Latest Posts

Mr. Will Shares Debut EP Motel Pools

November 4, 2015

Look out Rochester, a new force is on the radar. Multi-instrumentalist / producer / all-around music man Mr. Will (born Will Smillie) released his impressive debut EP Motel Pools, a sprawling easy-rider of a record blending elements of indie pop and psyche rock, late last month. It’s one of those records that doesn’t take time to warm up to; the warmth is already there—just pull up a seat and get yourself settled in. From the slow-burning balminess of the title track that opens the EP to the fiery fretwork of “Where Does the Light Go,” Motel Pools, produced by Smillie himself, covers a lot of ground and covers it well. After one spin, the listener is treated to hints of wide-ranging influence including My Morning Jacket, Dr. Dog, Mikal Cronin, and more. The hooks are plentiful, the solos could sear a steak, and the resulting package is cohesive, easy to listen[...]

Sufjan Stevens at UB’s Center for the Arts (10/30/15)

November 2, 2015

So we may not have been treated to a very random cover of Drake’s “Hotline Bling,” but we were still undoubtedly treated. Sufjan Stevens, in his long-awaited return to Buffalo this past Friday, delivered one of the most spectacular live performances the city has seen all year. I thought Carrie & Lowell—Stevens’ 2015 full-length written in dedication to his late mother—was already a masterpiece, but seeing, hearing, and feeling the album performed live at UB’s Center for the Arts Mainstage Theatre brought an entirely different light to the songs, a poignancy so thick it was nearly tangible. I wasn’t sure what to expect from opening artist Gallant; I hadn’t sampled his music before the show, but was confident that an opening slot on a Sufjan Stevens’ tour was already a testament to his ability. I wasn’t wrong—the young R&B singer (23) had an incredible falsetto and exuded a great deal[...]

Tonight: The Bones of J.R. Jones

October 27, 2015

J.R. Linabury, the one-man creative force behind the era-bending blues tunes of solo project The Bones of J.R. Jones, will take the iconic stage of Mohawk Place later tonight. “Solo” is a word that only goes so far when describing the project; Linabury may be the only body on stage during performances, but somehow he doesnt appear alone. He transcends the one man/one guitar stigma, crafting swirling folk songs using guitar, banjo, hi-hat, and bass drum in a commendably simultaneous fashion. The whole package is astonishingly honest, and shatters the boundaries and limiting capabilities of “solo” projects as they’re typically defined. Joining J.R. on tonight’s bill are the harmony kings in local psyche act Deadwolf and the soulful musings of Jacob Peter (Humble Braggers, Dreambeaches), also of Buffalo. Doors open promptly at 7pm with a $5 cover.

Tonight: Title Fight

October 23, 2015

For the second stop on their Fall 2015 headlining tour, Wilkes-Barre emo stalwarts Title Fight will be slinging their melodic post-hardcore bliss from the stage of the Studio at Waiting Room tonight. The band’s latest release, February’s Hyperview, takes on a guitar-driven, shoegaze-ish approach—something of a departure from the quartet’s hard-hitting pop-punk of yesteryear. Call it what you will (indie crossover, anyone?), Hyperview hits home in all the right places; expect to hear these tracks tonight. Joining Title Fight on their autumnal adventure is the infinitely eclectic songwriter Alex G, his latest effort Beach Music spanning genres like it’s nobody’s business. Much of it falls into an inimitably glassy vein of indie rock, like a transfixed Elliott Smith with cool kid riffs and spellbound vibes. Check out the new video for “Kicker” below and get there on time to catch this uniquely satiating act. Hometown heroes The Traditional will be[...]

Glenwood – Long Days, Lonely Nights

October 19, 2015

Winter is coming. I realize it might sting a little to read that, but just know that you have options. You can pretend it’s not coming, approach the chilly days with an air of nostalgic denial, imagining yourself back at (the now endangered) Canalside concert series under the Thursday sun or swimming at your own risk in the chancy waters of Lake Erie. Or, if you’re like me, you deal with the cold snap and find something to warm yourself up. The acoustic songs found on Long Days, Lonely Nights, the October debut from Rochester folk outfit Glenwood, deliver a certain loneliness—as the title suggests—but at the core of each track are the warm embers of something that once was. Those embers serve as the perfect heat source for the chilly seasonal shift, songs self-proclaimed as “whisky-drinking tunes that are there for you on those rough nights.” The description holds[...]

