Latest Posts

Buffalo Sex Change’s Phil Pierce Releases KDNYLUV Compilation

September 10, 2015

Musicians from Rochester and beyond are coming together to help a family member of one of their own. Glori Alexandar, the sister of Buffalo Sex Change guitarist/co-vocalist Phil Pierce, recently underwent a successful kidney transplant this past weekend. While she is recovering well from the surgery, Glori still has a long and unfortunately expensive road ahead of her. In order to help with the mounting medical bills, her brother Phil has curated a 16 track benefit compilation in hopes to aid with the costs. The compilation features tracks, many which were previously unreleased, from some of Rochester’s top acts in Pleistocene, Howlo, Auld Lang Syne, MD Woods, Passive Aggressives Anonymous, and more, in addition to contributions from BSXC buddy Shana Falana, Buffalo native and Asthmatic Kitty artist DM Stith, and other acts from around New York State. Dave Drago of 1809 Studios, as well as Pleistocene’s Stephen Roessner, handled the[...]

Cantelope Drops 2-Track for ours

September 10, 2015

Lo-fi Rochester act Cantelope, which features Doorway Talkers’ Hannah Weidner on drums, released a couple new tunes onto bandcamp earlier this week. The fuzzy for ours is a short, two song EP that joins a small but growing digital catalog from young trio. The EP’s lead track, “R’N’R P Hole,” is a solid cut of Yuck inspired jangle rock. The three-piece will kick off a five date fall tour on Saturday, October 3rd in Fulton, NY with Utica’s still buzzing Comfy. The short outing will take Cantelope from Central NY to a few gigs down south. In the mean time, check out “R’N’R P Hole” below. for ours by CANTELOPE

Pentimento Shares New Song from I, No Longer

September 9, 2015

One of Buffalo’s shining stars is getting us all psyched for their new album. The emotive punks in Pentimento have just released “Sink or Swim,” one of two shared song’s from the band’s upcoming album I, No Longer (10/23). The track is an upbeat jam packed full of the cathartic lyrics we’ve come to love from this Buffalo four-piece. This time around, legendary emo-punk engineer Paul Leavitt (Yellowcard, Cute is What We Aim For, All Time Low) has left his mark on the project. Musically, Pentimento is staying true to form while vocally, singer Jeremiah Pauly has polished his trademark growl into a smooth croon. Fans of The Wonder Years or The Dangerous Summer are sure to be pleased. Check it out below.

Jax Deluca – Wither Without You

September 9, 2015

I’m always a sucker for a play on words. The title of Jax Deluca’s first solo release, Wither Without You, embodies the strength of defiant independence and the honesty of underlying defeat. The toss and turn of an addiction: to a lover, a friend, a long-gone identity, a habit. Combining meditative melodies and insightful lyrics, Deluca weaves a collection of songs that foretell the in-between feelings we all experience. It’s what good poetry does–expresses the collective through a seemingly personal lens. Recorded in the Karpeles Manuscript Museum during business hours, one can imagine bodies gazing at the current boxing exhibit, while Deluca strums the ukulele and Kyle Marler works the pipe organ, creating a dual experience of artistic coercion. Even though live albums aren’t particularly rare, the audio engineering by Benjamin Jura, and the mixing by Damian Weber, nuance the sounds so that it’s (almost) impossible to tell where they[...]

Parade Chic Shares First Single from One and Only Secret Dream

September 8, 2015

Local chamber pop outfit Parade Chic shared the lead single from the group’s upcoming debut LP, One and Only Secret Dream, earlier this morning. Titled “New Lines,” the neo-psych number features a bouncy, retro pop melody along with new wavey keys and gentle yet nervy guitars backing Colin Griffin’s lead vocals (think Stuart Murdoch meets Alex Berkley). Fans of Belle and Sebastian, the cassette culture movement, and even Ariel Pink should give a song a spin. Keep an eye out for One and Only Secret Dream sometime this fall (we think), and in the mean time, listen to “New Lines” below. New Lines by Parade Chic

