Latest Posts

Siddo. – Romantic Rehab

July 7, 2024

Buffalo indie-punk phenomenon, Starjuice, have been making a name for themselves on many o’ local bills as well as a recent tour across the country.  Despite their busy gig schedule and multiple releases under their belt, lead singer Sidney Flanigan has been releasing quality solo acoustic folk-punk material on the low. You can find these on Bandcamp under the name, Siddo., as well as a couple other previous monikers which she references there. Her latest release Romantic Rehab is comprised of four excellently written songs about hopeless romanticism, learning to move on from those who hurt us and trusting loved ones who care. The first song, “Smoking Cessation” compares quitting a cigarette addiction to leaving behind a broken relationship in the most heartbreaking manner. The song basks in understated indie-folk sadness before building to an emotional outburst with Flanigan’s raspy punk vocals on full display. The short yet satisfying song[...]

Catch the Ghost – Midnight Naps in Cemeteries

July 7, 2024

Catch The Ghost is Buffalo’s first phantom-themed emo-punk band. That’s right, it’s more than just a name – the group’s latest project Midnight Naps in Cemeteries takes haunting personal issues, whether that be vices, fears, anxiety, or people we hate, and compares them to troublesome ghosts that pester to no end. It’s a fantastic metaphorical vehicle that creates some intriguing lyrics as well as unifies the project under one focus. The group’s guitarist, Luke Wheeler said “We’ve always had a really fond fascination with ghost hunting, and Zack Bagans’ style of aggressive paranormal research.” The group actually did an hour-long live stream titled “Hinsdale Investigation,” in which they did some of this paranormal work. They said “Practical ghost hunting applications are crucial for songwriting.” In addition, the two remaining members, Kody Fintak and Nick Benstead, expressed their love for an indie horror video game called Phasmophobia. Funnily enough, the first[...]

Seldon – The Truth

June 19, 2024

Rochester up-and-coming jazz-pop band, Seldon, just dropped their second single “The Truth.” The group met at and are based out of Eastman School of Music, but hail from a variety of places, Las Vegas, Boston, Los Angeles, St. Louis, and the list goes on. The, lets just say, this American seven-piece cultivate an impressive fully-fledged soulful jazz-pop sound despite only forming in fall of 2022. Their first release and prior single, “I Still Want You,” excels in dazzling listeners with luscious R&B melodies and a subtle funk groove. The group perfectly meshes behind lead singer, Lily Bogas while a jazzy sax solo rounds out the track’s second half. Seldon explores an even more emotive sound on their new one, “The Truth,” an appropriately named slowburner about honesty within heartbreak. It starts with a contemplative solo acoustic guitar part before Bogas comes in with poignant lead vocals. Strings creep in as[...]

Jimso Slim – 3 is the Number

June 19, 2024

Shane Joyce is Rochester’s one man indie rock wrecking crew. Joyce is a talented multi-instrumentalist and his project, Jimso Slim is a jewel in the Western New York music scene. Of his project, Joyce said: “I record and play all of the parts. The only exception is a recent song called ‘Brother’s Dead’ where my friend Russell Brinkman recorded the bass.” He continued, “Everything is recorded out of my basement. I have a drum kit, a few guitars, a bass, a couple amps and a couple microphones. I’m certainly not an expert at recording or instrumentation, but I just do what I can and see what happens.” His latest release 3 is the Number, is an EP composed of, you guessed it, three great indie tunes. On the first track, “Rita Says,” Jimso Slim’s nasally Dylan-esque delivery grabs the listeners attention over a swooning instrumental. Backing chorus vocals add dimension and[...]

Rodagues – Made Men

June 19, 2024

Buffalo alternative hip hop trio, Rodagues create an experimental yet catchy modern rap sound. Their fizzing sonic concoction fuses many different strains of hip hop, whether that be old school boom bap, houston’s chopped and screwed sound, southern trap, as well as a plethora of related subgenres.  The group’s three man weave of artists is composed of WizzleDaWzRd, puh-GEEZ, and Be_Daylight. To get to know an individual member’s catalog, check out our review for puh-GEEZ’s project LEVELS. Rodagues’ latest release “Made Men” is a collaboration between WizzleDaWzRd and Be_Daylight. The beat, crafted by Wizzle, combines a vaporwave-like, cloud rap aesthetic with a smooth-as-butter west coast bounce. He said of the track:  “I guess for the hook part the inspiration was the Jermaine Dupri and Jay Z song, ‘Money Ain’t a Thang.’ I always say I’m the modern version [of] JD with how my beats [are] sounding.” Wizzle’s gravely voice floats[...]

