Latest Posts

Kitchen – Blue Heeler in Ugly Snowlight, Grey on Gray on Gray on White

April 10, 2025

Since 2016, James Keegan’s buzzing musical project, Kitchen, has steadily carved out a distinct space in Rochester with its consistent output of introspective lo-fi folk. Now, Kitchen delivers its most substantial chapter yet with the arrival of Blue Heeler in Ugly Snowlight, Grey on Gray on Gray on White, the recording project’s sixth full-length album, comfortably venturing into double album territory across 20 diverse tracks. The sprawling and remarkably cohesive collection explores the corners of Keegan’s sonic range and unique songwriting styles.   The album primarily operates within a spectrum bookended by hushed, intimate acoustic pieces and more fleshed-out, full-band indie rock arrangements. The lo-fi aesthetic, a hallmark of Kitchen’s work, remains central, lending an air of closeness and immediacy to the recordings. Whether it’s a solitary acoustic guitar and Keegan’s refreshingly unvarnished vocals or a more layered composition, the production often feels like a private performance. This intimacy gets[...]

Alex Northrup – “Mutually Assured Distraction”

April 7, 2025

Listen, we’re no strangers to unique genres here at the blog, but “bargain-basement psych” is a new one for us… At least that’s the self-described qualifier that Rochester singer/songwriter Alex Northrup gives to his unique brand of chamber pop. “Mutually Assured Distraction” is the first single from Northrup’s upcoming LP, Victory Lapse, and it’s a great highlight of what we can expect from this eclectic songwriter. Tweaked harpsichord madness powers this retro-coded tune, fleshed out with strange organ tones, vintage drum machines, and Northrup’s pleasant tenor. Certainly sounding like a mashup of Goodwill-sourced instruments (in a good way!), “Mutually Assured Distraction” feels like a harbinger of a wildly inventive album to come.   “Mutually Assured Distractionis” out now via Raincoated Records. Check it out via bandcamp below.   Mutually Assured Distraction by Alex Northrup

Foothands – Off of the Roof

April 3, 2025

Buffalo-based songwriter Erik Happ, operating under the solo moniker Foothands, recently unveiled his third EP, Off of the Roof. Self-released on March 10th, this six-song EP follows 2021’s Gentle but Firm and 2023’s Year of the Year, further developing the project Happ launched after his time in groups like False Pockets and Pomelo. The release continues the trajectory of his distinctive brand of intricate acoustic math rock and snags our album of the week.   The defining characteristic of Off of the Roof is its intricate density. Happ masterfully layers acoustic guitar lines, creating complex rhythmic patterns and rich textures that often feel like output from a fully-kitted band. Comparisons could be drawn to the rhythmic propulsion of The Dodos, the textural layering of early Animal Collective, and the melodic acoustic sensibilities of Owen, yet the combination feels distinct, especially for the WNY region.   Listeners familiar with Foothands’ earlier[...]

Goat Farm – “Down the Spine”

March 21, 2025

We recently stumbled upon Rochester-based quartet Goat Farm in our inbox and couldn’t believe they hadn’t been on our radar until now. The “alternative metal” act sure makes a ton of noise with their guitar-forward, shoegaze-adjacent sound. They are hot off releasing their debut, three-song offering, Nature Takes Its Course – but our first introduction to this unit was actually the b-side to said EP, “Down the Spine.”   After a trippy, phaser-laden intro, bassist/vocalist Mimi Snyder launches in with a vocal presence that ranges from lilting, to pained, to ferocious (see the screaming around the 4:30 mark). Guitarists Sage Alice and Molly Mink conjure a maelstrom of guitar noise, often layered thick with swirling effects or heady fuzz – while drummer Stephen Coleman keeps the song pounding with hammering intensities. Shoegazers will love the quiet/loud dynamics found throughout this six+ minute journey, while metalheads and/or punks will appreciate the[...]

Rotten UK – Age of Chaos

February 27, 2025

Grab your leather jackets and bullet belts because Rochester metal punk veterans Rotten UK are back with a vengeance on their sophomore full-length album, Age of Chaos.   Bandmates James von Sinn, Matt Sexxx, Anarchy Jake, and Fran Damage violate your speakers with their distinct style of 80’s UK crust punk forged with gothic undertones, thrashy power chords, and dominating drums. von Sinn’s vocals are straight from the depths of a London dungeon as he shouts and howls songs of revolution, horror and the occult. Their snobbish, drawling delivery adds a thick layer of anarchistic attitude that rounds out Rotten UK’s throwback speed metal sound.   Age of Chaos doesn’t waste any time melting your face off with the opening track, “Annihilation Desecration.” It’s a hyper shot of pure adrenaline that will get your heart pounding. Like a runaway rollercoaster, Damage’s frenetic kick-snare drums propel the track at warp speed[...]

