by Jake Sessanna | Jul 18, 2016 | Album of the Week
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...
by Jake Sessanna | Jul 12, 2016 | Album of the Week
Named after one of the most controversial historical Americans (the Vice President under Thomas Jefferson who killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel and allegedly sided with the Confederates after allegedly evading the law in the unexplored Western Frontier), Aaron &...
by Jake Sessanna | Jul 8, 2016 | Syracuse
I know what you’re thinking: “That picture is hilarious – Dwight Schrute-esque.” Well, that pretty portrait is of Super Defense, an indie/lo-fi/power pop solo project hailing from Syracuse. Andy Horvath, the man behind the music, has been...
by Jake Sessanna | Jun 27, 2016 | Album of the Week
Brimming with new life is Scope & Figure, touring in support of their latest release, Gardiner Park. Tour dates can been seen on their Facebook page, hyperlinked above. Originally formed in 2013, the band spent their time playing shows, sifting through a multitude...
by Jake Sessanna | Jun 5, 2016 | Album of the Week
I’ll cut to the chase: These guys are good. Let’s just say I listened to them a few times for fun. Dreambeaches is a colorful quartet that’s barely a year old. Habits’ cover art does them justice, as does their Facebook promo photo take on...
by Jake Sessanna | May 29, 2016 | Album of the Week
Rochester’s Secret Pizza doesn’t sound cheesy like their name might imply. Instead, they embody badassitude, something the sweet, old lady with sunglasses on the black and white cover of SP’s upcoming release, Nothing Needs to Happen, carries....
by Jake Sessanna | May 24, 2016 | New Music
Bursting out from the Syracuse scene is Petite League with some new, noisy music. “Zookeeper” fronts zipping guitar leads on top of a dense block of jangly indie rock. The drums find themselves at the forefront, with hissing cymbals and a woody snare. The...
by Jake Sessanna | May 16, 2016 | Album of the Week
The Nigh is secretly sneaking into your midnight streams, already too close for comfort, of course. Hailing from Buffalo, New York, The Nigh does our music scene certain justice with their dark release, Fluorescent Sun. The LP as a whole is grey, bleak, and watery....
by Jake Sessanna | May 10, 2016 | Buffalo
I’m not sure exactly what Sixties Future’s name eludes to, but I believe “the future of 60s music” is a safe bet. With a lead singer Chris Couche sounding like The Boss himself, this group fronts a powerful, unabashed, Americana rock and roll...
by Jake Sessanna | May 4, 2016 | Album Review
On April 25, Evil Wizardry released the condensed, electronic beauty that is The Garden. Evil Wizardry is a Utica-grown ambient, dream pop, noise band. A summary of those genres is: Though there are vocals and lyrics to this 5-song EP, don’t try to listen close...
by Jake Sessanna | Mar 29, 2016 | Rochester
Rochester’s The Loner(s), Drive Me Home Please, and label, Bangkok Blend combined efforts to release a split last Friday, aptly titled the loner(s)/ drive me home please. For new listeners, The Loner(s) is a more lo-fi, sometimes strictly instrumental version of...
by Jake Sessanna | Mar 28, 2016 | Preview
Brooklyn’s BAMBARA are finishing up their largely southern and midwestern SWARM-promoting tour circuit within the Empire State. This noisy three-piece plays punk, noise rock with a bluesy, southern twang. BAMBARA, at its core, sounds like a less sibilant METZ...
by Jake Sessanna | Mar 22, 2016 | Syracuse
Kvlt Ddy (pronounced “Cult Daddy”) is a band native to Syracuse that issued their fifth release, extended play Springing Graves, a little more than a week ago. The EP’s cool color schemed cover art looks like a beautifully violent fuse...
by Jake Sessanna | Mar 16, 2016 | Album Review
… Think a completely synthetic Elvis Depressedly meshed with the trippy-ness of Youth Lagoon. The previous ellipse is necessary as it reflects Casual Frustrations’ tendency to slow your breathing as you become entangled in its dizzying churn. For PineSheets’ new...
by Jake Sessanna | Mar 11, 2016 | Buffalo
Pear, by Kimmy, is a recent release by the Buffalo group deeply immersed in the thrashing indie rock scene. With vocals that sound like a punk-y Kevin Drew (sometimes even King Krule), the band sports an interesting dynamic for listeners here, there, and...