Nolo the Slayer – Bottega

June 10, 2024

There’s a funny story behind the way Buffalo rapper, Nolo the Slayer got his name. Early on in his music career, while he was going under the name Nolo, he randomly decided to change his Instagram handle to “@nolotheslayer.” On his first official feature, the artist who he had worked with saw his Instagram, assumed that was his artist name and released the feature as just that, “Nolo the Slayer.” At first Nolo was a bit upset about the situation, as it wasn’t his chosen name, but before he knew it, the moniker had already stuck with those around him. He ended up continuting to use it and the word “Slayer” has even become a common adlib for him.  The addition of “The Slayer” gives the name and interesting and unique edge, sounding like the title of some ancient exalted medieval knight. Furthermore, after he’s released and promoted 2023 projects like I[...]

Turnup and GRXZZ – Racin

June 10, 2024

Buffalo alt-rap trio, SPACEBOUND is back with a new single titled “Racin,” a collaboration between two of the members Turnup and GRXZZ. The song features a bustling, noisy instrumental influenced by both old-school Memphis rap and modern southern hip hop. A spiny phonk-inspired cowbell melody gives the hard-hitting song a dark edge. On SPACEBOUND’s louder songs like this one, Turnup often plays the slugger role out of the group taking their tracks to the next level with his hyperaggressive delivery. He draws first blood on “Racin,” yelling his brains out in the tense and repetitive chorus. His following verse introduces the song’s topic, as “Racin” is a risktaker’s ode to living fast or dying young: Jump outta the whip Got the bag on me I ain’t bring no bread If he gotta clip he aint getting all I got Gotta use your head Walking up to the house I was[...]

Mark of Fatality – Last Breath Under One Thousand Stars

June 9, 2024

The intro track off of Erie metallic hardcore band, Mark of Fatality’s debut studio EP, Last Breath Under One Thousand Stars, starts with an air of reverence. A dramatic synth part builds while a speaker says things like “This war was never about good and evil,” “Public places are now a shooting range and artificial intelligence is the new age.” They question “Have we really evolved into complex beings or are we still primitive beasts based on instinct?” He concludes with something he’s sure of: “We all have the Mark of Fatality.” It’s a bit ecclesiastic in the way it describes primeval problems and how relative they are to our current decaying world, you know, in a real metal, hardcore type of way. Anthony Hudock, the band’s guitarist, mentions how early 90s metalcore bands like Undying and Prayer for Cleansing, often included synth intros similar to this one. The spoken-word[...]

Wife and Kids – Magnesium

June 9, 2024

Wife and Kids, a newer name in the scene (with some familar faces), have been gaining traction with their candid alt-folk balladry and sweet sense of melody. The duo is composed of Alex Behrens and Joe Morganti (also in SPACED and gas station.) and a quick stream or two of their music shows these guys are downright talented. Wife and Kids’ tender yet poppy strain of indie-folk and strong singer-songwriter chops are on full display in their first two singles, “Possible” and “Way Back When.” Even still, the duo’s latest, “Magnesium,” might be their best yet. The lyrics on “Magnesium” have a real, personal, and weighty quality to them. The singer touches on brief yet sentimental ideas throughout the track, giving the feeling of flipping through a scrapbook of related but separate memories. Despite the lyrical ideas feeling somewhat disparate at times, them being together feels quite important to the songwriter’s[...]

Jesse & the Spirit – a

May 16, 2024

Buffalo to NYC transplant, Jesse James’ experimental project Jesse & the Spirit is back with a new single titled “a” set to release on April 26th. Their Bandcamp bio breaks down Jesse & the Spirit’s sound well: With collaboration from an unexplainable presence known simply as “The Spirit,” Jesse James creates emotional soundscapes in a maelstrom of electronic and acoustic drums, ambient synths, classical guitar, and otherworldly samples, touching on a variety of genres from trip hop, cold wave, and witch house to folk, noise, and raw atmospheric metal.” It’s a true melting pot of cross-genre collusion. If you’re looking to get a good idea of James’ chaotic musical combinations, compare their 2018 gothic avant-folk project, Clairvoyance to the grating experimental noise and dark electronic psychedelia on their project, also from 2018, When the Spirit caught up, I laid face down in the crossroad, clutching the ground with every ounce[...]

