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Humble Braggers – I Know Better, I’m No Better

March 13, 2017

Humble Braggers have one of the more distinguishable sounds in Buffalo. Max reverb, slick guitar riffs, high-reaching vocal melodies and signature 80’s synth samples are this band’s M.O., and have been from its inception. The trio’s debut full length, I Know Better, I’m No Better, doesn’t stray from the familiarity of this, which when boiled down to recognition and consistency, plays to their advantage in a lot of ways. It’s a special thing when an album can make you experience a sensation that isn’t auditory. Many of the songs tackle uncertainty within oneself, a lack of control between oneself and another person, or a festering anxiety over that lack of control. Even the song titles are quite telling (i.e. Fight, Losing It, Burden, Weight). The heaviness of the diction is juxtaposed with the lightness of the sound. The collective work of songs feels a bit like a back and forth[...]

Tonight: Humble Braggers Album Release Party

March 10, 2017

There’s really no denying that the Buffalo music scene is cranking right now. Collaborations aplenty, bands are going into the studio left and right, and the releases are coming hot and heavy, with the Del Paxton full length LP last week celebrated at the Mohawk and tonight at Nietzsche’s for brand new Humble Braggers. Tom Burtless and the fellas (Bryan Zells, Matt Chavanne) will be celebrating the release of the very first full length album I Know Better, I’m No Better with a ridiculously loaded lineup including CHAD VALLEY, dreambeaches, and Bottler. Recorded by Elliot (M.A.G.S., KIN) Douglas, there’s been a lot of buzz around this next step for Humble Braggers, so you’re definitely going to want to snap up I Know Better, I’m No Better to have it properly digested before the summer show season gets going. Getting the show started and making it international flair will be Oxford UK electro pop[...]

Humble Braggers Reveal New Single

February 3, 2017

Humble Braggers are diving head first into 2017, announcing earlier this week the Buffalo-based trio will be releasing their first full length album I Know Better, I’m No Better on March 10th. Along with the album announcement, the band dropped the lead single off of the album “Weight,” an M83-y sprawling indie pop song with lyrics about dealing wth anxiety and overcoming that feeling. As we’ve come to expect from the band, “Weight” is a big sound banger. Humble Braggers will be celebrating their release on Friday, March 10th with support from touring UK indie-pop act Chad Valley, local baroquers dreambeaches, and the first performance of ex-Sleepy Haha’s frontman Pat Butler’s new project, Bottler. Put ht at in your calendar and in the meantime check out “Weight” below. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/305311389″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /] Photo by Krit Upra

Metric at the Town Ballroom (9/23/16)

September 27, 2016

Metric is no stranger to Buffalo. Hailing from Toronto, the indie pop act has played plenty of shows in our area, but none quite as special as the show this past Friday.  Following a venue change from Artpark in Lewiston, the band played a rare and intimate club show at the Town Ballroom.  The band brought their full stage production with them as well, adding their own lighting rig to the mix, making the show that much more special.  Local act, Humble Braggers, had the opportunity to open up the show as well, and they killed it.  Check out some shots from the night below, and click HERE for a full gallery. Humble Braggers Metric

Tonight: Metric

September 23, 2016

Tonight Buffalo will be treated to a night of blissful indie pop by way of scene veterans, Metric. Originally slated for a show at Artpark, the location of the gig was moved to Town Ballroom earlier this week. The famed Canadian band has been pumping out jams for close to two decades, evolving from a grittier indie rock sound/minimalist approach, to a more lush synth-heavy sound with their latest album, Pagans in Vegas. Openers are Buffalo-based three-piece, Humble Braggers, who will be playing the venue for the first time in their bandlife. Doors are at 7pm and tickets are $48.

Tonight: Dreambeaches

May 28, 2016

Sunny Buffalo-based indie rock act, Dreambeaches, will be celebrating their EP release, titled Habits, tonight at Nietzsche’s. The baroque-rs have been on the scene for over a year, so waiting this long for an EP is rare in an era of home recordings. From what I’ve heard, this release is well worth the wait.  Also on the bill are synth-pop outfit Humble Braggers, psych-pop band Mooses, and cave-rock band Bold Folly. Doors open at 9pm and there is a $5 cover.

12 Acts to Catch at Move Music Festival

April 21, 2016

This Friday in Albany, Move Music Festival launches into their fifth annual year, programming one hundred bands at ten venues over a three days span. If that isn’t enough, there will be workshops and panels ranging from music licensing to drum techniques. In order to find out more about the lineup, the seminars, or buy a ticket, head on over the the official Move Music Festival website. We listened to every band coming up for this year’s festival and here are the twelve bands that piqued our interest. Friday, April 22nd Another Michael – 7pm @ Blue 52 (80 N Pearl St.) Albany-based singer/songwriter Another Michael aka Michael Doherty is one of the first acts to kick off this year’s Move Music Festival. His earnest delivery and storytelling over acoustic riffs is reminiscent of Alex G, Kimya Dawson, or The Moldy Peaches. It’s an early set and a happy hour crowd[...]

Tonight: Kopps

March 4, 2016

Kopps, a four piece electronic dance group from Rochester, have proved themselves to be a potent force within the electro-pop scene. They are yet another Rochester band to break through the regional seal and go national (I like to think of them and Joywave as partners in crime on the road to success). Just recently, their sultry jam “Thermometer” was featured on the Netflix revival of Full House, aptly named Fuller House. How many people can say the gawky but loveable Kimmy Gibler busted a move to one of their original songs? The band has no doubt found their niche and are unbreakably confident in their sound, but at the same time they aren’t totally defined by their genre either. Each and every show, they dish up something fresh, along with infectious beats, sweat and a whole lot of sexiness for good measure. The rest of tonight’s bill is stacked to[...]

