Latest Posts

Calicoco Releases Debut Single “Night Owl”

May 24, 2017

Calicoco is the moniker of the new project fronted by Rochester musician Giana Caliolo. “Night Owl,” Calicoco’s debut single, dives headfirst into the stresses of lifestyle changes. The outfit’s upcoming Needy EP serves as the culmination of the past four years for Caliolo with the ending of the band Buckets, and the balancing of projects Pony Hand and Secret Pizza. “Night Owl” goes into the changes that Caliolo went through in her life and the anxieties that came with the choices that she made to change herself for the better. The catchy guitar riff loops as the drums set a solid punch to back up the song and pair well with Caliolo’s gentle voice. Needy is set for release via Dadstache Records on June 9th. In the meantime check out “Night Owl” below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/319147863″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]  

KOPPS Drop “Baby I’m Dead Inside”

May 3, 2017

Rochester electro darlings KOPPS are back with a new single that accurately/regrettably/inevitably captures the zeitgeist, the sweet electronic poison that is “Baby I’m Dead Inside.” Trading their trademark trashed glitz for simmering, low key electronic funk punctuated by crunchy, fuzzed out guitar riffs, KOPPS find a new brand new slowed down groove for Patricia Patrón’s sultry disco diva vocal stylings to bewitch the faithful into helpless submission. Check out “Baby I’m Dead Inside” below and keep an eye on KOPPS- they could be busy this year.

New Masons Release New Single “Black Feather”

March 27, 2017

Fredonia electro-pop band New Masons continue to build upon their expansive sound on their latest single, “Black Feather” Having previously hinted at a synth pop inspired sound on “Night Calls” and their debut EP Sorry, Jill, the band takes things in an atmospheric rock direction with “Black Feather”. Incorporating soulful guitar tones, evocative synth sounds and vigorous percussion, New Masons are able to create tension with both their vocals and instrumentation that leads to a compelling hook and melody. The track serves as the first episode in the WAVE series, a story written by the band which their upcoming material will reference. Listen to “Black Feather” below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/309998833″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

CD-ROM – _001

February 27, 2017

Rochester synth punk outfit, CD-ROM offer up a multi-textured and infectious on their debut EP titled, _001. Assembled together like Voltron from various Rochester bands, Green Dreams, Leus Zeus, and Sports, CD-ROM consists of Jesse Amesmith on vocals, Nate Briscoe on bass, Trevor Amesmith on drums, Mike Turzanski on mono synth, and Kevin Burns on poly synth. _001 was self released by the band on February 18th. With a run time of almost 25 minutes, _001 is pretty dense for a debut EP, and that’s a plus because there’s a lot to unpack with this record. For one the group does not have a traditional punk set up going. There’s really not much of a guitar to speak of. Instead it’s synths trading back and forth that are backed by solid drumming that keeps the tight rhythms locked in. The bass here is really interesting because at times it’s in[...]

Soviet Dolls Release New Dark-Pop Song, “Ghostlover”

December 14, 2016

Rochester electro-pop act Soviet Dolls recently released their latest single, the dark and looming “Ghostlover.” The quintet combines lush synth textures with an alternative rock backbone and the cherry-on-top vocals of dusky singer Alexandra Wendt. The result is a dark pop banger that we can’t help but crush on. Fans of CHVRCHES, Metric, or The Naked and Famous would really dig this tune. “Ghostlover” is available via Bandcamp for a “pay what you want” rate. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/296780980″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Slumbers – Come Over

December 12, 2016

I drove home in the snow tonight (Sunday). And no, not just a dusting, Buffalo’s first semi-legitimate accumulation this December. The roads were mostly awful; it took me about double the amount of time it normally does to get home from work. But amongst all the fishtailing, wheel spinning, and “am I even on the road right now?” moments, I was strangely calm and collected. With Rochester’s Slumbers keeping me company through my Ford Taurus’ surprisingly decent speakers, my commute was less of a treacherous nightmare, and more of a snow-covered field of dreams. Slumbers’ debut release Come Over is our Album of the Week. Slumbers fills an interesting niche in the Rochester music scene. Their simmering blend of dreamy indie rock is soft without the malleability of other low-volume projects. Vocal duties are expressly shared, and the harmonies are swirling and plentiful. Members Claire McClusky (bass), Sabrina Nichols (guitar),[...]

