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Sonny Falls – “Cemeteries”

October 20, 2023

Sonny Falls turns a normally somber locale into something palatable and pleasant here on “Cemeteries.” Granted, I love walking through “Cemeteries,” but the soundtrack to my visit isn’t typically a pleasant indie-pop track… Songwriter Ryan “Hoagie” Wesley Ensley seamlessly melds an acoustic guitar backbone with tasteful percussion, swimmy guitar work, and his omnipleasant voice. Ensley ends the song with a jam of sorts that reads as powerful and meaningful without ever dipping into overblown-for-the-sake-of-epicness territory. Fans of Bright Eyes, Spoon, or (deep cut here) An Angle will love what Sonny/Hoagie has to offer. You can find “Cemeteries” on Spotify and Apple Music.

Chris Portka – Trash Music (Vinyl)

October 15, 2023

A few months ago, we reviewed Chris Portka‘s Trash Music (you can read our original review here) – as a creative, challenging, and utterly unique work of art, Trash Music goes down, at least in our annals, as one of the most left-field recordings we’ve ever had the pleasure of diving in to… Needless to say, when the opportunity came to get our hands on a vinyl copy of Trash Music, we couldn’t say no. Here’s a bit about our experiences revisiting Trash Music in a different medium – via the warm, comforting wash of analog vinyl. First, there’s something to be said about receiving and unwrapping a vinyl – seeing the uniquely colored wax, enjoying the “case candy,” and experiencing the art in a physical sense before diving into the aural aspect of the album. My copy of Trash Music came in a surfy, mint green (a personal favorite hue). It also came with a[...]

Lila Dupont – “Dance and Smoke and Sing”

October 12, 2023

Once upon a time, NYC-based singer/songwriter Lila Dupont had a cold. Instead of laying in bed and being a loaf, she put pen to paper and wrote “Dance and Smoke and Sing,” her latest single. With it’s upbeat guitar-based backbone and overall breezy vibes, you might be surprised to learn that “Dance” is actually about trying to breakup with a significant other… But the song’s perceived happiness is actually the embodiment of how free Dupont imagined she’d feel after breaking those proverbial chains. Fans of Phoebe Bridgers, Maggie Rogers, or the almighty Clairo are going to find lots to love here. Check out the YouTube vid from Lila below, or, add it to your favorite Spotify playlist.

Chief Broom – Hidden in Plain Sight

September 30, 2023

The story of Chief Broom (CB) is sadly a tragic one. Centered around the songwriting of Shadrach Tuck, this revolving cast of Boise, Idaho natives create songs that focus on “the fragility, monotony, beauty and horrors of everyday life.” Crafted in the wake of the death of co-founder TJ Tuck (Shadrach’s brother), Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS) is a continuation of his musical journey – a fitting, if closing chapter on the life of a man who touched the Boise music scene in profound ways. TJ’s presence is felt all throughout HIPS – Shadrach and his revolving cast of characters (including mainstays Will Cheeseman and Frankie Tillo) saw to it that TJ was immortalized through painstaking attention to detail. Both TJ’s drumming and artistic vision are integral to HIPS – recorded by band father Terre Tuck’s at his home studio, this album has the sincere feel of a homebrew creation with a grand[...]

BYLAND – “Monstera”

September 30, 2023

If you’re looking to feel emotionally crushed, we’ve got the perfect new jam for you. BYLAND (aka Alie Renee Byland) makes her triumphant return with the heartbreaking “Monstera,” ostensibly about losing a once treasured musician-to-musician relationship. With all the fervor of Big Thief, Belinda Carlisle, and even Manchester Orchestra, the crunchy guitars and impassioned vocals from Byland drive this one into goosebump-inducing territory. The song’s unique lyrical content might read like a love/breakup letter, but Byland explains otherwise: “… [‘Monstera’] isn’t quite a love letter, but it is not an apology… I wasn’t just changing my address – I was breaking a promise.” Be sure to check it out via the YouTube embed below before adding it to your Spotify and/or Apple Music playlists.

Brimheim – “Literally Everything”

September 27, 2023

Danish act Brimheim (aka Copenhagen-based musician Helena Heinesen Rebensdorff) gives into her “most pathetic impulses” on latest single, “Literally Everything.” We appreciate her candidness, because it has resulted in one hell of a song. The blasts of vintage synth are a highlight here, as they come in unexpectedly and buzz your eardrums in the most perfect way. All the while, the rest of the understated alt pop stays effortlessly low key, including Rebensdorff’s beautiful vocal performance. Fans of PJ Harvey, Caroline Polachek, and Weval will love this. Check out “Literally Everything” on Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Tamra – “Flood”

September 27, 2023

There’s something so familiar about the midwestern emo-tinged indie rock coming out of Tamra… Familiar in a good way, of course. “Flood” is their latest single, a two-minute meandering set off by a repeating rhythmic motif that will have you air drumming in no time. Guitars laden with a tasteful crunch carry the brunt of this track, while emotional-but-sincere vocals ride along top in a passionate (but not too passionate!) delivery. Its understated nature is what makes it so perfect – let the waves of nostalgia wash over you in that all too familiar way. Fans of Braid, Manchester Orchestra, and even City & Colour will enjoy what Tamra has to offer. The YouTube embed is located below, but “Flood” can also be found on Apple Music and Spotify as well.

