone before kicking into high gear with the raging “Marlboro Man Smokes Turkish Royals.”   Throughout the album, Torture Agenda skillfully balances[...]

Rattlesnake Jake – Oh, How Easy

March 20, 2025

Rattlesnake Jake, the moniker of Buffalo-based songwriter Jake Marciniak, has unveiled their debut EP, Oh, How Easy, a vibrant collection of five tracks that navigate the complex terrain of love, loss, and self-discovery. Released independently on March 1st, the EP arrives as a welcome spring offering, it’s colorful wildflower cover mirroring the warmth and eclectic energy found within. Following a single released last November, the EP introduces Marciniak as a main player in the power pop scene. Oh, How Easy is our album of the week.   Oh, How Easy showcases Marciniak’s self-sufficient approach, as they wrote, recorded, and produced the entire EP themselves. The sonic landscape traverses a range of genres, from the punchy power pop of “Needed,” to the emotionally charged indie rock of “Three Little Words,” which incorporates synth alongside massive group vocals. Album opener “Through the Walls” dives immediately into the EP’s themes, showcasing the artist’s[...]

Silver Proof – Polarity / Sixth Sense

March 14, 2025

Newly-minted trio Silver Proof released a split single today – Polarity / Sixth Sense encapsulates the group’s penchant for big sugary melodies and emo-punk energies. Guitarist/singer Bryan Williams; bassist Evan Tol; and frequent buffaBLOG protagonist, drummer Rafi Bloomberg specialize in honest and heartfelt songwriting, sure to catch the ears of fans of The Story So Far, Teenage Wrist, or Knuckle Puck.   “Polarity” takes aim at the inevitability of chronic illness. The band’s frustration is evident – pairing thick and angry guitar layers with Williams’ throat-shredding screams and rock-solid root notes from Tol. “Sixth Sense” is more of an introspective jam, highlighting Bloomberg’s nimble drumming with an impeccable snare roll-heavy beat. The chorus on “Sixth Sense” is one of the best moments on this split EP – bringing to mind Boxcar Racer-era Tom Delonge (but maybe if Mark Hoppus was still involved)… The band still finds a way to explode with energy[...]

Alex Berkley – 28 Days of Fun 4: 30 Second Songs

March 13, 2025

This week’s Album of the Week spotlight shines on a delightful, recently re-released gem from Buffalo’s own Alex Berkley: 28 Days of Fun 4: 30 Second Songs. Berkley, a respected figure in the local songwriting scene, is known for his stripped-down folksy bedroom pop, and this album perfectly encapsulates that aesthetic. 28 Days of Fun 4 is the fourth installment in Berkley’s “Fun-a-Day” series, a project where he commits to writing and recording a song every day in February. This particular iteration, originally a somewhat hushed release on SoundCloud back in 2017, found it’s way to Bandcamp this past February to join Berkley’s first three Fun-a-Day installments. A self-imposed challenge of keeping each track around 30 seconds long finds Berkley embracing the fleeting on this go-around, a move that distills the songwriting to a playful, honest core.   The Fun-a-Day project itself has roots in the Buffalo arts community, originating[...]

Overgrowth – Rat Shovel

March 10, 2025

Buffalo metal punks, Overgrowth, drop the sledgehammer with their pulverizing debut EP, Rat Shovel.   Comprised of vocalist Anthony Muroff, guitarists Timothy Domes and Paul Mietlicki, bassist Jake Whitefield and drummer Roy Draves, this quintet makes a great first impression with this suffocatingly-heavy five-track tour de force.   Overgrowth fuses hardcore, sludge metal, and grindcore for a punishing listen that showcases lightning-fast tempos devolving into brooding, slow-motion breakdowns. Both Domes and Mietlicki lay down cinderblock riffs over Draves riotous drums and Whitehead’s thunderous basslines. Gluing these nefarious elements together is Muroff’s commanding and impressive mixture of guttural bellows and high-pitched shrieks.   Lighting the EP’s fuse with a burst of mayhem is the opening track, “End of Time.” The song is a great scene-setter and fully encapsulates Overgrowth’s sound as it slams between grindcore noise and melodic hardcore punk before culminating in a heavy breakdown that oozes out of your[...]

Survey Channel – Functional Gloss

March 6, 2025

Buffalo’s ever-evolving electronic music scene continues to yield fascinating projects, and Survey Channel, the alias of Matt Donatelli, stands firmly at the forefront of its ambient exploration. With Functional Gloss, Donatelli delivers his fifth full-length album, adding another meticulously-crafted chapter to a discography that has steadily blossomed since his 2019 debut, Mulberry. In the intervening years, Survey Channel has has become synonymous with a particular brand of thoughtful, exploratory electronica, gathering a respectable following from such a prolific output over the past six years. Functional Gloss is our album of the week.   At its core, Functional Gloss operates within the realm of ambient electronica, yet it’s an ambient experience imbued with a restless energy. While certain tracks embrace beat-driven structures, the album as a whole resists easy categorization, comfortably inhabiting the spaces of IDM while pushing against the conventional boundaries of electronic music. Listeners familiar with titans like Boards[...]

