Latest Posts

Yung Lean – Unknown Memory

September 26, 2014

This one hurts. This one really hurts. And it hurts because the pieces are there, but it just falls short of what it could’ve been. I do like this album, but I can’t help but listen to it thinking of what I wanted it to be. I would say that I’m crying about this, but with Yung Lean being associated with the Sad Boys, crying might be considered a good thing. I had such high expectations for this project, the debut album from one of my favorite artists Yung Lean-doer. The worst part about reviewing this album is the sincerity behind it. I know listening to it that Lean tried his best to make a really good album. He cut down on the jokes, and cut down on the rapping super hard, instead opting for a lot of autotune singing. I really liked it on “Ghosttown,” but my expectations were[...]

Mags Drops Debut Singles

September 26, 2014

A couple weeks ago, we wrote about The Slums EP, a new group led by The Malones ex-frontman, Steven Floyd. He is not the only former member with the creative bug brewing. Former Malones bassist, Elliott Douglas, formed a new solo project of his own under the moniker, Mags. Unlike the Slums harder, more aggressive sound, Mags continues the crunchy catchiness that the Malones left off with last year. Mixed and mastered with Paul Besch of Quiet Country Audio, “I Won’t Talk,” is an indie rock jam, easily syncable for your fall playlist.

Transfer in Jamaica Releases Speculative Party vol. 1

September 25, 2014

Buffalo producer/mashup artist, Transfer in Jamaica, creates music that, at it’s most compelling, can shift our perception of two seemingly unrelated styles and reveal an unlikely common ground, reminding the listener that genres are dynamic as a result of this eclectic creativity. The artist’s latest release,  Speculative Party vol.1: “Cry If I want To,” is part left-field DJ mix, part mashup album, divided into three parts that spans styles from indie rock to r&b, trip-hop, soul, electronic, and mainstream pop. The first track includes transitions from a pitched-up Beyonce sample to Radiohead’s “Lotus Flower” along with an surprisingly fluid segue from Salt-n-Pepa’s “Shoop” to Pixies’ funky, guitar-led track “Hey.” The third part of the release finds Transfer in Jamaica leaning towards a more hip-hop/club music approach with tracks from Disclosure, Kendrick Lamar, Pusha T, Rihanna, and Kanye West making appearances. Speculative Party Vol. 1 offers a pretty comprehensive snapshot of pop music over the[...]

Kendrick Lamar – “i”

September 24, 2014

Yesterday morning, rap’s current co-president (along with Drake) debuted the first single off of his upcoming album. Titled “i,” the track was pretty much all about good-vibes. Centered around a chorus of “I love myself,” Kendrick fires out short verses with a rapid flow, essentially declaring that in order for him to give love to anything (the hood..music..his city) he first has to give love to himself. Content-wise, it’s probably most similar to his song “Real” off of good kid, m.A.A.d city. It’s note-worthy because “Real” was looked at by many as one of the weakest tracks on the album. With “i,” Kendrick departed from his ghetto commentary (well, it’s an underlying theme) in favor of a feel-good track, and there’s plenty of backlash about this track because of that. As far as production goes, Pharrell brought back to relevance the quick-pluck disco-guitar with Daft Punk on “Get Lucky,” and it[...]

Such Gold Premieres New Single, “Faced”

September 23, 2014

Arguably one of the most popular up-and-coming pop-punk bands in upstate New York, Such Gold released its new single today via Alternative Press. The track “Faced,” is a great sample of what is to come with the band’s upcoming album, The New Sidewalk (Out November 10 via Razor and Tie). Listen to the song below and make sure to catch Such Gold on November 21st as the quartet plays the Waiting Room with Four Year Strong, Transit, and Seaway.

