Latest Posts

Stinkus – 23

March 29, 2024

Stinkus (aka Tyler Thompson) is gearing up to release their first true body of solo work, a magnum opus of hazy bedroom-pop-meets-slacker-rock called 23. Having previously had success with their other bands WILD and girlhouse (and some stints producing for other bands like Smallpools, The Mowgli’s, Timothy Edward Carpenter, and Jon Bryant), Stinkus is no stranger to songwriting. If you’re like me, you may have incorrectly assumed that 23 was a reference to Stinkus’ age. In actuality, Stinkus’ inspiration for this album came after a split with their fiancé of seven (7) years. And while Stinkus is surely tapped into the zeitgeist of warmly-produced-indie-folk-with-quirky-lyrics that fits in so well now in 2024, their songcraft dives so much deeper. There are plenty of metaphors referencing mental illness, drug abuse, and the like… But at its heart, especially musically, 23 is just Stinkus finally being Stinkus. And it rips. “I am” introduces the[...]

Russian Baths – “Split”

March 28, 2024

Indiana-based Russian Baths have mastered the quiet/loud song structure on latest single, “Split.” Quirky, pitch-shifted guitars and haunting vocals power the verses before plunging into a doom-drenched chorus, lush with fuzz tones and angular drum patterns. While lightly abrasive at times (in a good way), “Split” never loses the backbone of pop songwriting, with plenty of interesting melodies and sounds to dive into. You may be expecting an absolute maelstrom of noise to erupt at some point, but Russian Baths keep the song spring-loaded without ever exploding, adding to the tasty feelings of urgency and unrest. Like The Cure meets DIIV at their gothiest (their words, not ours), we think “Split’s” noisy simmer is going to be one of your newest favorites. Preview “Split” via the YouTube embed below, or, find it on Spotify or Apple Music.

Howdy, Cherry – “Georgia (again)”

March 28, 2024

Howdy, Cherry channeled true heartache into the longing, low-key indie rock of latest single, “Georgia (again).” Pairing vintage organ sounds, gentle guitar twang, and lightly distorted strums with her sugar-sweet delivery, “Georgia’s” slow-but-sure tempo brings to mind luminaries like Phoebe Bridgers, Clairo, and Plains. While the song overall is quite endearing, scathing lyrics like “Why am I hoping that you might be fucking someone else – need a better reason to replace your picture on my shelf” highlight the deep pain Cherry must be hiding within. Here’s a bit about the song’s origins from Cherry herself: “I wrote the lyrics to ‘Georgia’ in the midst of an emotional breakdown seeing my ex walk into a bar with a potential new lover. It’s meant to be nostalgic, a little sad, a little hopeful – and truly means whatever it means to you ♥” You can find “Georgia (again)” via Soundcloud (below)[...]

HEAR ME OUT – “Borderlands”

March 28, 2024

Embracing a tight post-punk sound, Germany’s HEAR ME OUT are here with the icy-cold “Borderlands.” Pairing thick bass chords, spindly guitars, and calculated synth work, “Borderlands” has a gothy undertone with nods to classics like Joy Division and Depeche Mode. Skittering drum beats keep the vibe neurotic, while the instrumentals twist and turn around it, giving off an aching feel while still embodying that glassy-eyed feel that makes post-punk so endearing. Here’s a bit about the song’s origin from the band themselves: “[‘Borderlands’ is] a product of our singer’s thoughts drifting away during a university class about migration, taking a critical point of view on nations as constructs and showing sympathy with those who have to abandon their homes.” You can find “Borderlands” below via YouTube, or, here via Spotify.

Mia Day – “Severed”

March 26, 2024

Mia Day is due for a little redemption. After a string of stinging losses, she’s risen like a phoenix with latest single, “Severed.” After a year of hell (a “hell year,” if you will), Mia channeled her pain and angst into a new album, Hellier, Forever, upon which “Severed” resides. Taking cues from the grunge greats of the ’90s with plenty of fresh, 2024 energy, “Severed” is an amalgamation of crunchy guitars, raw emotion, and her heart-on-sleeve vocal prowess. Here’s a powerful quote from Day herself explaining where she’s coming from: “For months I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I would just write songs every day… It’s me saying, ‘I will not disappear and I will not let a single person destroy me.’” You can find “Severed” via the YouTube embed below, or, stream it on Spotify.