Jerry Big’s World Famous Band – “Birds Got Beaks”

February 21, 2025

Strap in, or at least grab a hold of something for “Birds Got Beaks,” the breakneck new single from Rochester newcomers Jerry Big’s World Famous Band. Hot off a sold-out release show, this record is a white-knuckle thrill ride that doesn’t let up from the moment it crashes in. Expect punk-fucking-rock in the vein of Minor Threat with boisterous vocals, bullying guitar riffs, and pounding kick/snare drums. These combustible sounds crowd-surf over each other before building to a detonation of melody and chaos.   With only a minute run time, “Birds Got Beaks” is a pure, raw power rush that will make you want to beat your head against a wall. Keep your eyes and ears on JBWFB and give this whiplash track a listen.   Jerry Big’s World Famous Band’s “Bird Got Beaks” is available now on bandcamp, Spotify and all major streaming platforms.   Birds Got Beaks by[...]

Harmonica Lewinski – “Rat Race”

January 10, 2025

Grab your boogie board and catch a psych-rock wave with Harmonica Lewinski’s beachin’ new single, “Rat Race.” If your new year’s resolution is to listen to more groovy music, this is the perfect place to start as these veteran Rochester scenesters and buffaBLOG mainstays kick off 2025 with a helluva luau. This instrumental track is a punchbowl of surfy guitar riffs and jungle drumbeats spiked with the band’s signature weirdness. Drink it in below and let this fun-loving five-piece bewitch you with the sounds of a party on the wrong side of the beach; the side where you might find skeletons clinking piña coladas or Uncle Fester sunbathing.   Harmonica Lewinski’s “Rat Race” is streaming now on Bandcamp, Apple Music and Spotify.   Rat Race by Harmonica Lewinski

Sublime Pr1me – “Black Jesters’ Revolution”

January 2, 2025

Rochester rhymer Sublime Pr1me flexes internal rhyme schemes, an off-center flow and expertly used interplay with production on his sharp new single “Black Jesters’ Revolution.” Riding an Adult Swim-flavored boom bap beat, Pr1me rapidly moves between his personal philosophies and others’ he sees truth in, such as Michele Fuko. Pr1me is explicit, insightful, playful and more on this track – relentlessly switching up his cadences and somehow staying on the sampled/flipped/reversed beat. Add this track to your Lupe Fiasco-Aesop Rock-Talib Kweli playlists for when you’re looking for a hip hop track with keen lyricism and a beat that keeps you on your toes too. “Black Jesters’ Revolution” kicks off Pr1me’s Back Forward EP, featuring more of the insightful rapping showed off on this track.

Chores – Tender As A Wound

December 19, 2024

The Rochester local music scene has had a damn good year. Rounding out our Album of the Week column for 2024 is Rochester trio Chores‘ debut album Tender As A Wound, which delivers a dose of ’90’s-inspired indie rock that’s both familiar and refreshingly off-kilter. The band, consisting of Ian Egling (vocals, bass, synth), Scar Markham (drums, vocals), and Jenn Wameling (guitar, vocals), skillfully blends their prowess for a sound that would be especially palatable to fans of Pixies, Miracle Legion, and Pavement. With that 90’s influence worn proudly on its proverbial sleeve, Tender As A Wound places a well-deserved exclamation point at the end of Rochester’s excellent 2024 run.   The album seems to be in conversation with its influences, sometimes echoing them affectionately (“Rocks In Your Pockets” in particular is steeped in a Malkmus-esque eccentricity), other times acknowledging them with a simple, friendly nod (“Tripwire” ditches the fuzz[...]

Big Nobody – Charlie’s Alive

December 5, 2024

Big Nobody is a relatively new name in the Rochester local scene, but don’t be fooled: the members of this fresh garage-pop powerhouse have been purveyors of fine sounds for over a decade now. Featuring members of fan-favorite local acts from both past and present (Total Yuppies, Comfy, Calicoco, Wild Pink), the DIY supergroup’s sophomore album Charlie’s Alive brings the groundwork laid by singer/guitarist Jacob Walsh (on the band’s electrifying debut in early 2023) to new heights. The riffs are louder, the songwriting is still spirited and heartfelt, and best of all–the album invites you in, like you’ve known these guys for years. Big Nobody’s Charlie’s Alive is our Album of the Week.   This is an album for the people. Charlie’s Alive gets the infrastructure just right by enmeshing radio rock hooks that put bands like Everclear and Third Eye Blind on the map with the punk rock inventiveness of[...]

