Latest Posts

Five Buffalo Acts We Want to Reunite in 2025

We’ve taken the office Christmas tree down and it’s back to business over here at blog headquarters. 2024 had its ups and downs with the local scene. We launched buffaBLOG version 4.0, witnessed the usual band break-ups/venue closings, but also saw the emergence of new artists that we are excited to listen to and share. With that, we’ve brainstormed Buffalo musicians that we would like to see reunite in 2025. We understand some of these may be a pipe dream, but think of this as more of a fantasy draft rather than an open letter.  Don’t get us wrong however, if any of these acts return in 2025, we are taking full credit. (photo via Unlisted Projects)  Jack Toft / Jack Topht Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-duh don’t you miss Jack Toft? A wishlist for acts we would like to see reunited in 2025 would not be complete without the kookiest rapper of the[...]

Newish Star – American Angelica Tree

It’s been over a year since local low-fi/indie group, Newish Star released their last record, 2015’s You Missed Everything – Part II. After ending their tour and with little noise coming from the trio in terms of new releases, there was the possible fear that we’d never hear anything from them again. Another tale of a local Buffalo outfit that ended up splintering band members and kind of fading off into the distance. But no, that’s not what this is about. Because on February 13th, the band put out a brand new release titled, American Angelica Tree. To say that it’s just a new release from the band wouldn’t quite do it justice. It is a collection of songs from the band released for us all to hear and enjoy, true, but really, it feels more than that. After a flurry of releases in 2015, it’s altogether possible that the[...]

Top 20 Buffalo Tracks: 10-1

It’s that time of year again, where we re-think and dissect every local song that we’ve come across organically or via submission. This is our fourth year counting down our top songs and this year, like every other year, has been difficult to whittle down. Like we always remind people, this list is subjective and not the end-all be all. Earlier this week we posted our five close calls and our first half of the top 20.  I am sure there are amazing local songs that aren’t on our radar, but from what we have heard, we as a group have determined below are the blog’s favorite songs of 2015. 10. Tiny Rhymes – “Arrows” Tiny Rhymes‘ ”Arrows” is an incredibly cherishable tune. It approaches the listener with a coy but welcoming softness, making it feel like a delicate gem that only you are privy to. Atop prime musicianship, singer Sharon Mok’s[...]

Tonight: Newish Star

Buffalo’s favorite lo-fi power punk act Newish Star has some new(ish) announcements! As a follow up to their October release, You Missed Everything Part I, the trio recently released the second half of their new album, You Missed Everything Part II. With a whopping eight minute-thirty second run time and a total album run time of about 17 minutes, the guys stay true to the brief, quip-like tunes they’re known for. Though it feels like the album is over in the blink of an eye, the cryptic lyrics and hooky melodies always linger for much longer. As an added bonus, tonight marks the start of Newish Star’s November tour, which will include nine additional East Coast dates. The celebration kicks off at Curly’s at 7pm tonight. $3 gets ya in the door to experience the band’s punchy, energy packed set, along with opening sets from Kharlos and Tony Flaminio. Ask[...]

Tonight: Sonny Baker

Sonny Baker is set to celebrate the release of his new EP tonight at Mohawk Place. Baker’s Flesh it Out is soulful like, well, Pavement meets Ryan Adams. Baker (member of lots of bands) will perform will perform with his new trio which features members of Lazlo Hollyfeld, Rhubarb, Gravy, and more. I’ve loved Softlines from first listen and they don’t play enough shows. On the other hand, the ever prolific Newish Star just dropped a newish album and will be playing this gig too. Bright Eyes-esque Andy Pothier will also be there. Honestly, I heard him at Herd Fest and thought he was Conor Oberst. Mohawk opens its doors for the gig at 8pm and its $5 to get in.

Newish Star Shares You Missed Everything Pt. 1

Well, they’ve done it again, and it doesn’t even really come as much of a surprise anymore. Coming as their THIRD release this year, local lo-fi punk/indie act Newish Star has announced another new full length, titled You Missed Everything, and put the first half up on bandcamp this past Sunday. It also comes as no surprise that this clocks in at less than 10 minutes. At this point, one would guess that at three releases in just this year, the trio’s material may begin to become stale, but that is not the case. On the first half of You Missed Everything, it’s clear that Newish Star is showing no signs of slowing down, presenting some of their hardest hitting, down to earth, and catchiest tracks yet. The band’s punk influences show in moments like the ripping drum tracks on “Pinball / Dirty Pool” and the short but sweet “Cream,”[...]

Tonight: Newish Star

After a summer long slew of free shows that featured the likes of Governess, Dreambeaches, Sonny Baker, Kharlos, and more, Queen City Cartel’s bi-monthly showcase in the back room of Hardware is coming to an end (just for the season, though, so don’t be sad). For the final bill of the summer series, QCC welcomes the sharp pop/punk West Side trio, Newish Star. Since debuting in the spring of 2013, the three piece has already amassed a deep catalog, one that included two new releases this year alone, of clever, over-before-you-know-it nuggets. If you missed Newish Star’s nearly washed out set at the once again soaked Music Is Art festival a couple weeks back, tonight’s gig should be considerably more dry. Opening for NS will be the raucous, lo-fi punk pair Space is Haunted. Like all QCC showcases this summer, tonight’s finale is free of charge. Music begins at 10pm.[...]