Fresh – “Merch Girl”

March 26, 2024

London pop-punkers Fresh are here with the ebullient pop-punk of “Merch Girl.” The title-track of their upcoming EP due out April 19th, 2024, “Merch Girl” pairs fun, punky vocals with buzzsaw guitars and an overall upbeat vibe, drawing comparisons to Tigers Jaw, Candy Hearts, and Lemuria. The song is meant to be a beacon of empowerment for female artists – here’s a little more about that from Fresh themselves: “Merch girl is about living in that space between wanting something and achieving something. It’s kind of a character song, about somebody that is involved in music – but not in the way that they want to be, and they’re frustrated by that. At the beginning of the song, they’re watching from the sidelines, but as the song progresses they make the decision to create their own art. It’s a bit tongue-in-cheek, drawing from clichés of the wallflower, the sidekick, but[...]

Eva Brooks – “DONE”

March 19, 2024

EVA BROOKS aims to dominate dark-pop (and succeeds!) on latest single, “DONE.” A groovy, dancy song with plenty of sassy, menacing energy, “DONE” has a sophisticated energy with none of the typical pretentiousness associated – intriguing, as Eva herself is a classically-trained musician. Pulsing synth bass and stabs of disco guitar help to flavor this track, but the ultimate appeal here comes from Eva’s vocals and kiss-off lyrics. Here’s a bit about the song from Eva herself. “‘DONE’ is a fun and dancy song about a woman who could finally say ‘goodbye’ to a narcissist idiot who dominated her life for too long. If you listen closely, you can hear his dreadful motorcycle and her praying for him to leave. But there is also the powerful groove that lets her get up and send him on his way. ‘Goodbye, I’m done with you!'” Check out “DONE” below via YouTube or[...]

St. Kio – “Falling”

March 19, 2024

LA-based St. Kio (aka Filipino self-taught multi-instrumentalist, artist, and producer Nicole Bandoquillo), blew us away with “Falling,” a whirling dervish of a song. An onslaught of guitar energies and swirling drums pummel you throughout “Falling,” a maelstrom of reverb and chorus tones amalgamating together to form something exciting and fun. “Falling” is a testament to St. Kio as an entity, an exercise in pushing musical boundaries as far as they can be pushed… One listen to “Falling” and we think you’ll agree that St. Kio has succeeded in that journey. Fans of Slowdive, Japanese Breakfast, and Slow Pulp will enjoy the hazy shoegazy goodness found here. You can find “Falling” on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music. Falling by St. Kio

Club 8 – “Daylight”

March 19, 2024

Swedish duo Club 8 are unstoppable lately, crushing single after single of beautifully simple dream-pop. If “Sunny” and “Just Like Heaven” weren’t enough for you, it’s time to peep their latest offering, the uplifting and airy “Daylight.” At just over two minutes, “Daylight” comes and goes before you know it (like many of our weeknights, amirite?). A constant fuzzed-out bass keeps the song moving while icy-cold guitars pluck softly in the background. Fans of Alvvays, No Vacation, and Mazzy Star will find lots of similarities in Club 8’s lovely sounds. Check out “Daylight” via YouTube below, or, on Spotify.

Summer Like The Season – Aggregator

March 19, 2024

We’re not sure if we could consider “outsider rock” a burgeoning genre, but it’s no longer reserved for left-field listening parties and music lovers looking for a challenge. Continuing in the footsteps of The Shaggs and Mort Garson (or maybe more like Marnie Stern and Liz Phair), Summer Like The Season (SLTS) is here with their latest album, Aggregator. Filled with flamboyant ideas that all fall somewhere between beautiful and bonkers, Aggregator is a modern-day enigma that will leave you feeling bewildered. It’s full of outsider rock ideas that are performed with an indie-pop mindset, replacing out-of-tune guitars and atonal howling with stunning melodies and genuinely novel ideas. Aggregator starts out innocently enough – ambient sound and gently plinking tubular bells greet your ears before dropping into an innocuous ’80s-inspired electronica texture. Here’s SLTS’s first trick – they blast into one of the most supremely catchy synth-pop choruses I’ve ever heard. Singer Summer[...]

