Latest Posts

Wild Once – Perennials

There’s something romantic about the concept of perennials. For those without a green thumb, a perennial is a flower that lives for more than two years – sticking around to poke their colorful heads out of the snow or blooming wildly throughout the summer before being murdered by the brutal Buffalo winter year after year. Wild Once knows a little something about rebirth – despite the death of their past projects (Rust Belt Lights, As Summer Dies), they’re still here and they’ve continued to create music. They’re a group of guys on the “wrong side of 30” (those are their words, not ours – see “Perennials”), but there’s a valuable, intangible kind of experience that comes with age. A vague punk influence still shines through here, but Wild Once’s music falls into a nebulous area between emo, pop-punk, and indie rock. Tinges of The Get Up Kids and Transit shine through as equally[...]

Batavia Post-Rock Act Ever Onward Starts Song a Month Project

Batavia native Colin Berardini is a lifelong musician that has recently embarked on a song-a-month solo project with his new songwriting vehicle, Ever Onward. He specializes in instrumental post-rock epics; lyricless soundscapes meant to inspire daydreams and to encourage the listener to find their own thoughts to take away. His most recent effort is “Hindsight,” a sprawling, six-minute composition full of sparkling guitars, swelling synths, and an overwhelming sense of atmosphere. Fans of Explosions in the Sky, Sigur Ros, or Lights & Motion will enjoy Berardini’s work. Berardini is already hard at work on his next release, due out in early June. Until then, you can listen to Ever Onward via most platforms – check it out on Bandcamp and add it to your Spotify playlist. Hindsight by Ever Onward

Tonight: Nylon Otters

Looking for something to do tonight? Perhaps you should spend your Saturday night checking out some heartfelt indie and rock music. Buffalonian mainstays Nylon Otters (warbly feel-good indie rock) and Passed Out (heartfelt and blistering indie-emos) are anchoring the show, featuring a very special set from Ithaca’s Wildflwr. Rounding out the evening is an ambient opening set from Depression Quilts. Tonight’s show is at 9pm at Milkie’s on Elmwood. Bring $5. Demo #1 by Wildflwr

Tonight: The Movielife

Fans of 00s Drive-Thru-era pop-punk rejoice! The Movielife is making their way through Buffalo tonight for a very special set… They’re playing two of their most celebrated albums in full – Forty Hour Train Back To Penn and The Movielife Has A Gambling Problem. Joining The Movielife tonight is fellow 00s royalty, Travis Shettel, of Piebald fame. Tonight’s show is at the Rec Room on Chippewa. Tickets are $20 in advance and doors are at 7pm.

Wild Once Release Brooding Debut Single, “Perennials”

Newly-minted Buffalonian indie rockers Wild Once are due to release their debut EP later this spring. Until then, they’ve come out swinging with the brooding title-track, “Perennials.” The quartet shows off a decidedly mature and atmospheric guitar-driven sound, while not straying too far from their emotional and punk rock roots – think The National meets The Get Up Kids with a hint of The Killers. Perennials is due out this spring via Admirable Traits records. Make sure you catch Wild Once’s EP release – it’s at Mohawk Place on May 10th. Perennials by Wild Once

Johnny & The Man Kids Release Raucous New Single, “Before”

Buffalo lo-fi pop-rockers Johnny & The Man Kids are gearing up for a new release later this spring. In anticipation, they’ve just dropped the first single from their upcoming EP, You Made Me Hurt. “Before” is an energetic blast of overblown distortion, fleshed out with tastefully distorted vocals that sling earworm pop hooks. Fans of The Strokes, Twin Peaks, or Diarrhea Planet will find something to like here – be sure to check it out through the convenient widget below. Johnny & the Man Kids’ new EP, You Made Me Hurt, is due to be released on 4/12/19 via Admirable Traits Records.

Bruiser & Bicycle – Woods Come Find Me

Any musician knows the trials and tribulations of being in a band, perhaps no one better than the remaining two members of Albany psych-folk act Bruiser & Bicycle. Their latest album, Woods Come Find Me, is a transition of sorts. It’s a step away from their full-fledged rock band roots. They are a duo now, and they have accepted their fate as a two-piece. Sure, only having two band members certainly brings its own set of limitations… But the opportunity has come for co-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Nick Whittemore and Keegan Graziane to spread their wings – they’ve used this chance to reinvent themselves, and in doing so, explore themes of existentialism, transitional disorientation, and restless spirits. Say what you will about the current state of indie rock – but Woods Come Find Me, with all its exploration of suspended animation and arrested development, exists in a sort of time warp. Imagine it’s 2005 again –[...]

Ghostpool & Hand Out – NYLA

A good ol’ fashioned split goes a long way; both bands get the out-of-town rub. In this case, Buffalo’s Ghostpool have teamed up with New Orleans pop-punkers Hand Out for NYLA, a four-song offering that highlights two brand new songs from each band. Hometown reps Ghostpool kick things off with “Bug,” a mid-tempo banger with the strongest of the emo elements across this EP. Both bands straddle that hard-to-define pop-punk/emo line, but “Bug’s” strong dynamic range gives it a true emotional edge. It pairs forlorn lyrics with guitars that switch from reverb-ed and forlorn to fuzzed-out. Lyrically, Ghostpool laments about being existentially annoying – a babbling nobody with a racing mind, eternally buzzing in someone else’s ear like a god damn bug. It’s a touching and sincere sentiment, even if it’s executed with huge guitars and gravel-voiced, pop-punk brattiness. “Feels Bad” (maybe a reference to the ever-memed “feelsbadman”) is another song[...]