Evan Meulemans – Lilac Drive

December 5, 2016

Evan Meulenmans crafts songs for people who hold optimism to a high standard. His music seems to be an effortless offering—a mere extension of his obvious inner positivity. The Wisconsin-bred, Rochester-based folk musician’s latest release, Lilac Drive, combines acoustic folk with easy-listening island vibes to arrive at a crossroad both inviting and uplifting. And loaded with support from more than a handful of prominent Rochester musicians, Lilac Drive is our album of the week. Opening track “Wisconsin” introduces the album with a thematic anomaly; the lyrical content details Meulenmans’ home state, while his rhythmic finger-style calls to mind a Hawaiian warmth not unlike fan-favorite Jack Johnson. This island influence find its way into most of the record, most notably “Open Road Lullaby” and the reggae-tinged clincher “Mo’ Bettah.” Yet, solitarily reducing the album’s influence to coconuts and tidal waves would be a glaring injustice, as Meulenmans’ fusion of island folk[...]

KOPPS Share New Single “I LOL @ U”

November 18, 2016

Right now during these surreal and uncertain times, when we needed something like this the most, KOPPS has delivered a sonic judo chop to the senses with their bonkers new single “I LOL @ U.”  A riot of 80’s electronica, 90’s sass, ulterior motives, and super sweet ear candy, this psychedelic head rush from our good friends from Rochester doesn’t play around. That goes for the accompanying lyric video, which is beautifully executed and viciously trippy (if not unduly mean to ice cream), proving again that KOPPS is the whole package. You can catch KOPPS December 3 at Anthology in Rochester when they join Joywave, The Demos, Harmonica Lewinski, Mikaela Davis, Secret Pizza, Pleistocene and pretty much the rest of Rochester’s indie scene to play a benefit for Tim Avery, a booker and essential scene impressario battling cancer. Tickets are $20. Show goes 2pm to midnight.  

The Wonder Years at Anthology in Rochester (10/16/16)

October 19, 2016

This past Sunday, Anthology was packed to the brim for a sold out show featuring some of the biggest active pop punk bands.  Headlined by The Wonder Years, the stacked lineup also featured Seaway, Moose Blood, Knuckle Puck, and Real Friends.  The show was absolutely wild from start to finish, with audience participation through the roof.  Check out some photos from the insane night below, and click HERE for a full gallery. Seaway Moose Blood Knuckle Puck Real Friends The Wonder Years  

Northern Spies – Autumn Chapter

August 8, 2016

Rochester-based indie rockers Northern Spies, a project featuring members of several other prominent Rochester bands, have been on the circuit for a few years now. Last year’s Nothing But Static EP wasn’t quite what the effort’s title suggested. The EP, with an armful of power pop hooks, soft spoken vocal harmonies, and a tinge of roots rock influence got the ball rolling for the 4 piece, and earned them some well-deserved local buzz. Fast forward to 2016, and we have the Spies’ debut full(ish) length, Autumn Chapter, out now via Dadstache Records. Everything we loved about the first EP is all here, the band having polished their sonic formula into something inherently unique for this day and age. Northern Spies’ sprawling list of influences knows no bounds. Harnessing the jangly charm of 60’s power pop bands like The Byrds and Donovan, the Spies use harmony to their advantage, sparking a[...]