Secrecies – “Cathedrals”

March 14, 2024

Dallas-based band Secrecies bring their gauzy, shoegazy goodness to latest single, “Cathedrals.” Pairing ethereal synth work with far-off vocals and a gothy, ’80s-inspired undertone, “Cathedrals” is a perfect icy song to get you through these last few remaining months of winter. With a simple-but-eerily-effective chorus of: “Taste it, touch it, feel it, love it, waste it, rush it, need it, prove it tonight,” Secrecies drills home the importance of living life in the moment and making the most of the present, briefly changing their tone to something uplifting. Fans of Beach House, The xx, and Sylvan Esso will find lots to love about Cathedral’s beautiful approach. Check out the video for “Cathedrals” via YouTube below.

SEER SEEKER – TO THE CORE

March 11, 2024

Virginia indie-hip-hop act SEER SEEKER is here with an electrifying blend of genres on their debut release, the eight-song TO THE CORE. Blending hardcore intensity with a hip-hop core (and more than a bit of glorious late ’90s/early ’00s nu-metal nostalgia), this batch of songs pairs dank guitar sludginess; emotive vocals; and filthy bass tones with shiny and intense electronic production. This is truly a genre-defying effort – whether you’re a fan of hip-hop or guitar-driven music, TO THE CORE would fit perfectly on a shelf next to your favorite Linkin Park, Orgy, and Papa Roach records. The opening few moments of TO THE CORE are laden with piano twinking and a fuzzy, vinyl record effect. Called “Starlight,” this song is reminiscent of the iconic intro of “In The End” by Linkin Park; it’s an apt beginning to an album full of emotional turmoil; epic twists and turns; and theatrical buildups. Soon,[...]

GLASS CITIES – “Alive”

March 6, 2024

GLASS CITIES is a brand new, mysterious alt-rock band who pack an energetic punch – the fiery vibes on latest single, “Alive” are all you’ll need to convince you of that. With shiny radio-ready production, sky-high vocal theatrics, and a touch of Latin drama (see the breakdown at 1:35), “Alive” feels like it’s tailor-made for a summertime dance party… And surely packs enough heat to melt the snow off the hearts of us frozen Buffalonians. Fans of fun., ALT-J, and Two Door Cinema Club will find this one slots perfectly into their playlists. Check out “Alive” below via YouTube, or, add it to your Spotify or Apple Music playlists.

Cipriani – Meek

March 4, 2024

Swiss singer/songwriter Claudio Cipriani is hot off of the release of his latest offering, Meek (February 29, 2024). If the auspicious leap year release date wasn’t indication enough of this EP’s transcendent qualities, a full listen through Cipriani’s work will have you feeling lighthearted and free. For the past three decades, Cipriani has been crafting music that can be described as enchanting and captivating, encapsulating the beauty and joy of life in a world that almost forces you to look past. His work is deeply inspired by the beauty of nature and showing kindness to others – the blend of instruments here embodies that mindset, with flashes of piano, violin, plunking basslines, and Cipriani’s breathy baritone delivery. Here’s Cipriani himself explaining the central thesis of Meek: “‘Meek’ is an EP about the struggles of our lives in our present times trying to lift us above the mists of negativity to[...]

Jared Bill – Mystery Man

February 29, 2024

There’s something intangible about the latest album from country act Jared Bill… Or maybe the word I’m looking for is tongue-in-cheek? Either way, the rock-tinged country of his sophomore album, Mystery Man, is a compelling journey of flavorful storytelling, fun anecdotes, and a surprisingly touching core that never takes itself quite too seriously. With such a wide-arching spectrum of topics, there’s something here for everybody… Even corgi lovers. Opening track, “The Jared Bill, Pt. 2,” is an acoustic-laden country western song that acts as a sort of biography or origin story of the character of Jared Bill. Deeply narrative lyrics evoke feelings that you’re about to rob a train sometime in the 1800s. The rich story certainly helps to kick off the album, a simple-but-effective style that would sound right at home in your favorite local saloon or dive bar. With nimble piano twinkling, spry guitar noodling, touches of female[...]