the niagara river – complain to the creators

May 16, 2024

This just in, naming yourself after a well-known local landmark may be a cheatcode for getting people to check out your experimental electronic project. You’d have to ask Buffalo-Brooklyn ambient duo, the niagara river if that’s a legit strategy. The two musicians, James Lotterer (Auxcab, Cylo) and Jesse James (Jesse & the Spirit, Dolly Sods) share the name James, as well as an aptitude for creating standout, off-beat electronic music, both in different capacities. Check out our review for Jesse & the Spirit, to get to know the related project’s sound. The niagara river’s recent release, complain to the creators, is a two-song EP that starts with the sprawling, over 17-minute track, “did she exist?” In the first part, a chiming sound that sounds like a reversed piano note acts as the track’s foundation. A cycling key melody and contemplative bell-like synth part creep overtop. At the three-minute mark, a foggy ambient[...]

Luno J and Neftali – The Dramatic

May 16, 2024

Rapper Neftali and producer Luno J have an intriguing history in the local music scene, prior to releasing their recent six-song collaborative project, The Dramatic. Neftali, who started in the scene seven years ago, was a member within the now defunct alternative hip-hop group, FREAK THE MIIGHTY. Lately, he’s releasing solo music as well as fronting Buffalo hardcore band, JEWELTONE. Luno J, a recent transplant to the city in 2021, joined local powerhouse rap group Free Music Party soon after. He began making a name for himself with his unique production style fusing influences from EDM, R&B and hip hop.  Luno said of a specific musical inspiration for The Dramatic, “I really like Flume and in particular the tracks he does with rappers because it’s kind of an untapped genre of EDM-influenced experimental tracks with rapping over top.”  This influence is evident in the intro track, “Too Late,” which combines hip hop[...]

Gatto Black – “Escape You”

May 6, 2024

A recent poster for a show at Amy’s Place in Buffalo described Gatto Black as SSRI post-hardcore and it’s pretty spot on. Sal Mastrocola, the group’s main songwriter, has an anxious and very emo take on hardcore. Mastrocola popped onto the scene a few years back with two 2021 singles and the 2022 EP, 2 Stressed 2 B Blessed, released through local label, Triple Hammer Records. The group’s sound is nostalgic for the emo side of 2000s skramz, but takes it to the next level by moshing it with modern sounds of hardcore, post-hardcore, and even alt-metal. The group’s latest release “Escape You,” explores the apathy of enduring toxic relationships, especially those that find pleasure in the pain of overstaying their welcome. In the song’s opening verse, Mastrocola demands the listener’s attention with an emotionally charged vocal delivery that trembles with palpable rage. Listening to Mastrocola stutter, yell and cry his way[...]

OG Sole – “DEEP END”

April 12, 2024

OG Sole’s latest release “DEEP END” starts with a hair-raising string sample. Shortly after, the drums come in heavy, and OG pounces on the instrumental with confidence and style. “DEEP END” has a hard edge and braggish tone as OG raps about grinding on his craft over a self-produced instrumental. This type of musical confidence is more than warranted. OG has been making a name for himself for quite awhile as he’s been an independent artist for ten plus years. Recent releases like Sushi and “Freestyle 2023” are both worth checking out.  OG Sole is a triple threat, artist, producer, and engineer. He has rapped alongside the likes of Billie Essco, Jae Skeese and Camoflauge Monk, as well as engineered Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn’s 2015 Big Ghost Ltd project, Griselda Ghost. So there’s a reason for the hard-nosed boasting on “DEEP END.” OG Sole’s relentless bars delivered with a uniform[...]

Hundred Plus Club – “Gobsmacked”

April 10, 2024

Hundred Plus Club combines intense, often dark, emotions with an upbeat indie rock style that perfectly mixes the negative and positive. It’s an easy-to-get-into sound applicable to life’s many uncertainties and in-betweens. In their earlier discography, the group often drew inspiration from early 2000’s post-punk revival and indie rock groups such as The Strokes, Interpol, or MGMT. Check out our previous posts on the band to learn more. Yet their most recent release, “Gobsmacked,” finds a bit more in common with 80’s alternative and post-punk groups like The Cure or Echo & the Bunnymen. Sticking to the shadows with an edgier sound, Hundred Plus Club evolves their style substantially on “Gobsmacked,” delving deep into a modern and groovy goth rock sound. An 80’s drum machine loop acts as the rhythmic foundation, while lead singer Zain Shirazi’s open-ended lyrics jump off the page: “I see those menacing eyes / I wanna[...]