Canceler – GASP

We buffaBLOGGERS pride ourselves on being “in-the-know,” so its always a pleasant surprise when we stumble upon something new and unique. This was precisely the case with Syracuse’s Canceler and their latest EP, GASP. Combining elements of post-punk, emo, and indie rock, GASP is a raw and sincere blast of emotion from a mysterious three-piece that we’d love to know more about. EP opener “Helium” is an apt introduction to Canceler. It opens with one of the most subtle moments on the EP, but quickly evolves. The band uses bursts of frantic drumming, sing/scream harmonies to emphasize depressive lyrics about being tired of life’s ups and downs and the simple exhaustion of yearning for better days. The band juxtaposes lyrics about “being tired” and “feeling like magic,” which paints such a uniquely peculiar picture – one that’s poignant and heartfelt. One of GASP‘s most notable features is the mix. I invite the[...]

Tonight: American Nosebleed

If you’re looking to inject a bit of hardcore punk energy into your life tonight, you should make a trip out to Lockhouse Distillery to catch Buffalo four-piece American Nosebleed. A super-group of talented Buffalo musicians, American Nosebleed specializes in fast and angry guitar driven songs a la Refused or fellow Buffalo legends Every Time I Die. They’re joined tonight by buzzing pop-punkers Kill the Clock, and the emotional punk rock of Worse Things. Tonight’s show is at Lockhouse Distillery & Bar in Buffalo’s historic Cobblestone District. Doors are at 8:30pm with a $10 cover. A friendly reminder that Lockhouse is a 21+ venue. Nudnik by American Nosebleed

Ian McCuen – Seasons Fleeting

Ian McCuen is a self-proclaimed “purveyor of sorrow,” and now may be a better time than ever to introduce his latest offering. For the depressed and the downtrodden, his somber, three-song EP, Seasons Fleeting, is here to queue in the bleak January blues. What better accompaniment to the false optimism of new year resolutions and the passing of the insincere holiday cheer than McCuen’s acoustic-guitar driven laments about the recently passed “most wonderful time of the year.” Title-track “Seasons Fleeting” is a sleigh-bell tinged ditty about the paradoxical nature of the holidays. Opening line “the tree is covered in twinkling lights” is imagery that directly opposes McCuen’s choice of album cover – a garbage can in a dingy kitchen, wrapped in cheap Christmas lights. Through vibes reminiscent of Bon Iver and Elliot Smith, McCuen gently strums his acoustic guitar and delicately shakes his sleigh bells to describe his hatred of the fleeting seasons. Christmas time[...]

Tonight: Super American

Genre-defying (but poppy af) duo Super American are wrapping up 2018 with a great show at a great venue. Their latest album Tequila Sunrise is a fun amalgamation of pop, indie, emo, and the 1990s, finding catharsis through the songwriting lens of giants like Third Eye Blind, Oasis, and Blink 182. Joining them tonight are the fellow pop punk/emo greats in Post Prom and West Ferry. Tonight’s show is at Lockhouse Distillery & Bar, in Buffalo’s beautiful cobblestone district. Doors are at 8:30 with a $10 cover. A friendly reminder that Lockhouse Distillery & Bar is a 21+ venue. Tequila Sunrise by Super American

Too Soon Jokes – “Santy Don’t Visit the Funeral Homes, Little Buddy”

There just simply aren’t enough tongue-in-cheek holiday songs out there. Too Soon Jokes is here to remedy that with the sharp indie rock of “Santy Don’t Visit the Funeral Homes, Little Buddy.” They want you to look the other way when it comes to cold, depression, bills, and knotty Christmas lights… Instead, get that warm, Christmas feeling with their unique brand of guitar-driven, nostalgia-inducing holiday cheer. “All I Want For Christmas Is You” has enough fans – give Too Soon Jokes some support instead by checking them out here. Santy Don’t Visit the Funeral Homes, Little Buddy by Too Soon Jokes

Stray Fossa – “Commotion”

Fans of shoegaze or swirly chorus tones will dig Stray Fossa‘s 3rd single, the warbly “Commotion.” Full of dreamy bridge sections, layered vocals, and a powerful drum track (fun fact: drums were recorded in one take on a fateful, lonely evening), this one certainly embodies Stray Fossa’s ethos. Give this one a shot if you’re into Slowdive, Beach House, or the latest Title Fight album. Like what you hear? Give Stray Fossa some support via Bandcamp. Commotion by Stray Fossa

Ruby Bones – “Hook Line Sinker”

“Hook Line Sinker” is a classic, punchy indie rock jam from New Jersey-based trio Ruby Bones. After charting on Billboard with their last release (nice!), the trio wanted to put something more lighthearted and fun… They wound up releasing something nostalgic, full of thoughts about fading youth and romanticizing the past. Give this one a listen below, especially if you’re a fan of passionate, fun-loving punk like Cloud Nothings or The Thermals.