alt-J – This Is All Yours

September 23, 2014

If you’ve already listened to An Awesome Wave (2012), then it should come as no surprise that England-based trio, alt-J, is the farthest thing from generic.  With the release of their latest album, This Is All Yours, their peculiar sound seems only to have intensified, resulting in a compelling listening experience. As is characteristic to alt-J, An Awesome Wave is brimming with harmonies, layering, and, of course, the inevitable struggle to decipher what Joe Newman is actually saying.  This, however, does not distract in any way from the quality of their sound. In fact, it amplifies its strangeness in such a way that is magnetic. The album’s main quirk lies in the fact that there is a large disconnect between the tracks. While some songs (“Arrival in Nara,” “Pusher,” “Warm Foothills”) are almost hauntingly delicate, other songs possess verve and comedic relief.  “Every Other Freckle” particularly speaks to this dynamic;[...]

Hannah Weidner – Comfortable Existence

September 22, 2014

Rochester is having a good September as far as buffaBLOG is concerned. Earlier this month we saw the release of Cottage Jefferson’s fantastic new album B-Side, which deservingly snagged the blog’s first Album of the Week spot of September. This week we have another Rochester artist grabbing the spot—meet singer/songwriter Hannah Weidner. The DIY songbird’s debut album, Comfortable Existence, is a harmony-rich acoustic beaut, drawing comparisons to earlier tracks of sister-songwriter duo First Aid Kit. Now, as aforementioned, Comfortable Existence is an acoustic album at its core, consisting primarily of folksy acoustic tracks with beautifully-crafted vocal harmonies. (Take the ‘love-is-in-the-air’ album-opener “Your Essence” for example.)  A more focused listen reveals a certain intricacy to the songs that adds serious depth to the album, making Hannah Weidner and her songcraft stand out among other folk contemporaries. The subtle inclusion of horns and air organ in a few of the songs adds[...]

Yung Lean – “Ghosttown”

September 19, 2014

On the heels of news that debut album Unknown Memory has leaked (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), Lean has blessed his emotional disciples with “Ghosttown,” the album’s second single. With a seriously good feature from GOOD Music’s Travis Scott, “Ghosttown” is likely Lean’s greatest achievement in music. By collaborating with his signee, Yung Lean is literally one degree of separation from Kanye West. Think about that. Will Yung Lean appear on a Kanye album in the future? Probably not, but I’m just happy to be able to ask that question. This track is seriously excellent. Lean attacks it in his usual autotuned droning sing, and it’s as surprisingly refreshing as ever. Travi$ Scott is currently dominating the autotune singing game, something that he probably learned from Ye. “Ghosttown” is a true collaboration between the artists, somewhat surprising due to the disparity in their fame. After exchanging verses, the two serenade each other as the track[...]

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart – “Poison Touch”

September 18, 2014

The Pains of Being Pure at Heart have reached that “can’t do wrong” status with me. Their fuzzy and sometimes reverb heavy take at indie pop is near perfection in my eyes, and it may not be better exemplified than on their latest track, the shimmering and peppy, “Poison Touch.” Set to be included in the expanded edition of 2014’s Days of Abandon, the song once again features Jen Goma of A Sunny Day in Glasgow on lead vocals. “Poison Touch” stands up well next to Days of Abandon‘s best track, “Kelly,” also featuring Goma after former member Peggy Wang moved on from the band. The expanded edition of Days of Abandon will be released next week on September 23rd. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/168036509″ params=”color=ff5500″ width=”100%” height=”166″ iframe=”true” /]

Overhand Sam Releases Debut EP

September 18, 2014

We’re a little late to the game on this one. Rochester multi-instrumentalist (and Maybird member) “Overhand” Sam Snyder released Debut EP back in July, a deliciously fresh take on contemporary blues rock that gives off a faint Besnyo vibe. The four-track banger contains a few previously released songs, including single “For Better / For Worse” and an excellent full-band version of the formerly acoustic “Feel So Bad.” Stand-out track, “Just Don’t Know,” pairs a light, ghostly piano riff with a soaring guitar lead comparable to the sounds of Fuse.tv-era band Snow Patrol. However, OHS’ studio effort comes off as more than your typical blues-tinged alt rock, blending lush, piano-peppered instrumentation (highlighted by Snyder’s quality guitar leads) with a wispy vocal style and elements of blues, folk, and even R&B. It’s refreshing how much ground the four tracks are able to cover. Check out the NYC-mobster vibes of “For Better /[...]

