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April 3rd

April 4, 2014

Lone – “2 Is 8” British producer Lone was responsible for one of the most infectious singles of 2013 with “Airglow Fires,” a track that features a hip-hop inspired outro, hinting at a possible new avenue for the artist. “2 is 8,” the latest single from his upcoming album, Reality Testing, is a mesmerizing blend of hip-hop and house, channeling J-Dilla with it’s spry, bouncing feel. The vibe perfectly captures the producers wide array of influences, showing an impressive mastery of texture and movement as the track closes out with a lush, emotive synth breakdown.   Bicep – “Nova” London via Belfast duo Bicep recently shared their latest cut, “Nova,” an exclusive that will appear on Will Saul’s upcoming DJ-Kicks mix. Like many of their tracks, the gritty percussion and soaring vocal samples makes for a 90’s house feel with subtle, yet elegant transitions. Look for the track on Saul’s mix due out June[...]

Cloud Nothings – Here and Nowhere Else

April 3, 2014

Cloud Nothings‘ face-crunching fourth album is a fearless, assertive follow-up to 2012’s Attack on Memory. Oscillating between a chaotic rush of existential howls and throaty but tuneful melodies, Here and Nowhere Else pounds its presence out through furious snare slams and clamorous cymbal crashes. For better or worse, Cloud Nothings are as foggy and nihilistic as their namesake implies. “You’re born / you’re gone,” cries frontman Dylan Baldi repeatedly on “No Thoughts,” succinctly whittling the human condition down to its coming and going. As in the songs of similarly-minded peers Titus Andronicus, however, the absurdity and cruelty of existence makes for some pretty addictive punk rock.  Here and Nowhere Else largely consists of blurry, anti-pop assaults of pop song length. Baldi is a dynamic vocalist, sliding from screams to Strokes-style singing with relentless charisma. Even as he complains that “life gets boring, it fades away,” he seems impassioned enough to annihilate the ennui he fears. On[...]

Hamilton Leithauser – “11 O’Clock Friday Night”

April 3, 2014

Despite the Walkmen calling it quits, their former members have been keeping quite busy. Bass player Walter Martine appears to be releasing children’s music, albeit with some help from indie friends like Karen O. Organist Peter Matthew Bauer is prepping his solo LP, which if you have heard the song’s first single “Latin American Ficciones,” you may be wondering who the real secret weapon of the band is. And finally front man Hamilton Leithauser is putting together his own solo album, Black Hours, featuring contributions from Rotsam Batmanglij of Vampire Weekend, Richard Shift, former Walkmen bandmates, and many more. After releasing the very fun “Alexendra,” Leithauser dropped the video for another new track today, called “11 O’Clock Friday Night.” Ditching the slightly over-the-top feel of “Alexandra”  for a moodiness that made the Walkmen’s You and I so great, this track can be found on the forthcoming album Black Hours, set to[...]

Rackmastas Release Return of the Rack LP

April 3, 2014

Rackmastas, a long time duo born out of the basement of Gates Circle Wine & Liquor, recently released its long awaited LP, Return of the Rack. Spanning 17 tracks, the record has a lot going on, although don’t be misled by the long tracklist as a handful of those songs are fun little radio station under writings. The long form tunes cover many genres, including R&B, hip hop, dream pop, experimental post-rock, jazz, and pretty much you name it. Stand out tracks include “Girl Watcher,” a pretty cut dreamy computer pop that would please Dntel fans, and “H.H.G.M.T Zoppity,” which sounds like what Collections of Colonies of Bees might sound like on a sugar high. You can stream the entire Return of the Rack, which features contributions from members of Inquiring Mind, Crows and Jays, and more, at the band’s bandcamp page. In the mean time, listen to “Girl Watcher” below.

Girl Talk and Freeway f/ Waka Flocka Flame: “Tolerated”

April 2, 2014

Ok, so technically the song and video came out on Monday, but I finally stopped shaking with excitement over it to have steady enough fingers to type about it today. Mind you, it’s not the best thing I’ve heard this week, but it is my most anticipated. The first teaser from the Broken Ankles EP that drops next week, this track will hold you over until April 8th when the full-length video and album are released. Full disclosure: I’m borderline obsessed with Girl Talk. Haters gon hate, but I think his baggy sweats/no shirt/dope hat and/or headband steez at shows is superfly. The Pittsburgh native has been churning out mixtapes for years, sampling everyone from Jay-Z to Bruce Springsteen on well-produced and well-acclaimed albums that are the lazy man’s dj at parties. Too lazy to make a playlist? No worries, because Gregg Gillis has you covered. Freeway, *not* to be confused with “Freeway” Rick Ross, though[...]

Listen to “See Me Again” by Soul Butchers

April 2, 2014

Soul Butchers have recently made a blip on our radar with their debut 7 deep EP/short album 18 Wheeler (produced by Mr. Skimask). The album starts off with a retro-punk flavor similar to that of locals Irving Klaws or Wolf Tickets, but the real magic creeps out on the third track, titled “See Me Again,” where the band distances itself from the rowdy Stooges-like intensity. “See Me Again,” sounds like a mix between a lighter Les Savy Fav meshed with more cathartic Dismemberment Plan. Comprised of past members of 90’s hardcore/punk band, Black Tar, and more recently Delores, and Trailerpark Tornados, Soul Butchers’ next show will be at Spiral Scratch’s Record Store Day showcase on 4/19. Request “See Me Again.”