Meric Long of The Dodos

October 8, 2015

After six full-length albums and 10 years under their belts as The Dodos, Meric Long (guitar, vocals) and Logan Kroeber (drums, percussion) have something to be proud of. The duo crafts a signature strain of rhythmic indie rock, lying heavily on technical proficiency such as intricate strumming patterns and intense polyrhythms. Their latest album, Individ, capitalizes on these aspects to deliver some of the best-rounded Dodos songs to date. We caught up with Meric and snuck in a few questions before the band’s Buffalo visit brings them to the stage of Mohawk Place later tonight. buffaBLOG: Compositionally, did you approach your latest album Individ any differently than your previous work? Meric Lonh: The approach was pretty carefree with the one focus being that the songs be exciting and had parts that would push the limits of our abilities. bB: The interpretative dance in the “Competition” video—did you work with a choreographer? Tell us of your preparations. ML: Katie[...]

Total Yuppies Drops First Single

October 5, 2015

Freshly-formed Rochester unit Total Yuppies, featuring members of Skirts, Jon Lewis Band, and Full Body, dropped its first single over the weekend. The garage pop quartet channels the dreary vibes of Neva Dinova with an accessibility akin to The Front Bottoms on the new track, titled “Normal Life.” The whole package is lonesome and catchy, highlighted by the song’s pitch-perfect vocal harmonies sung longingly over the sprightly drum work. Keep an eye out for this impressive new formation on the live circuit and an ear to the ground for future releases. For now, relish in the rainy day that is “Normal Life,” streaming below.

Tonight: Rochester Invasion Pt. 2

October 3, 2015

In what is shaping up to be one of the hottest weekends of local music since Herdfest, there exists a bill so Rochesterian, it just might work. Well—actually—it has worked already once before. Tonight, Nietzsche’s will host part two of our Rochester Invasion series, featuring more of the finest talent our neighboring city has to offer. Joining us tonight we have 60’s-tinged party-all-the-timers Harmonica Lewinski, tongue-in-cheek lounge crooners Passive Aggressives Anonymous, multiinstrumental virtuoso Sam Snyder (or OHS, his endearingly shortened project name), and stone-cold rock and rollers The Ginger Faye Bakers. Each of these four acts bring their very own compelling flavor to the table, so don’t miss out. Swing by after Porchfest, the party doesn’t start until 9pm. This lineup is stacked, so bring five bucks so we can get our Rochester friends home safe and sound after closing time.

Dumb Angel – Antenna

September 21, 2015

Bands are kind of like stars. A band is born, a band implodes or dissolves, and a new band is reborn. In the local sense, this cycle of dissolution and rebirth happens all the time. In the case of Rochester garage-pop trio Dumb Angel, their star was born four years ago from members of The Instruments Band, and the resiliency of the new project has shone through multiple rebirths (Howlo, Europa & The Great Red Spot, Rochester Chip to name a few) over the span of those four years. This is an impressive bout of longevity considering most of these projects are ongoing, and now, after years of writing, recording, and mastering, Dumb Angel has dropped its debut—an impressive eleven tracks of sunny psychpop titled Antenna. If you’ve listened to Howlo, you should immediately recognize the voice of vocalist Ben Morey; Antenna capitalizes big on soaring vocal harmonies similar to the[...]

Tonight: Murder By Death

September 16, 2015

If your Wednesday plans involve Netflix and a pizza-induced coma, you’re doing something wrong. Now before you get your jimmies all rustled because I just shit-talked pizza, keep reading. Between this weekend’s MiA festivities, Monday’s of Montreal show, and Mikal Cronin’s visit to Mohawk Place last night, Buffalo has been on somewhat of a hot streak. And that streak continues tonight at Waiting Room with a set from Indiana roots rock outfit Murder By Death. For those unfamiliar, Murder By Death crafts a particularly gothic-tinged vein of Americana; imagine a Decemberists / Deer Tick crossover for a good starting point. The five-piece tour in support of its latest effort, the crowdfunded Big Dark Love, released earlier this year on Bloodshot Records. Tonight’s show features local slots from Sonny Baker (having just released a sizzling full-band EP last month), and The Leones, the fresh folkgaze project of former Crows and Jays frontman[...]