Tonight: buffaBLOG Holiday Party

December 19, 2015

It’s that time of year again where ABC Family is pretty chill, you go through half your vacation days,  and buffaBLOG has our annual holiday party.  On the bill tonight are synth-pop trio Humble Braggers, gravelly-indie-rockers-all-the-way-from-Rochester Secret Pizza., blue collar Americana rock-band Sixties Future, and hip hop collective Good Huemans. If that isn’t a strong enough bill as it is, we also threw in the turnt tunes of DJ duo GLDN GIRLS just to keep the party going. Doors open at 9pm with a $5 cover. If you wear something festive, it will be noted.

Top 20 Buffalo Tracks: 10-1

December 17, 2015

It’s that time of year again, where we re-think and dissect every local song that we’ve come across organically or via submission. This is our fourth year counting down our top songs and this year, like every other year, has been difficult to whittle down. Like we always remind people, this list is subjective and not the end-all be all. Earlier this week we posted our five close calls and our first half of the top 20.  I am sure there are amazing local songs that aren’t on our radar, but from what we have heard, we as a group have determined below are the blog’s favorite songs of 2015. 10. Tiny Rhymes – “Arrows” Tiny Rhymes‘ ”Arrows” is an incredibly cherishable tune. It approaches the listener with a coy but welcoming softness, making it feel like a delicate gem that only you are privy to. Atop prime musicianship, singer Sharon Mok’s[...]

Tonight: Indie Rock Office Holiday Party

December 10, 2015

Tonight at Mohawk Place hosts a local bill that’s as local and awesome as you can get– Sleepy Hahas, The Naturalists, Aircraft, and Humble Braggers. It’s like Christmas is here early! Or something like that. While these bands really don’t need much of an introduction, we’ll do it anyway. Sleepy Hahas have undergone a couple of lineup changes in the past year, and are poised for the release of a new album on the heels of the “Deep River” single, which has a very cool video to go along with it. The Naturalists are riding high right now on the local attention that they’ve been getting from their latest EP, Home Honey, I’m Hi. If you like grunge, or pizza, give them a listen. (They really like pizza.) Psych garage rock group Aircraft is up next. Their most recent release being an EP, 7 Gems From The Sparkling Void. And[...]

Just Announced: buffaBLOG Holiday Party

November 23, 2015

Throughout our close to six year existence, we’ve had multiple staple events – our birthday party, Halloween Party, Herd Fest, and of course our year-end Holiday Party, with this year being no different. Join us on Saturday, December 19th at Duke’s to drink, be merry, and catch a killer lineup. This year, we are having soaring synth pop three piece, Humble Braggers, Rochester’s raucous grunge rockers, Secret Pizza, Buffalo’s resident bar band, Sixties Future, and hip-hop supergroup, Good Huemans, along with the sweet deejay’d sounds of GLDN GRLS pulling the night all together. 9pm doors with a $5 cover.

Tonight: The Tins

November 7, 2015

Even with the year nearly complete, the Buffalo music scene still has a couple new releases to look forward to before the calendar turns, and one of those is from the Tins. While recording their forthcoming full length with Robby Takac, set to drop in 2016, the pop trio managed to pump out the self recorded EP Love on Strike as a place holder. The EP’s first single, the rising “Summer Jazz,” was already shared couple weeks back via Brooklyn Vegan, and you can expect the band to premiere the rest of the album when they take the stage later on at Nietzsche’s Joining the Tins this evening will be Rochester’s ready-to-break, electro dance rockers KOPPS (who may or may not have a good buddy joining them tonight…), reshuffled Buffalo synth rockers Humble Braggers, and Brooklyn’s hypnotic post-punk outfit, the Midnight Hollow. Doors open at 9pm tonight with a $7 cover. Make[...]

Tonight: Young Empires

October 24, 2015

Buffalo plays host to our Canadian neighbors with the synth-pop jams of Toronto’s Young Empires this evening. The trio has made waves in Canada in recent years with its unique blend of indie rock, synthpop, and Latin American percussion. The band found further success when lead single, “Rain of Gold,” was included in FIFA 13 leading to a UK chart run. Nw fresh off the release of the eagerly-awaited debut album, The Gates, the three piece has arrived in Buffalo with a fresh batch of funky jams. Young Empires have earned much acclaim for their sensational live shows and should provide tonight’s Waiting Room crowd with nothing short of one hell of a dance party. And Joining Young Empires will be  Wild Things, American Low, and Humble Braggers so be sure to get down there early. Tickets are $12 and doors to Waiting Room’s Studio open at 6pm.

Tonight: The Receiver

August 8, 2015

Tonight is one of the most stacked bills I’ve seen in awhile as four completely terrific take the stage at Nietzsche’s tonight. Kicking off things is local electro-pop artist, Space Cubs. Knowing little to nothing about her, I saw her open for Majical Cloudz a couple years ago at the Tralf and was absolutely blown away. Her fairly expansive music means at times her work sounds reminiscent of everyone from Portishead to Neon Indian. Either way, this songstress creates an utterly enchanting show. Following that is Humble Braggers who are fresh off the release of their supremely impressive Disposable Friends EP. The band’s modern synth-rock sound is immediately infectious and there’s no doubt they’s put on a truly thrilling show. But the fun doesn’t stop there. Hailing from Columbus OH, sibling indie pop duo The Reciever will bring their lush dreamy sounds to Allentown. Fresh off the release of its[...]