Thievery Corporation – Saudade

April 2, 2014

Rob Garza and Eric Hilton are busy guys. Since forming Thievery Corporation in the late ’90’s, they’ve produced eleven studio albums, with the release of Saudade as their twelfth. Normally when one thinks of Thievery Corporation, they are associated with the acid-jazz movement and over-dubbed relaxing reggae. For the duo, things are shifting with this new release. What drew them together is the Brazilian-born genres of music that can be seen here in purely classical form on Saudade. After straying and exploring several elements of the electronic world, as Garza says, ‘it’s us coming full circle from electronic music back to something organic.’  The Portugese word ‘saudade’ means “a longing or something or someone that is lost, a contented melancholy, or, simply, the presence of an absence.” This is an appropriate titling for the group and the musical shift they are exploring. Sometimes, in order to get rid of that feeling of loneliness,[...]

The New York Breakfast Releases DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK

April 1, 2014

Anyone who takes even a brief dip into the waters of Buffalo’s live music culture quickly realizes that Steak and Cake founder Brandon Schlia is one of its proudest captains. On the eve before his label’s third anniversary show (which also happened to be Valentine’s Day), he was part of an unforeseen and harrowing turn of events that left him hospitalized. Showing perseverance in the face of adversity as well as true rock n’ roll diction, the two part show went on, and even included Schlia, home from the hospital and sitting on a chair in his living room.  Last Friday, Steak and Cake released a 4-track album titled DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK by his personal solo project, The New York Breakfast. The New York Breakfast has always been an intimate vessel, and these songs make the listener feel as if they’re spying on Schlia in his bedroom while he plays[...]

Passion In Constellation Drops New Single

March 31, 2014

Passion in Constellation, the project of Buffalo producer Chris Alan, released its follow up single to “Sunlight” this past weekend. On “Weird Tonight,” Alan appears to be aiming to drop a summer anthem on Buffalo as playful synths lead up to a big chorus that recalls Empire of the Sun’s “Alive.” Fans of Passion Pit, MGMT (at their less difficult), and yes, Empire of the Sun, should give the track a listen. Keep an eye out for future tunes from this interesting project. Check out “Weird Tonight” below.

Attic Abasement Teases Upcoming Split LP

March 27, 2014

Carbon Records, a 20 + year Rochester indie rock mainstay, is prepping the release of a split LP from 585 act Attic Abasement and Nod. Earlier this week, the label dropped a couple teaser tracks from the record via bandcamp. “Pretty Teeth,” part of the Attic Abasement half of the LP, is a cut of jangly 90’s college rock from the bedroom indie rockers, led by lead singer Mike Rheinheimer’s pleaing vocals. Fans of Yuck, Silver Jews, Smog, and Pavement should check the track out. The full release appears to be dropping in early April. In the mean time, listen to “Pretty Teeth” below.

Gumwads Release Debut Surf-Punk Single

March 26, 2014

Over the last couple years, a few surf-rock bands have been sprouting up in Buffalo, most notably Space Wolves and Aaron & the Burrs. Yesterday, Gumwads, a new local surf-punk trio, released their raucous debut single “Gimmie Every Inch.” This is dirty, messy music. Captain Geech & the Shrimp Shack Shooters it is not. The single, along with the change of pace B-side “I’m Sick of Musicians,” was recorded by Mr. Ski-Mask and can be downloaded over at Gumwads’ bandcamp page. Don’t be surprised to hear this blaring through the Pink’s speakers at last call one of these nights. In the mean time, listen to “Gimmie Every Inch” below.

Todd Terje w/Bryan Ferry – “Johnny and Mary” [Robert Palmer Cover]

March 26, 2014

Maximum smoothness levels. Todd Terje is really someone to keep an eye on this year. Also getting Bryan Ferry on your track helps. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/140882320″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Humble Braggers Release New EP

March 25, 2014

Since being featured on one of our Album of the Week features last year, Humble Braggers have been quietly working on their live set. They’ve also been hard at work on some new material. The Say EP was released today and features three new songs that show that the Braggers have been working hard at honing their reverb-soaked indie rock. I’d like to call these songs “sharper” than their last release, but that wouldn’t be the right word… In fact, they specialize in swirly songs whose instruments seem to decay for days. The EP puts a spotlight on prominent bass, ambient guitars, and foggy synths. There is a distinct 80s vibe to some of these songs (most notably, the cover of Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World”), but on songs like “Hold On, We’re Going Home,” the Braggers nail it with catchy, contemporary guitar lines.  Have a listen below.

Tigers Jaw – “Nervous Kids”

March 24, 2014

Tigers Jaw gets laid-back and grungy on this charming new song from their upcoming album, Charmer. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/134470863″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]