Spring Service Shares Debut EP Concrete Prayer

September 8, 2015

Spring Service, the acoustic bedroom folk project of Tom Dennis, is music for the quiet observer. The Sun Kil Moon-esque instrumentals and story-like lyricism wring you out in an emotional but overwhelmingly appeasing way. All four tunes on Dennis’ debut EP Concrete Prayer carry a really beautiful earthy quality to them, but also incite an astral feel when it comes to the overall production. My favorite tune, “Polylonliness,” makes use of a twinkling, dizzying electric guitar part while Dennis describes striking terrestrial images of Capulin Mountain, volcanic bone and ribbons of smoke. Something about the melody reminds me so much of Band of Horses with its soaring progression and impassioned vulnerability. Concrete Prayer is more than just a union of earth and cosmos. It is also a union of East and West, a collaboration that bridges great distance. Dennis is a former resident of the Queen City and a former[...]

Little Cake Begins Song-a-Day September Project

September 4, 2015

Following in the foot steps of Alex Berkley and M-A, Little Cake, Radarada vocalist and Jack Toft partner in crime, has begun her own song-a-day project, releasing a new track for every day of the month of September. With three songs already in the bag, the project appears to be rather eclectic, with songs styles ranging from layered, neo soul and R&B to lo-fi kooky observational sing songs Today’s experimental track, “Pole Dance Students,” is and ode to well, new students to dancing on poles. The track is best served with the bass turned up. You can follow the daily progress over at Little Cake’s soundcloud page here. In the mean time, check out her day three song below.

Kharlos Shares First Single from Upcoming Cassette

September 4, 2015

Fuzzy slime garage trio Kharlos is set to release its debut EP/cassette Don’t Think About Dying at My Party on Saturday, September 12th. Featuring members of Merchants, ronaldraygun, and Space Wolves, the three-piece has kept a pretty low key internet presence, quietly dropping a debut track early this summer, up until now. Today, the group has shared the first single from the forthcoming cassette, set to be released by local tape label, More Power Tapes. “Work” sounds like the daylight peaking in the windows of a mildew-y basement. Grimy yet peppy, fans of Fidlar or the Black Lips should dig the tune. Look for a music video for the single to premiere sometime next week. The trio will be celebrating the release of Don’t Think About Dying at My Party at Dreamland along with Sixties Future, Dante Velour, and (redacted). Admission is free and a tapped keg will be waiting for you. In the mean time, check out[...]

Full Body Releases Debut EP

September 2, 2015

Full Body is the new project from Skirts drummer Dylan Vaisey, couretsy of Rochester-based label Bangkok Blend. Skirts is one of our favorite Rochester acts here at buffaBLOG, so naturally our interest was piqued by this particular side project. Full Body is hyper-aware, literate indie rock for fans of The Front Bottoms, Pavement, or Sebadoh. The album features an eclectic mix of styles that ranges from ultra grungy to half-sung, half-spoken emo odes. Despite Vaisey’s ultra straightforward and blunt delivery, this batch of songs has a cryptic feel. Check it out a cut from the group’s debut EP Go Get It below.

Sonny Baker Releases Full Band EP flesh it out

September 1, 2015

As both a supporter of local music and a Buffalonian (these are mostly safe assumptions to make—you are reading buffaBLOG), what comes to mind upon hearing the name Sonny Baker? Wooden Waves? Lazlo Hollyfeld? A Hotel Nourishing? As an Eden native, I could toss Uberfunk into that list, but that’s a story for another day. The truth is, between his multitude of projects and musical cameos in the projects of others, Sonny Baker really is one of the hardest working musicians in Buffalo.  And hot off the late-August release of his latest solo EP, flesh it out, Baker only strengthens his stake to that claim. Though in this case, there is only so much truth in calling his latest sonic outpourings “solo” work. For flesh it out, Baker has assembled an actual trio, featuring Chris Gangarossa on bass and Ryan Campbell on drums. This in itself is a departure—very rarely[...]