Tonight: Hank & Cupcakes

September 10, 2015

What better way to start a weekend early than with Hank & Cupcakes? The Brooklyn-based duo brings genre creation to the next level with their fresh electro-tinged disco punk rowdiness, and their live show is no joke. Perhaps you caught their high-energy display earlier this year at Rochester’s Bug Jar; the end of the night yielded a sweaty, smiling crowd in varying degrees of undress. Their return to WNY tonight at Nietzsche’s should be no different—a true testament to the duo’s penchant for #partylife. Be there or be boring. Opening slots on tonight’s bill include Scajaquada Creeps, the reigning survivors of last year’s Queen City Music Lottery, and Bryan Johnson & Family, local surf-pop royalty in their own regard. Fun will be in full supply tonight. Doors at 9pm, music starts shortly after. $5 cover.

Stephen Floyd of One Percent Press

September 9, 2015

It’s no secret that Buffalo’s DIY community is an absolute force. Between the multitude of local labels and the wide-ranging artists and musicians that work hard to bring their craft to the forefront, the DIY ethic in our city is ever-strengthening. One of the more prominent local labels in the scene is also one of longest-lasting. One Percent Press, a label that celebrates its tenth birthday this year, embraces that very ethic and has released an impressive catalog of comic books, artwork, and music over the years. We picked the brain of OPP co-founder Stephen Floyd–who currently resides in Buffalo–to dig a bit on the origins of the label, their mission statement, as well as a few current and future projects. Dig in. buffaBLOG: One Percent Press has called home to a few different cities. In what ways does your locale influence what you do with the label? Do you scout[...]

Sonny Baker Releases Full Band EP flesh it out

September 1, 2015

As both a supporter of local music and a Buffalonian (these are mostly safe assumptions to make—you are reading buffaBLOG), what comes to mind upon hearing the name Sonny Baker? Wooden Waves? Lazlo Hollyfeld? A Hotel Nourishing? As an Eden native, I could toss Uberfunk into that list, but that’s a story for another day. The truth is, between his multitude of projects and musical cameos in the projects of others, Sonny Baker really is one of the hardest working musicians in Buffalo.  And hot off the late-August release of his latest solo EP, flesh it out, Baker only strengthens his stake to that claim. Though in this case, there is only so much truth in calling his latest sonic outpourings “solo” work. For flesh it out, Baker has assembled an actual trio, featuring Chris Gangarossa on bass and Ryan Campbell on drums. This in itself is a departure—very rarely[...]

Tonight: A House Safe For Tigers

August 29, 2015

Best thing about Buffalo on a Saturday night? Options. One of tonight’s top picks would bring you to Mohawk Place for the highly-anticipated release party of A House Safe for Tigers, the debut album from the local mellotron supergroup of the same name. If you’re reading this, you may have been vibing out to AHSfT (our most recent Album of the Week) for a few months already; now is your chance to see the album performed in full-band glory. Opening tonight’s festivities are two acts that have been pretty scarce on this year’s live circuit—synthrock revivalists TMMC and a special solo performance from Failures’ Union’s Tony Flaminio. Get there on time to catch everyone. Doors open up at 8pm with an affordable $5 cover. A House Safe For Tigers by A House Safe For Tigers

done. Releases New Singles

August 25, 2015

As we wind down the summer months and students start preparing for their dreaded return to classes, there is a certain influx of cool new music that usually hits us from the college towns. The creative last gasp of summer. Today’s scouring of the interweb yields a late-summer two song ripper from emo-math duo done., who have ties to both Buffalo and New Paltz. The singles bring us the notable “Ghost House,” a mathy and meticulous tribute to the emo revival movement, sharp riffs slinging akin to vets Sunny Day Real Estate or The Appleseed Cast. “Pawns,” the latter of the two tracks, follows in that same vein. Check it out below.