Boy Jr. – I Love Getting Dumped

November 29, 2024

Boy Jr. is back in a big way with their new record I Love Getting Dumped. A collection of 13 breakup songs, frontperson Ariel Allen-Lubman (they/them) commands your attention as strongly as ever with their trademark genrefluid style. They speak to us on a heartfelt level, connecting with us in a nostalgic, at times comical way that speaks to anyone who has ever dealt with the death of a relationship.   The album opens with the haunting “Your Mom Is Disappointed In You.” The vocals are delivered so earnestly, you can feel the pain in their voice, expertly underscored with sparse electronics.  “I Hope You Feel Terrible” is truly a standout, easily drawing parallels with “good 4 u” by Olivia Rodrigo, or contemporaries like Kim Petras or Billie Eilish. Allen-Lubman sets the scene with a fuzzy, bouncing riff that really lets the vocals shine. Slowly building the texture, by the[...]

Comfy – Goated & Foreboded

November 21, 2024

Comfy is a band that never stops moving. The now-Rochester-based power-pop outfit of frontman Connor Benincasa has called home to three major cities in the last decade, and has put out three times as many releases. Friends, band members, and collaborators rotate in and out of the band’s roster on every couple albums with Benincasa remaining the band’s only constant. It’s not just churn and burn though–the amount of deliberation that goes into the music is obvious, most notably on the full band releases. Goated & Foreboded–Comfy’s latest LP and our Album of the Week– just might be the band’s strongest effort to date.   Goated & Foreboded listens like something Harry Nilsson would’ve written if he had joined Weezer for the Blue Album sessions. Equal parts provocative and digestible, the album meanders seamlessly from beachy easy-listening (“Wait”) to sludgy garage rock (“Spark”). The range is especially impressive because nothing[...]

Bug Day – “Cockroach Kid”

November 15, 2024

Buzzing Rochester art-rock act, Bug Day, released a video for their new single “Cockroach Kid” at the tail end of October. The video, shot by Shepherd Moon Studios, goes deep into the seedy underbelly of cocklepicking industry. For the uninformed, a cocklepicker (or cockleman) is a fisherman who catches cockles (duh), which is another word for a European clam. The sleeper bit on this video is band’s incessant usage of a twig as the microphone. Fans of Cloud Nothings, Microwave, or Sleeping Bag should give them a follow. The band is active outside of the Rochester area, so they may be coming to a town near you (or Buffalo).

Beef Gordon – American Paranoid

November 7, 2024

Beef Gordon. stage name and musical alter ego of Rochester native and former Buffalo Sex Change frontman Phil Pierce, has just released the follow up to his 2019 debut Queen Shade & Etc. The album is American Paranoid, and it conceptualizes a dive into the conspiratorial sides of American culture from the lens of Beef himself, taking aim at hot topics like politics, aliens, super stardom, and gluten. Pierce’s satirical brand of art pop won’t be lost on fans of artists like Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Father John Misty, and Deee-Lite; it borders on shtick but Gordon is careful to preserve the sanctity of his craft. Either way, it’s fun and it works. American Paranoid is our Album of the Week.   Normally, it would be challenging to avoid using “Pierce” and “Gordon” interchangeably, a move that might reduce Beef Gordon to mere costume. But that’s not the case here.[...]

Heavn – “say you hate me”

November 1, 2024

Rochester’s up-and-coming indie artist Heavn has proven he is a force to be reckoned with new single, “say you hate me.” His understated blend of alt rock, indie, and bedroom-pop influences features a warm and warbly sound that’s bound to get the vibes just right. While sharing similar energy to artists like Dominic Fike and Steve Lacy, Heavn’s versatility and musical prowess stand out on their own, framing him as an artist with a unique identity and songwriting voice. With a combination of hard-hitting lyrics and a groovy, blown-out instrumental that feels effortlessly slackerish, “say you hate me” is a must-listen.   The track beautifully represents one’s journey to closure after leaving a toxic relationship. It captures the transition away from spiraling emotions and towards recognition of one’s worth. “say you hate me” is an anthem of self-defiance, bearing an empowering message that steers away from mainstream pop while still[...]