KOPPS Drop Latest Single “My Gold”

September 1, 2015

I had been hearing the buzz for awhile, especially after the group’s much hyped Joywave collaboration “Tongues,” but it wasn’t till seeing KOPPS earlier this year that they made an impression on me, and what an impression they made. Taking the stage before !!!, the Rochester quartet laid down the gauntlet with an impressive arsenal of dance-punk jams that shook the room. Now KOPPS is back with its newest and perhaps most impressive single yet, titled “My Gold.” It’s worth mentioning the production on the track, which was handled by Joywave front man Danial Armbruster, as it might be the breeziest the band has ever sounded. That’s not to say “My Gold” is not a banger though. With it’s propulsive bassline and hard-hitting beats, the track is an absolute belter of a single. Check it out below.

Night Slaves Share Demo Track “Into the Nowhere”

August 31, 2015

Earlier this spring, Night Slaves, a new industrial duo featuring John Toohill (JOHNS, Alpha Hopper) and Dave Kane (Them Jazzbeards), shared the unnerving first track from a soon-to-be released demo. Now, with summer almost over, the pair has quietly released a second track from the demo upon bandcamp, the dark yet strangely soothing “Into the Nowhere.” Night Slaves are still prepping said demo, but hopes to have it ready to go this fall with a physical cassette release as well as a live performance and a FLATSITTER produced music video. Keep an eye out for the duo’s fall performance and release date, and in the mean time, check out “Into the Nowhere” below. Into the Nowhere by Night Slaves

Aircraft – 7 Gems From the Sparkling Void

August 31, 2015

Aircraft is the band you’d picture being propelled 200 years into the future and selling out venue after venue in Saturn’s ringside (presumably flourishing) psych-pop music scene. It’s spacey, surf-like indie rock that maintains a tastefully flashy appeal, but it’s stuff that all of us earthlings can cut loose to in a grungy basement or bar, also. The Buffalo quartet (comprised of Justin John Smith, Tyler Skelton, James Warren, and Matt Cosmann) released their long awaited sophomore album, 7 Gems From the Sparkling Void, through local label Admirable Trait Records this past weekend. It’s a neatly packaged seven song album that offers a clean sound with modish aftertastes. The album had a slower build for me, but I often discover that to be one of the greatest qualities an album can have. I found myself humming the first tune to myself by the time I got to the last and wanting to[...]

Cooler Releases Debut Track “Cringe”

August 28, 2015

Although Cooler is an infant in band years , the group is already well on it’s way to explode beyond Buffalo’s music walls. Composed of a blend of solo artist Aileen Yates, two members of Brother Keep (Nathan McDorman and Nick Sessanna), and rounded out by former Lancer drummer-turned-bassist Adam Cwynar, the band has hit the ground running, already landing a deal with emo upstart label, NDE Records. With an EP titled 1993 coming out September 22nd and another batch of studio sessions already completed, 2016 is set to be a breakout year for the fledgling four piece. This past week, Cooler’s grungy debut track “Cringe” hit the internet on esteemed scene blog CouchKing. Unsurprisingly, the song is all about looking back at all those things you regret doing in the past. Those moments that haunt you in the final minutes before falling asleep or the “on-repeat” moments you have when driving all alone. Fans of[...]

Edwang Releases 333 Remix Album

August 26, 2015

As one of the city’s most creative hip hop producers, Edwang’s output is always worth checking out. He’s cooked up original songs with rappers and also done some great remix work, the latter of the two being the inspiration for this post. Ed’s taken on remixing duties for some tracks off of The Tortoise and the Crow, an album from LA/Hawaii duo the Grouch and Eligh in a project called 333.  The Grouch and Eligh present a nice canvas for which Ed to work on. Eligh usually comes through with the faster of the flows, whereas the Grouch has a gruffer approach to his rapping. It gives Edwang more variety with how he wants to attack his beats. The first minute and a half of “All These Lights” is centered around some nice piano keys and then the beat is turned on its head as it evolves into some crazy post-dub electronica. Its[...]