Latest Posts

The Daze – Methomania

January 24, 2024

Winters in the Northeast are no joke – I surely don’t need to tell any of our Buffalonian readers that. Our neighbors across Lake Erie in Cleveland might know a thing or two about how to get through a brutal winter, too… Something like: watch your football team lose in heartbreaking fashion and promptly go back to drinking and shoveling for the next four months, and somewhere in that time span maybe write a song or two. Cleveland-based act The Daze know this exact pain. The rock n’ roll duo (Eddie Grier on vocals, guitar, bass, and keys and Basil Johnson on organ, drums, and percussion) channeled their teenage angst into a gritty ten-song album they’re calling Methomania. While Methomania is a term that is archaic for “alcoholism,” the album also touches on themes of addiction, growing up, and anxiety. The Daze was formed by a group of high school[...]

Jenny Rubicon – Greedy

January 15, 2024

Jenny Rubicon (JR) is a fresh-faced indie rock act hailing from NYC composed of James Bannon and Max Chomet – the duo’s evolution from collegiate friends with differing musical opinions to co-songwriters in a band is a wild one, but it’s these unlikely pairings that often create the best artistic results. A decade into their friendship (which has since blossomed considerably), they’ve crafted a brand new album titled Greedy. At nine songs long, Greedy is the sound of their growth as musical partners AND friends encapsulated into something tangible. Not only is it a fun-sounding, punchy, and crunchy batch of guitar-based power-pop that is perfect for any listening occasion, but it also touches on themes of moving on, growing up, and evolving as time goes by. Album opener “Dinner Party” introduces the listener to the hallmarks of Jenny Rubicon’s sound; think chunky guitar distortion, upbeat tempos, and heart-on-your-sleeve lyrics delivered[...]

SAVAK – “Leash Biter”

January 6, 2024

SAVAK just released the first single from their upcoming LP, Flavors Of Paradise. Notably, they’ve indicated that FoP has “no guests, no edits, no country, and definitely no funk—the record is lean, spacious and lively.” Brilliant. “Leash Biter” is a perfect demonstration of that aforementioned explanation – its cold, angular energy; bouncing bass backbone; and stabby guitar back-and-forth have us feeling urgent and unsettled while simultaneously bobbing our heads along to the janky rhythms. Fans of PLOSIVS, Pinback, or The Dismemberment Plan will love what they hear here. You can find “Leash Biter” on YouTube (below) and Spotify.

Lucy McWilliams – “Follow Me”

January 6, 2024

Dublin-born London-based singer/songwriter Lucy McWilliams knows how to tell a great story, as evidenced by her latest single, “Follow Me.” With her sweet, cooing vocal stylings and nebulous grasp on genre (falling somewhere between indie pop, adult contemporary, and alt-pop), Lucy weaves a web of mysterious pop that leaves you both dazed and wanting more. About the song, Lucy says: “‘Follow Me’ at its core is just a straightforward love song. It’s about being excited about someone, and feeling all the possibilities of the world in that person. At a time, that was a different kind of love that I hadn’t experienced. I think it’s a weird feeling, going through different relationships, but never really feeling loved. But then stumbling upon someone and within a small window of time, suddenly feeling at ease.” You can find “Follow Me” on both YouTube (below) or Spotify.

Balloon Snake – “Warsaw”

January 6, 2024

Bushwick-formed, Brooklyn-based trio Balloon Snake turn up the fuzz angst on latest single, “Warsaw.” With ripsaw guitar tones and impassioned vocals, “Warsaw” takes influence from late 90s luminaries like Sunny Day Real Estate or Hum and pairs it with the gritty emo and punk from the early ’00s. The result is this great, overblown jam that’s just at home on your headphones as it would be at some sweaty, dank NYC basement show. Preview “Warsaw” via YouTube below – then add it to your favorite Spotify or Apple Music playlist.

Suburban Queens – “U & I”

January 6, 2024

For their third song ever (!), Suburban Queens turn up the post-punky quirkiness for latest single, “U & I.” With energy that would make both Clairo and New Order eat their hearts out simultaneously (somehow), “U & I” pairs neurotic drumming and nimble basslines with big vocal hooks and an indescribably sassy energy. About the song, SQ says: “This song is about being in love and being isolated with you and your person. Its also questioning whether or not this isolation is healthy and asks questions about commitment issues that in the end eventually ruin the relationship you tried so hard to build. But it’s also me just saying sorry for hurting anyone because of my hubris and my lack of foresight.” You can find “U & I” on YouTube (below) or on Spotify.

Garden Station – “Losing My Head”

January 6, 2024

Philly’s Garden Station don’t care much for the trappings of adulthood, as evidenced by the bratty, blown-out punk rock of latest single, “Losing My Head.” With a sense of humor and a much-needed ebullient approach, “Losing My Head” makes use of blown-out guitar distortion; na-na-na singalongs; and a big, major-key guitar progression to keep things upbeat and raucous. To me, this sounds like a beer-soaked Friday night in someone’s basement – fans of Hot Mulligan, Dropkick Murphys, and Sex Pistols will probably agree. If you like what you hear below via YouTube, add “Losing My Head” to your favorite Spotify playlist.

