Latest Posts

Velvet Bethany – “Forbidden Fruit”

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[...]

Jaugust – Functional Gray

In the quiet spaces between other projects, Buffalo-based duo Jaugust refines its voice. Comprised of Anthony Del Plato and Nick Sessanna–musicians already well-known within the city’s indie circles for their work in bands like Everything In Waves, Cooler, and Genesee Hotel–Jaugust returns with Functional Gray, their sophomore EP. Self-produced in Del Plato’s home studio during moments carved out from busy schedules, this collection of songs shares a creative headspace, blending emotional indie pop with a distinct electronic pulse. Functional Gray places Jaugust in conversation with similar acts like The Postal Service and Washed Out, yet establishes their own distinct collaborative approach that expands on the emotional core of the duo’s 2023 debut. Functional Gray is our album of the week.   The new EP is built on a foundation of contrasts, where analog warmth meets digital precision. Jaugust combines digital found sounds, shimmering synths, and understated drum machines with the[...]

Humble Braggers – New Life

Humble Braggers have polished up some uncut gems. A heavy-hitter in Buffalo’s synthpop space, the band has just dropped their third full-length album, New Life, which–as the band describes on Instagram–isn’t just a collection of new tracks. Instead, their latest effort is a curated selection of songs spanning their eleven-year history, all of which originate from demos first recorded between 2014 and 2022. The songs, now repurposed and packaged into a tidy ten-song LP, give listeners a peek behind the curtain and a glimpse into the evolution of their sound over the last decade. New Life is our album of the week.   Singer Tom Burtless described the album’s genesis as a retrospective look at their unreleased material around the band’s tenth anniversary mark. Their guiding principle for completing these songs was one of restraint: minimal new elements were incorporated, existing arrangements were largely preserved, and any intelligible lyrics remained,[...]

Autoignition – “Plummet / Picking Daisies”

Buffalo based pop-punk quartet Autoignition just released “Plummet / Picking Daisies,” a two-track ripper that’s already found its way into our regular rotation. With anthemic choruses and their heart on their sleeve, these songs hit like a freight train. “Plummet” sees the band come out swinging, with blistering drums setting the stage. The earnest vocals have a sense of pleading, underscored with a slow-moving guitar countermelody. The energy captured on this track is very raw, that is undoubtedly reflective in band’s live performance.   “Picking Daisies” opens with a little more space, but no less energy. With a hooky guitar line, and driving drums, the track churns under the vocals. With echoes of early Blink-182, this is the perfect foil to ‘Plummet.”  High-impact release from a band that is getting a lot of well-deserved buzz. All in all, these tracks are a snippet into the project’s promising future in the[...]

Ian McCuen- As the Oceans Rise and the Empire Falls

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[...]

Ismatic Guru – An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information

Buffalo’s Ismatic Guru, the hyperactive prog-punk brainchild of John Toohill (aka Science Man) and Bran Schlia (aka Helmsley), has finally unleashed their long-awaited full-length album, An Incredible Amount of Overwhelming Information. This isn’t your typical album release; it’s a culmination of a years-long recording project, a sonic archive of the duo’s relentless creativity. Over the past few years, Toohill (guitars, vocals, lyrics) and Schlia (bass, organ, drums, production) have meticulously crafted and released a series of numbered EPs, each a limited edition cassette run, building a following through their respective labels (Swimming Faith & Steak and Cake) and beyond. Now, those EPs, along with five brand new tracks, have been compiled into a 26-song, breakneck journey that encapsulates their self-described “idiot-prog punk adventure.” The band’s growing fanbase is well-deserved; with over 15k monthly listeners on Spotify and a dedicated Bandcamp following, it seems Ismatic Guru’s brand of chaos is striking[...]

Carmen & Lizzy – Dissolving

For the better part of a decade, Buffalo folk-duo Carmen & Lizzy have quietly woven themselves into the fabric of Buffalo’s music scene, having built a following with their heart-on-your-sleeve songwriting, finely-tuned vocal harmonies, and a sound that blends folk intimacy with indie sensibilities. Now a recognized force, the duo–made up of cousins Carmen O’Keefe and Lizzy Bassler–has just released Dissolving, their first substantial offering of new music in over 5 years. This 6-song EP finds the duo gently pushing the boundaries of their established folk aesthetic for a sound that matures alongside their songwriting and keeps the mystifying qualities that put them on Buffalo’s map. Dissolving is our album of the week.   Dissolving widens the scope of Carmen & Lizzy’s discography. While their earlier work, like the 2019 full-length Climate, leaned into a starry-eyed folksy vulnerability, the new EP is a bit more enigmatic and exhibits growth in[...]

Raybees – Reaper, Take My Life For Free!

