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Thirstin Howl the 3rd (feat. Dak Lo) – “Japan Style”

December 24, 2017

“Japan Style” is different from anything you may have heard before, aside from perhaps the samurai-influenced aura of the Wu-Tang Clan. The track shows a prime culture clash between Thirstin Howl the 3rd’s Brooklyn-raised background and a Japan-centered touch brought to the table by Dak Lo. The track also infuses Asian vocal samples into its menacing, horn-carried beat and references to the culture within its lyrics, which sustain a sharp-shooting quality. The conclusion of the music video, viewable below, touts Thirstin Howl the 3rd’s place in pioneering Lo Life, a Brooklyn-birthed movement hinged on Polo Ralph Lauren clothing. The track can be found on Thirstin Howl the 3rd’s most recent album Skillmatic, which also features such names as the late Prodigy from Mobb Deep and Sticky Fingaz from Onyx.

Dear Apollo – “Parachute”

December 24, 2017

With a radiant indie rock sound at the helm, Ithaca-based duo Dear Apollo are–aptly so–on their way to the stars. The duo’s members crafted their debut EP hundreds of miles apart from one another with the aid of Dropbox, a surprising factoid given their songs’ remarkable intimacy and rich texture. One standout track is “Parachute,” which begins delicately with spacey analog synth and gentle vocals, which grow to a touching harmony once the first chorus hits. The tune collapses to a piano-based melody approximately two minutes in, which meets a steady, final build-up of instruments before one last utterance of “I need a parachute, and I need a push” tugs ever so lightly at the heartstrings. Dear Apollo’s self-titled EP is available for purchase through the duo’s bandcamp page. Dear Apollo by Dear Apollo

Cooler Release Single off Buried

December 20, 2017

Emotive Buffalo trio Cooler packs a lot of punch in the fleeting yet effective  “Buried,” a touchstone for the confident avoidance of life’s burdensome trials and tribulations. The lyrics point to a mind overpacked with anxiety brought on by a grueling, task-filled day ahead. The narrative fastens itself to the desire for a simple alternative capable of upending such a mindstate, its chorus announcing the line “I wanna spend my day buried in your sweater.” With cool assertiveness and distortion-laced power chords abounding, “Buried” harkens back to Exile in Guyville-era Liz Phair. A high spot of the track is its simmering down into an acoustic bit shortly after the two-minute mark, which is rejoined by surrounding instruments in a seamless flash. Cooler’s brand new EP, on which “Buried” will appear, is due out January 12th through Admirable Traits Records.

Fuzzystar – “Superhero”

December 19, 2017

Andy Thomson, of Edinburgh, has released the indie-pop showpiece “Superhero” through Satellite Records under his pseudonym Fuzzystar, a christening that provides a nod the way of groups Big Star and Mazzy Star. Marked by a luxuriant guitar sound, manic but deliberate drumming and unruffled singing, the song purveys a lesson to keep one’s head up through rough patches while conserving a reasonable amount of self-awareness. “Superhero” also lyrically ties itself to its title with reference to such tropes as Kryptonite. The music video, picturing Thomson and his band performing inside a warehouse, can be watched below.

HEPTAGRAM – “Here, Now”

December 19, 2017

HEPTAGRAM’s fresh-out tune “Here, Now” augments its transcendent sound with lyrics concerning the reality happening in the moment and the feeling of reaching contentment and strength. The official music video is breathtaking, depicting aerial views of piers, sandy beaches and red-stricken countrysides before showing a panoramic view of a beachfront. It’s an apt visual representation of the song’s meditative power. The tune and its accompanying video, watchable below, draw from the natural environment of HEPTAGRAM’s mastermind Daniel Ivanov’s upbringing in Bulgaria.

Still Parade – “Kindness”

December 19, 2017

If one were to be fed with the information that Still Parade’s “Kindness” sustains an electronic drum beat at its core, they might feel inclined to expect four minutes of heartless machinery ahead. Instead, they would be treated with a track containing remarkable emotional substance. Its even-tempered, keyboard-based groove can be easily described as beautiful and nostalgia-inducing (despite the first line ironically being “pushing the past away”). Niklas Kramer, hailing from Berlin, is the musician responsible for such wholehearted and inviting wonder, arranged from unfinished efforts during a bout with writer’s block. Kramer’s next full-length album is slated to be released in 2018.

Undercut – “Take the Wheel”

December 19, 2017

The commanding lead single from newly banded-together alternative rock trio Undercut’s eponymously titled EP, “Take the Wheel” opens up to a shimmering ambience before ringing in piercing drums and bass. The vocals aren’t rough, but they’re acerbic. About a minute and a half in, the track makes excellent use of a false ending, which keeps the listener on their toes without abolishing momentum. The breakdown and guitar solo a minute later make for a segment suggestive of the group members’ previous associations with grunge and heavy metal. “Take the Wheel” should be viewed as a paragon for anyone seeking to reclaim control of their livelihood.