Into The Light – Into The Light

December 27, 2023

Rochester-based act Into The Light formed in 2022 and boasts an impressive pedigree of Rochester talent – think members of Bad Bloom, Union, Hard To Know, The Silence Broken, and Achilles. This particular crew is influenced by shoegaze, indie rock, and post-hardcore like Failure, Catherine Wheel, and Quicksand; said influences come through strongly on their debut EP, the self-titled Into The Light (ITL). The quartet worked with record producer Steve Sopchak (of Motionless in White and Ice Nine Kills fame) to create a gritty, guitar-forward album full of raw aggression, chugging chords, and cathartic emotions. It has just as much in common with crushing ’90s grunge like Soundgarden, your favorite Deftones album, and modern-day acts like Superheaven and Teenage Wrist. Album opener “The Thorns of Life” introduces you to the hallmarks of ITL – expect spindly guitar leads laden with thick distortion tones; a rock-steady bassline that’s just as nimble; and[...]

Kramer – Sitting Alone Suite

December 27, 2023

You might not believe him when he tells you, but despite having almost no social media presence, newly-minted act Kramer won a Grammy in 2023 (!). Having worked as a record producer and as a “behind the scenes guy” for years, social media was never a necessity for Kramer’s success in the music industry. But after winning the Grammy for his work on J. Ivy’s spoken word poetry album The Poet Who Sat By The Door, Kramer figured this whole solo project thing was worth a shot. The result is a stunning and poignant debut, the four song Sitting Alone Suite. Colloquially known as Chris Kramer, Kramer got his humble start fussing around with samplers in the 90s. Having cut his teeth in other bands and as a producer, Sitting Alone Suite came to him while literally in dangerous waters. Recognizing the peril he was in and fearing for his life,[...]

Sun Wave Mountain Cave – “Bones”

December 26, 2023

Sun Wave Mountain Cave hail from Minneapolis and their sound is a mixture of surfy goodness with a hint of both Midwest emo and Midwest twang. “Bones” is their latest single, a guitar-soaked romp in front of a grain silo… And as Buffalonians, you know how we feel about our grain silos. With plenty of lush harmonies and guitar solos (and an intangible sense of Minnesota humility), fans of Car Seat Headrest, My Morning Jacket, or Prawn are absolutely going to love what they hear. You can find “Bones” via the YouTube embed below, or, on Spotify.

Crab x RXKNephew – “On My Way To The Bronx”

December 26, 2023

Crab is a brand new Brooklyn-based band whose interesting collab with RXKNephew caught our ears. “On My Way To The Bronx” evokes Superheaven and/or Lil Peep with it’s swimmy, shoegazy instrumentation – the twist here, of course, comes from RXKNephew’s smooth rap flow. It’s a left-field choice but one that feels immediately fresh, unique, and surprising. While Nephew is going off, Crab holds it down with sludgy instrumentation, with chorus pedals and fuzz pedals roaring in unison. You can find “On My Way To The Bronx” on both Spotify and Apple Music – be sure to check out their Linktree as well.

Backstrom – The Carousel

December 26, 2023

Swedish act Backstrom is gearing up to release their latest batch of songs – The Carousel, due out January 18th, 2024. The Carousel is a potent mix of folk, rock, and country tunes composed by songwriter/project mastermind Backstrom and sung by vocalist Bart Topher. A seasoned storyteller and veteran musician through and through, Backstrom has crafted a collection of dark and mysterious compositions that aim to transcend the “cheesiness” of sing-song songwriting to mine a deeper vein of untouched potential. The result is a nonet of cohesive and thoughtful songs that paint literary portraits of life and its many complexities. Album opener “Train Wreck Coming” is a bluesy bounce that introduces us to the hallmarks of Backstrom’s sound. Nimble guitar picking is the star of the show here, fingers bobbing and weaving across the fretboard to form a rock-solid backbone for this song. Backstrom layers the song thick with folksy instrumentation, including[...]

Club 8 – “Sunny”

December 20, 2023

Swedish duo Club 8 are back with a string of new singles, starting with “Sunny.” Their particular brand of lo-fi seems to be influenced by cold and mathematical post-punk, with its jittery percussive presence and driven basslines. Overall however, the song has an upbeat, airy, and warm disposition, lush with male/female call-and-response and melodies reminiscent of its namesake. Fans of CASTLEBEAT or shoegaze like Slowdive will find lots to love about this one. You can find “Sunny” on Spotify and Apple Music.

Elijah Cruise – “Suicide in Her Head”

December 20, 2023

The enigmatic Elijah Cruise is back with another electrifying single, “Suicide in Her Head.” After the streaming success of previous single, “Poem of a Killer” (it amassed over a million Spotify streams!), “Suicide in Her Head” finds Cruise playing with the same heart wrenching energies that “Killer” previously evoked. Falling somewhere on the spectrum between post-punk, emo, and alt-rock, “Suicide” boasts an impassioned vocal delivery; a swimmy, plunking bass presence; and a dark underlying aura that will leave you feeling both energized and cathartic. You can find “Suicide in Her Head” on both Spotify and Apple Music.

Just Leila – Just For Me

December 17, 2023

Originally hailing from Morocco, Just Leila (aka singer/songwriter Leila ليلى Moussaoui) grew up with a diverse set of influences, including jazz, Arabic melodies, French pop, and the rhythm of R&B. An avid traveler, Leila’s wanderlust seems to have creeped into her latest offering, Just For Me, a seven-song EP full of meditative pop with a distinct, new age twist. Having spent so much time traversing the globe, Leila’s songs are informed by themes of connection, freedom, and artistic expression. About the album, Leila offers: “‘Just For Me’ is like a creative mantra of sorts, something I needed for myself in order to protect my creativity and keep it sacredly mine until I was ready to share it out. I wanted to gift myself this safe space, this blank canvas, so I could really open up.” EP opener, “Bits of Pieces,” sets the scene for Leila’s soothing and relaxing approach. Her[...]