The Branch Davidians – Sex, Death, and Things Less Boring

August 3, 2016

The Branch Davidians have released their EP Sex, Death, and Things Less Boring. Based in Rochester, the band began as an indie folk duo, before lead man Ben Stephanus expanded both the size of the group and the scope of its sound. Their five-song release is full of fuzz and shoegazey vibes. The lead guitar’s grimy buzz is a consistent force throughout the EP. They fuse throwback ‘90s tendencies with noise-rock elements to achieve a dissonant pop sound. Stephanus’ vocals are trippy with a dash of reverb, and reminiscent of melodies from underground ‘60s rock. The groovy “Bridges of Madison County” sounds like it could be a pop tune from The Zombies fed through the lens of a Tame Impala rocker. The lead guitar riff on “Your Sex Wants You Dead” is textbook pop punk, but with much more distortion. It’s not until the final track, “Blessed Water,” that the[...]

Pleistocene Shares Track from Forthcoming LP Spear

July 18, 2016

Pleistocene rises! Rochester’s coolest named-after-a-geological-epoch surf-punk outfit has dropped a new single off of the band’s forthcoming LP Spear, due out on Pleisto-tour cassette via Casual Punks on 7/22 (and beyond, if you happen to catch the 5-piece on their midsummer East Coast tour), with a full-fledged digital release slated for early August. Spear marks the band’s first full length since 2014’s Ontario Girls. The new single, “Your New Life,” is the third to be shared from the new record, and it basks unabashedly in all things Pleisto—reverb-laden ocean leads over a bass tone sludgier than sludge itself. Singer Katie Preston’s unphased vocals deliver the sweet nostalgia of an old friend, offering a perfect contrast to the song’s surrounding fuzz. The chilled-out new track seems to contradict what might have otherwise been considered a reinvention of the traditionally jangly Pleisto-sound, judging from the first two album spoilers (the exceptionally explosive[...]

Jon Lewis – Out of Lunch

July 18, 2016

Named by 585 Magazine as an “Artist to Follow” in 2016, Jon Lewis fronts a John Ralston-like musical style begging for local, perhaps even statewide attention. Lewis partakes in a practiced indie rock act from Rochester coming at us as both a solo performer and as a full band. This time around, Lewis (guitar and lead vocals) and his band – Dave Drago (vocals and bass), Shawn Brogan (guitar), and Jacob Walsh (drums) – gift us a delicate EP entitled Out to Lunch. The six-song release is chock-full of solid alternative folk compositions, lush mixes, a general warm but lost feel. “Everyone Wants to Know,” Song 1, opens the release with tremolo guitar and soft group vocals. “Left his job, left for dead – no one heard what he said,” tells Lewis of the song’s protagonist. One should wonder if Lewis is cooing about his own endeavors. This tune is relatively simple.[...]

Joywave Remixes Maybird’s Single

June 29, 2016

Rochester-raised psych-rockers Maybird have released the first single and title track off their debut EP, Turning Into Water, in late February. The song recently underwent a facelift by getting remixed by fellow breakout Rochester synth-rockers Joywave. “Turning Into Water” is transformed from vintage spaced out psychedelia into a riot of loops, drums simultaneously from the future and the past, discordant keyboards, and the clear, otherworldly tenor of Josh Netsky. Now based in Brooklyn and signed to Danger Mouse’s 30th Century Records, who released their debut EP last month, Maybird are yet another band  to the east that are breaking to the next level (see: KOPPS, Mikaela Davis). Check out the reworking below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/269635543″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Attic Abasement – Dream News

June 14, 2016

So yeah, we slept on this one for a bit. But anticipation has an strange way of making things better—and that was just the case for Dream News, Attic Abasement’s first full-length since 2010’s Dancing Is Depressing. A project once unabashedly saturated in lo-fi singularity, Attic Abasement takes a more polished approach on Dream News; the Rochesterian trio shipped off to New Paltz to record this one in an honest-to-goodness studio this time around. I know what you’re thinking: “Uh oh, lo-fi project in a professional studio?” Well fret not, the bedroom production quality is the only attribute traded—the top-shelf songwriting, puzzle-piece riffage, and the magnetic vocal rawness of frontman Mike Rheinheimer remains in full effect. With that said, it’s nothing short of impressive what the band has done with this record. Now rounded out with a full-time bassist and drummer (Keith Parkins and Joe Parker, respectively), AA’s sonic aesthetic[...]