Jinka – “Shock Mounted”

December 19, 2017

“Shock Mounted,” with simplicity and grace, captures a feeling of freedom in the dark, post-breakup abyss. Transylvanian producer Jinka allows her new single to float on an unorthodox, jaunty dance rhythm, complete with head-turning vocal effects and subtle doses of bass and synth. The tone of the song sounds so nonchalant and charged up, seemingly adverse to its subject matter but also an admirable, hard-to-attain emotional response to heartbreak. It all adds up to a hooking electro-pop track.

The Tins – City Lies

December 18, 2017

Buffalo mainstays The Tins’ have released the 4-song, 13-minute EP City Lies, a sure-to-be timeless offering of warmth and introspection. “Lifeline,” the introductory track, is couched in a sweltering texture that should mesmerize with its yearning harmonies and swaths of plush instruments, which hold onto a Tame Impala-esque dreaminess in the sense that it simultaneously comes across as relaxed and penetrating. The song conveys the spirit of hedonism by way of its plea to be brought to “the place where the sun will rise again,” an expression of escaping despair. The soothing title track is a slow-burning acoustic number encasing lyrics of welcoming opportunity and thankfulness, detailing a city lying wide open before the narrator. “City Lies” utilizes intriguing studio treatment without being weighed down by overproduction, giving it a raw but full sound. The EP’s penultimate tune “Meditation Song” is reminiscent of either Big Star or Elliott Smith, or[...]

Hundred Plus Club – Everybody’s Friend

December 11, 2017

Everybody’s Friend, the recently released album from Cheektowaga indie rockers Hundred Plus Club, gets going right from the start, with the frenetic opener “Twice the Pride, Double the Fall” bringing forth all the attitude one might expect from a tune about dismissing a relationship on the brink of toxicity, not to mention employment of a thrilling guitar sound similar to something one might hear on a Sleater-Kinney record. Despite its title seeming somewhat silly, the second song in the tracklist, “Grilled Cheese for Stephanie,” changes tones from its predecessor, deceptively acting as an emotional and romantic reveal of fervent feelings for the eponymous girl. “Exit” is a catchy-as-can-be track built upon unrestrained rhythm and a guitar line evocative of surf rock. The ensuing song, the subtle display of confidence “Cooler,” is engaging and soothing, with its guitar line trickling down like raindrops. It reaches an epoch two and a half[...]

Good in the Dark – “When the Night Is Through”

December 11, 2017

“When the Night Is Through” stands as the debut single from Good in the Dark, the collaboration among Chicago-bred multi-instrumentalist Heather Perry, percussionist Carlos J. Zapata and guitarist Grant Goldsworthy. The band sustains a noise pop sound mixed with traces of disco and pulsating dance, as well as the edge of a post-punk band to a certain extent. Good in the Dark’s first-ever EP Rafters was released late last month. The music video for “When the Night Is Through” could be pinned as a bit perplexing to some, but its oddball humor should shine through and the tune itself should impress too.

The Dirty Clergy – “Summer Days” (ft. Karina Noelle)

December 11, 2017

The Dirty Clergy’s “Summer Days” should feel like an escape or maybe more so a cause for longing if you live in western New York this time of year. The track sounds like vintage Weezer brightened up by angelic backing vocals and talk of everlasting summer. Nominated for an Independent Music Award, mentioned on the Nights with Alice Cooper radio show and featured on AXS-TV as well as MTV, The Dirty Clergy are headed skyward all while entirely devoid of record label or booking agency assistance.

Why Not – “Dear Friend, Pt. 2”

December 11, 2017

Minneapolis band Why Not applies a formula of indie rock mixed with math rock and punk to their 2-minute-long single “Dear Friend, Pt. 2.” The track houses irrefutable energy brought on by cutting guitar riffage and unbridled percussive bashing, all of which leads to reminiscence of a Minutemen tune. Furthermore, the song’s somewhat clumsily placed and sung lyrics serve to underline its raw punk aesthetic. “Dear Friend, Pt. 2” was released as a single off the band’s debut full-length released on November 25th, entitled Friends.

NEWMEN – “Debbie Harry”

December 11, 2017

With a song title like “Debbie Harry,” it comes as little to no surprise this recent single from German indie rock band NEWMEN encapsulates a sleek new wave sound bearing partial resemblance to that of Blondie, the legendary New York outfit Harry famously fronted. The track is teeming with crisp dealings of guitar and waves of what sounds like ’80s-era synthesizer, not to mention a short passage of softly sung but inviting vocals. This verse is followed by nearly three minutes of building instrumental wonder, which lasts for the rest of the song.

Ruler – “Easy Life”

December 10, 2017

Matt Batey’s solo project Ruler finds the Montana-turned-Seattle-hailing musician pushing out the single “Easy Life,” a high-spirited pop-rock masterwork stitched together from the fabric of life’s woes. From dealing with a downer of a 9-to-5 job to a deteriorating relationship, the lyrics express a plea of “why me?” in a world that stomps on the idea of life being easier and more carefree than what reality presents. The final verse summons some advice, telling any soul in earshot to be the one who “takes the wheel.” The humorous music video for “Easy Life” shows Batey facing a slew of stumbling blocks, including opening his guitar case to the sight of broken strings, finding out too late that a practice session was relocated and discovering leaves in place of cash in his wallet.