Dumb 100 – All of the Money (Just Like You) / Patience

March 3, 2025

Do we ever stop covering Jacob Smolinski’s musical endeavors (see here, here, and even here)?! The answer is no, because he’s back with another adventure, this time with collaborator Alex Behrens (who we’ve ALSO covered – here), for a project they have dubbed Dumb 100. This two-song mini EP is stuffed with intriguing sounds, beautiful harmonies, and impressive production work, rooted down by a jangly guitar-based backbone.   “All of the Money (Just Like You)” is a stunning intro – a waltz that mashes squiggly synths into electric and acoustic guitar work. Despite the song’s genuine beauty, Behrens and Smolinski don’t shy away from unique sounds – the hum of electric guitar feedback peeks through during the slow acoustic-guitar bridge, while borderline-discordant plunks of guitars smash through the mix like a gigantic 8-bit, bitcrushed bell. Puffs of electronic drums power the acoustic jangle of follow-up song, “Patience,” a song that[...]

gas station. – “More, or Less”

February 24, 2025

In a triumphant few weeks for Triple Hammer Records, gas station. is the latest of their crew to drop a new song. “More, or Less” isn’t quite the pop punk banger you might be expecting if you’re familiar with their canon – instead, the scrappy three piece put down the electric instruments (and their drums, for that matter) in exchange for a tender, acoustic offering. Heavy lyrics about falling down with a fork in your mouth and penning your will at 29 are powerful and are performed with a fittingly somber emotion, set off by the lone acoustic guitar accompaniment plucking its cyclical patterns. The band explains “More, or Less” simply:   “A song about age, meaning, and what have you.”   You can find “More, or Less” on bandcamp (below), or on Spotify or Apple Music. Also, keep up with all of gas station.’s goings-on with this helpful little[...]

Robbery Club – Loot

February 20, 2025

Punk rock will never die – and Buffalo four-piece Robbery Club (RC) are here to prove it. Doesn’t it feel like nobody wants to start up a guitar band anymore? Nobody told RC – and while this isn’t their official debut (and they’ve formed from the ashes of previously-beloved act Ghostpool), it’s a much-anticipated continuation of what promises to be a beloved oeuvre. They’re calling this one Loot, a perfectly succinct, five-song drop of songs made to play at unreasonable volumes in a sweat-soaked basement. Top it off with a healthy dose of existential dread and you have yourselves our album of the week.   The EP kicks off with “Bitter Pills,” an adrenaline-soaked blast of fun emo punk energy – what else? Spitfire guitars, punched-up drumming, and gritty bass will be the calling cards throughout this EP – for a batch of punk songs, you don’t need much else.[...]

Razorface – Razorface

February 17, 2025

There’s a new face in the Buffalo hardcore punk scene and it’s one only a mother could love. Meet Razorface, an enigmatic six-piece who have unleashed an unrelenting audio assault with their debut self-titled LP.   Born out of the demented psyche of Lucas Kaleta (K-Hole, Muddle, Lowest Form), Razorface has been stalking stages and terrorizing venues for the better part of a year with their killer brand of in-your-face, take-no-prisoners punk.   The band captures their special kind of mayhem on this ferocious eight-track rush that will make your head bang and your ears bleed. With help from Biff of Pallet Town who recorded, mixed and mastered the project, each crusty and spastic song feels like an all-out brawl. An example of the band’s sonic physicality is the single, “Self-Inflicted.” The song puts its boot firmly on your neck with wild outbursts of frenzied riffs and trashy drums that[...]

Sleep Debt Ceiling – “Misery is My Calling Card”

February 14, 2025

Buffalo’s emotionally-witty act Sleep Debt Ceiling has returned with their latest single “Misery is My Calling Card.” Similar to the angsty punk sound of SDC’s Demo EP, this track tunes into the raw emotions that come with self-sabotaging. In contrast to their previous release, “Misery is My Calling Card” features fuller production that provides a more studio-quality feel. The new dynamics increase anticipation for the April release of their second EP, Dead Air Trap.   Project head James Stephenson shines a spotlight on the deep-cutting lyrics while staying true to the genre with guttural vocals. This stunning combination is comparable to the works of iconic folk punk artists like The Mountain Goats and AJJ. Following the pattern of SDC’s sarcastic banter, this track deals with anxiety-induced overthinking that ultimately leads to avoiding humanity.   “I don’t deserve your kindness Secretly I hope That you will never realize I am a misanthrope[...]

Velvet Bethany – “Forbidden Fruit”

February 10, 2025

Buffalo-based punk project Velvet Bethany is back with a new music video for their single, “Forbidden Fruit.” Velvet Bethany is the band moniker for singer/songwriter Allison Mitchell, who has been on the scene for close to a decade, playing many  noteworthy indie bills and underground gigs throughout their tenure. The current line-up includes Romcom Victims members Kam Plotner and Nate Miller, who are both featured in the video.   “Forbidden Fruit” begins with a semi-monotonous conversation about different types of fruits then spins into an 8-bit intro where the track finally launches into the punk-y body of the single. The driving sound of “Forbidden Fruit” is coupled with playful vocals, reminiscent of surf-y Le Tigre with a B-52’s staccato delivery. Lyrics-wise, the song is about being excited about a new love, being head-over-heels in the honeymoon stage of a relationship/situationship.   The video was edited and directed by Jacob Smolinksi[...]