Tonight: Attic Abasement

If you like Fridays, if you like Nietzsche’s, if you like stacked bills at Nietzsche’s, there is a 100% chance that you should locate your physical being there for tonight’s gem of a lineup. Hailing from Rochester, Attic Abasement is a low-fi indie trio who’s slack-rock sound unites a quiescent attitude with effortlessly disheveled vocals and instrumentals. Frontman Mike Rheinheimer’s voice, at times, bears sonic resemblance to Dave Bazan’s (Pedro The Lion) mellow but emotionally pointed croon. It’s basement music with a simple exterior, but there’s a lyrical complexity woven in that heightens the captivation factor. Opening the show are three beloved local bands including Sixties Future, a new Gaslight Anthem-like band, MAGS, and Newish Star. Cover is only $5 and music kicks off around 10pm. Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Newish Star – His Excellent Ray

I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from bandcamp the other day, noting that a band that I follow had a new release, and even more pleased when I saw that band was local indie/punk tinged act Newish Star. I don’t think I’ve ever talked to someone at buffaBLOG that wasn’t into NS, and that is for a good reason. Since its beginning, the trio has been able to produce some of the catchiest tracks that I have heard out of a local band, and with each release, the band has managed to show an extreme amount of progression. With that being said, it comes as no surprise that I love His Excellent Ray as well. The band’s description for its latest EP is “six songs inspired by ‘Dr. Dude and His Excellent Ray.'” No big surprise here given the trio’s bumper fondness, but “Dr. Dude and his Excelent[...]

Cookie Drops Latest Tune “Take It Slow”

One of the blog’s favorite songwriting partnerships comes in the form of Cookie, a collaboration between Jordan Nittoli (Newish Star, Dream Journal) and Dave Dluga (Softlines, Mapmaker). Yesterday afternoon, the duo debuted another incredibly curt song, titled “Take It Slow,” which rings in at a fast one minute and 13 seconds. The follow up the band’s early 2015 EP, Tell it to the Fudge, “Take It Slow” continues to waste no time delivering quickly-paced indierock tunes that always seem to end too soon, but that’s what repeat buttons are for, right? The band does not expect to bring the project to a stage/basement any time soon, so listen to “Take It Slow” below.

Tonight: Difficult Night

Difficult Night will headline Sugar City tonight with special guests Newish Star and Facility Men.  If you haven’t heard the slacker vibes of Difficult Night, tonight is probably the night to see them. The line up is tight, and Difficult Night is easy on the ear to most listeners.  To that effect, the night is an all ages event, so bring the kid’s and give them exposure to some of the music Buffalo has to offer. The members of Sugar City would like all guests to know that their venue is both drug and alcohol free.  Anyone feeling a little parched is more than welcome to wet their whistle at Resurgence Brewery across the street.  The night will kick off at 7pm, and with only 3 bands shouldn’t go too late into the night.  There is no mention of a charge, but bring a few bucks just to be on[...]

The Queers

Mohawk Place is the site for the night’s best punk bill. Long time, Portsmouth punkers, the Queers (an act that’s reminiscent of high school, Screeching Weasel, and juvenile boys who picked on you when they actually liked you), will be rolling through town. The band will be turning out its brand of bratty punk alongside Richie Ramone. Ramone, perhaps unsurprisingly, sounds like the Ramones if they had a different singer, and with one listen to the Atom Age, its pretty clear they belong on this bill. Buffalo buds Newish Star are opening. Tonight’s doors open at 7pm, show at 8pm, and tickets are $15.

Tonight: Newish Star

Whenever Mac assigns me to write a preview, I quickly listen to a few songs to get a feel for each band and go on writing. I mean, I am sorry, I only have time to listen to so much. It is actually a little unusual that I will get so caught up in the music that I just go and listen to a band’s new cassette from start to finish. This is what happened with Newish Star, playing tonight at the Glitterbox with a host of other bands. For those unfamiliar, Newish Star plays guitar driven music reminiscent of Jawbreaker and Archers of Loaf. The trio’s latest cassette, How Soon We Forget, was released this month. It is excellent. Hailing from New Paltz, Diet Cig also recently released an excellent cassette of earnest, guitar music featuring declamatory vocals. The group is currently on tour in support of the release, Overeasy. Over easy happens[...]

Newish Star – How Soon We Forget

There’s a certain word that comes to mind when I think about the genre of pop-punk: “bratty.” In this context, it’s a compliment, or at least not an insult. Good pop-punk tends to come with a sneer and a stuck-out tongue, the objects of its quasi-ironic, sometimes petty derision usually the self, and then everybody else. That’s not a huge emotional range, and really good pop-punk often cleverly plays with those limits. It’s those kind of moments that make Newish Star’s new tape, How Soon We Forget, especially interesting. Musically, it’s in the same ballpark as their past releases, but past the power chords, the slightly-off vocals, and the driving drums is a level of nuance that serves as evidence of growth. The very first moments of the tape serve as a pretty good metaphor for where the band’s at. It’s a recording of the trio between songs at a[...]

Tonight: Newish Star & Space Wolves

Space Wolves and Newish Star are both putting out new cassettes; They’re playing a release show today at the Glitterbox with Alpha Hopper and Space is Haunted; There are, reportedly, free beverages, cookies, clothing, and balloons; You’ll also be able to pick up the new Feral Kid Records mix tape, which features Mallwalkers, Plates, Resist Control, White Whale, Utah Jazz, and more; There’s a mixtape exchange going on, if you’ve got any to spare; It’s all free, bay bee. What god smiled on us to make this show happen? Pick one to believe in, at least for today, because this will be grand. Below: good songs from both bands releasing tapes. Facebook event here.