Fashion Expo 1990 Releases New Album, waiting for memphis

September 18, 2014

Earlier this year, the debut release from Fashion Expo 1990, a relatively unknown electronic/house alias of Difficult Night’s Miles Kirsch, was named our Album of the Week here at buffaBLOG. That record was filled with nostalgic vibes from various dance music scenes of the 90’s and featured impressive keyboard melodies and highly dexterous rhythms along with interesting sample selection. Earlier this month, the project released its second album, the six track waiting for memphis, via bandcamp. Like the self-titled debut, the record consists of previously recorded material, this one dating back to 2006. Standout tracks include “98% hustling,” with it’s archaic samples and breezy melodies and “c.h.a.r.m.,” which features soulful piano chords and classic house vocal sampling. Once again, the keys throughout the album are virtuosic and give many of the tracks an urgent feel to balance out the ethereal, blissed out element found in the artists’ production. Listen/download waiting for memphis below.

Local Rapper ChaunSAY Mackin’ Drops Second Project with Chisom Uzosike

September 17, 2014

On the Buffalo Brave LP, ChaunSAY Mackin’ and Chisom Ozosike’s second take on a hip hop duo, the Buffalo rapper and Maryland producer (who previously released The Buffalo Bill EP together) are a fantastic combination of modern bar-rap and smooth soul sample beats. Opening track, “The Encore,” kicks off with a blast of horns that sound like they came right off a Village People record. The beat flips around for a while before it settles on a guitar strum and a funky bassline, working off of the same sample as this BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher. Throw little “Numbers on the Board-esque” celebratory “Yeah” vocal and a high pitched female note, and you got yourself a hell of a beat over which Mackin’ dances entertaining lines all over. Second track “Reputation” plays off of the same sample as Kanye’s “Bound 2,”  a seemingly daunting task considering the recognition of the latter. Chisom[...]

Daniel Robinson Drops Latest Single, “Head Trauma”

September 17, 2014

Buffalo born electronic musician, Daniel Robinson, has just released his latest single, titled “Head Trauma.” The song, which is currently available for sale/download on iTunes, is tense cut of industrial synth pop gives off an NIN meets Postal Service feel. Robinson has popped up on a couple Dreamland showcases lately so keep an eye out for when he is back in town from recording in Toronto here and there. Listen to “Head Trauma” below, and while you are at it, head over to Robinson’s new website and browse around.

Handsome Jack Releases Music Video For “Right On”

September 17, 2014

Following the release of their new single “Echoes,” Buffalo retro rockers, Handsome Jack, have continued to tease their forthcoming record, Do What Comes Naturally, with a new music video for the song “Right On.” The Go Pro (?) filmed clip for the soulful, slow burner finds the band performing the single while making some late night stops around the city. If you like what you hear, make sure to join Handsome Jack at Mohawk Place on October 24th to celebrate the release of Do What Comes Naturally, or if you are impatient like me, head down to Nietzsche’s this Saturday to catch the boys open for Buffalo Killers. New songs will sure to be tackled. Watch the video for “Right On” below.

Sea Oleena – “Island Cottage”

September 16, 2014

It’s rare that a song I’m blindly listening to can be so capture that I just stare at a motionless video but, Sea Oleena’s “Island Cottage” does just that. The song is a little dated, close to a year and a half old, but luckily music has no expiration date. It is beautifully somber, encompassing, and gorgeous. Fans of Beach House, Youth Lagoon, or even Iron and Wine would dig it. Check out “Island Cottage” below.