Sonic Blume – “Falling Behind”

September 27, 2023

“I’m sleepyhead, I’m cheesy bread.” Within the first five words of “Falling Behind” by New Jersey-based act Sonic Blume, it feels like they’ve summed up the collective millennial/gen z experience. Sounding somewhere like the child of “Where Is My Mind?” by Pixies and modern day dream-pop emo (aka dream-o), “Behind” is as emotionally crushing as it is validating. Driven by its wry guitar lines and eclectic lyrics (seriously, there is some genuine wordsmithing going on here), this one struck a chord with us on multiple levels. You can find “Falling Behind” pretty much anywhere music can be consumed, including: Spotify, Apple Music, and Deezer.

Illiterate Light – “Always Always”

September 20, 2023

There’s just something fun about the latest single from Virginia-based duo Illiterate Light. Playful, ebullient, and generally upbeat, “Always Always” is built around an inescapable vocal hook that digs into your brain, latches on, and refuses to let go. With a sound that perfectly meshes southern-tinged indie rock (think My Morning Jacket, Band of Horses, or Fleet Foxes) with the synth-laced hooks of Foster The People or Passion Pit, we think “Always Always” is a shoe-in to refresh your tried-and-true playlists. You can find this fun little ditty on both Spotify and Apple Music.

Floyd Thursby – “Teenage Ladybug (feat. Mademoiselle)”

September 16, 2023

I am neither teenaged, nor a ladybug, but “Teenage Ladybug” by Floyd Thursby and collaborator Mademoiselle made me feel things. A simple song with a bluesy guitar backbone, “Ladybug” pairs Thursby’s wry songwriting with Mademoiselle’s matter-of-fact, hush-hush vocals. With lyrics about living in trees and smirking while perched upon a daisy, it’s tough to literally relate to “Ladybug…” But something about it feels real to me all the same. It’s very possible that this song is just a joke, but if you really think about it, teenage ladybugs really don’t get any respect. No respect at all. Probably. You can find “Ladybug” on YouTube (below), Bandcamp, Spotify, and Apple Music.

Ostrology – “Only A Dream”

September 16, 2023

Is aural LSD a thing? If it isn’t, we think Ostrology has invented it with new single “Only A Dream.” If you could take Mac Demarco and turn the “Demarco” knob all the way to 11, you might have a good idea of what to expect. Warped and warbly to the max with wild lyrics to match, “Dream” is disorienting in all the right ways. Is the song out of tune? Could it even possibly be in tune? Is that even a guitar? Question upon question will build upon themselves – needless to say, we’ve never heard anything like this. Toke up with some dank bud and give this one a listen, we’re pretty sure it will change your life. Check out the equally trippy YouTube video below. You can also find it on Soundcloud.

Vast Robot Armies – “Like A Bug”

September 16, 2023

Vast Robot Armies (VRA) has been kicking around for the good part of a decade and that storied experience shines through on latest single, “Like A Bug.” With heavy nods to the band’s pedigree, friends, and collaborators (Sometimes Why, The Life And Times, Shiner, and Sundiver just to name a few), “Bug” is a cavalcade of dark grungy guitars, plunking electric pianos, and booming drums. Having evolved from a solo project to a full-fledged collaborative band, VRA has run the gamut of different forms and shapes – if “Bug” is any indication of their future trajectory, buffaBLOG will be paying attention. Check out “Like A Bug” via YouTube (below), or stream it on Spotify or Apple Music.

Ravetank – Echoes From Feedback Mountain

September 5, 2023

When you get a heads up that an album you’re about to enjoy is classified as “absurdist noise folk,” you kind of already know what you’re getting yourself into… Or maybe, its more likely that you don’t actually have any possible clue. Either way, the latest LP from Bath, UK-based duo Ravetank is a journey in ambient noise and never ending discord. Ranging from whirring wind sounds and quiet meditations all the way to ear-destroying squalls of feedback and atonal guitar monstrosities, Echoes From Feedback Mountain (EFFM) is certainly a mediation on the fine line between noise and melody. After a full listen to EFFM, you might be surprised to learn that Ravetank is only two people. They recorded the backbone of EFFM live in order to capture the most authentic possible presentation of their sound. From there, they added a series of overdubs, including “bass, some guitar, feedback loops, and contact mic’d[...]

Goalie Fight – “Kids’ Table”

August 30, 2023

Like many Midwest-emo inspired acts (think Modern Baseball; American Football; Football, etc.), Goalie Fight started with a sports-inspired name and gradually started pumping out some tasty riffage. We’re recommending their latest single, “Kids’ Table,” for your listening pleasures. Spindly guitar twinkling here is in the forefront – equally sparkly, mathy, and jangly, it produces a surprisingly driving beat that the drums and bass accompany perfectly. Bringing to mind the wordsmith narratives of The Front Bottoms or the aforementioned Modern Baseball, the mile-a-minute musings here are witty and intriguing, perfect for any basement show-going wallflower. You can find “Kids’ Table” on Spotify and Apple Music as well. On Ice! by Goalie Fight

James Beastly – Junk Values

August 30, 2023

James Beastly. The man, the myth, the legend. One listen through the blistering punk/alternative/slacker/??? vibes of his latest album, Junk Values, and you’ll be thinking the same thing. He’s self-described as “too indie to be punk and too punk to be indie” and we couldn’t have said the words better ourselves. Junk Values is just that eclectic. Either way, James’ iconic personality and unique tastes truly shine through on this collection of ten, genre-defying songs. James evokes wild punkers like WAVVES and FIDLAR (are both of those bands capitalized? Maybe we should start capitalizing JAMES BEASTLY) on album opener “The Arc of Youth.” Proco Rat (TM) guitar tones lay underneath cosmic and psychedelic guitar leads while James takes center stage with his unhinged but still-digestible delivery. This is punk rock for the ages, and James nails the aggressive vibes here perfectly, but it’s just one step on the journey you’re[...]