It’s a new year, and what better way to shed that holiday lethargy than with a blast of sonic mayhem? Buffalo’s own basement psych-rockers Raybees are here to deliver just that with their sophomore EP, Reaper, Take My Life For Free!, out January 3rd. This self-released, self-recorded, six-track onslaught picks up where their debut left off, but cranks the intensity and noise up by a good margin. If you’re a fan of the noisy, psychedelic punk rock of bands like Osees and The Jesus Lizard, then buckle up. Reaper, Take My Life For Free! is our album of the week.   Raybees is led by the core duo of Jacob Smolinski (guitar/vocals) and Dan Keegan (who replaced the drum machine of the project’s debut), along with featured players Matthew Danger Lippman (guitar), Kam Plotner (synth), and Brandon Schlia (bass). Something of a star-studded side project, Raybees showcases a completely different[...]

Romcom Victims – Rainy Days

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

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[...]

the Old Sweethearts – “Miles”

Coming off the heels of their hotly anticipated reunion at the 20th Anniversary of Harvestsum Records, The Old Sweethearts have dropped an alternate version of their song “Miles.”   Originally appearing on their 2005 record Arms of the Town, “Miles” is a a radio-ready single with buzzy verses and anthemic choruses. This previously unreleased version stands in stark contrast, stripping things back and slowing it down. Roger Bryan’s vocals sit in the front of the mix, giving an earnest and pleading quality to the previously uptempo song which remains anchored by Mark Nosowicz’s hypnotic synth lines. The toy piano interludes call back to early Wilco, particularly Yankee Hotel Foxtrot’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.”   The release also includes two tunes previously on 2005’s Harvest Sum B-Sides collection. “Lost You” plays perfectly alongside “Miles,” leaning into the stripped back production that really lets the delicate instrumentation shine. The[...]

Urge Surfer – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”

Buffalo electro-pop duo Urge Surfer are back with their take on a holiday mainstay, the John Lennon & Yoko Ono classic “Happy Xmas (War is Over).” Featuring singer Chelsea O’Donnell’s distinctive voice in the forefront; bandmate Jordan Smith’s tasteful backups; and a bevy of modular synths and percussion; this particular version of “Happy Xmas” is a delightfully fresh take on a well-worn standard. Born out of the innocent desire to just put out a Christmas cover, the duo pumped this out in just about a week, harnessing the ramshackle and jangly energy of the original and giving it a fun, electronic spin.   You can purchase Urge Surfer’s version of “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” via bandcamp (below) for a very reasonable “name your price” rate.   Happy Xmas (War is Over) by Urge Surfer

Ashford – Pictures of Places I’ve Been

Buffalo pop punk/emo rockers, Ashford, close out the year on a high note with their dynamo debut LP, Pictures of Places I’ve Been.   The record is a nine-track patchwork of new material and singles released earlier this year including the tracks “Temperance,” “Gorilla Glue” and “The Painter & the Patient.” Expect a variety of clean yet rough-around-the-edges vocals; powerful, overdrive guitars; and hefty, punctuative drums for a listen that will make your hair stand up.   Variety is what Ashford does best on this album. Like a pop punk buffet, the band cooks up a deeply satisfying mix of tones, textures and tempos that keeps Pictures of Places I’ve Been fresh and engaging. You’ve got your choice of softer, more poignant songs like “Bliss,” or heavier, crunchier songs like “Crown.” No two songs sound the same with each having their own distinct flavors to chew on for hours.  [...]

Gatto Black – (Not) Ready to Die

The cat’s out of the bag with (Not) Ready to Die, the bombastic new sophomore EP from feline-friendly Buffalo post-hardcore project, Gatto Black.   Featuring singer-songwriter, Sal Mastrocola (EXNATIONS, No Net), this 7-song collection is a powder keg of emotions triggered by screamo vocals, chaotic drum beats, and third-rail riffs that will shock your system.   “But the thing about cats… they’re never afraid of their shadows,” and neither is Mastrocola, as he wails introspectively on the opening track, “Bitch I’m a Cat.” The singer-songwriter wears his heart on his sleeve and spills his guts via snotty emo-punk vocals that shake with anger and sadness. Each song is impressively unique, robust and layered, and runs a gamut of feelings that wallow in angst and insecurities.   You can feel these difficult, dizzying emotions on tracks like “No One Can Ruin Me.” This absolute tornado of a tune lashes out with[...]

Matt Smith’s Nervous System – Today and Tomorrow Too

Matt Smith’s Nervous System, a Buffalo-based project led by scene veteran Matt Smith (guitar/vocals) alongside Roddy Potter (drums) and Colin Pratt (bass/vocals), returns with Today and Tomorrow Too, a six-track EP stealthily released on October 18th. Following two full-length LPs (Close Down The Dream in 2021 and The Age of Reasonable Expectations in 2023), this concise offering marks a shift in approach, focusing on atmosphere and texture. It feels like a compelling next step for a project that started as a mere outlet for Smith’s extraneous ideas. Today and Tomorrow Too is our Album of the Week.   The EP conjures the understated groovy cool of The Velvet Underground and serves it up with a simmering intensity not unlike the sounds of indie rock stalwarts The National. The result is an effort that strays a bit from the bluesy power-pop vibes of their debut in favor of a more introspective,[...]