Latest Posts

Amateur Radio Club – The Laughing Vulcan and Her Dog

April 13, 2015

Rochester’s got some new digs. Ian Egling, formerly of the band SPORTS, and now performing solo under the moniker Amateur Radio Club, just released his debut late last March. The eight track album, titled The Laughing Vulcan and Her Dog, is heavy on the electro pop stylings and draws influence from the synthy jams of yesteryear; snap judgements conjure Bowie and Depeche Mode. Further critical listens reveal a certain modern charm that, when paired with the unambiguous vintage flair, gives this release a unique sound worth diving into. The Laughing Vulcan and Her Dog is our Album of the Week. Vulcan opens strong with the catchy and intimate “SOMEWHERE SUMMER,” making the most of a cheeky synth line layered with electric piano and bouncy drum beat. The synth solo towards the latter half serves as the sweet icing on an already delicious cake. “On and on, on and on…” sings[...]

slackjaw – friendly pestering

April 6, 2015

You’ve got a friend in slackjaw, and not just because their bandcamp URL says so. The Geneseo quartet’s catchy blend of garage punk and slacker rock has a pleasantly affable vibe to it, an air of innate approachability. Their self-appointed description is “weekend rock,” which I think they wear well. Start with the indie charm of Waxahatchee or Lemuria, add a little Pumpkins-esque crunch, and just a dash of late nineties emo influence, and you’ve got yourself some slackjaw. The band just put out their first release a few short days ago, the wonderful friendly pestering EP, already earning a bit of buzz and some heavy rotation here at the blog. I’m happy to crown friendly pestering buffaBLOG’s Album of the Week. It didn’t take very long to warm up to the songs, suffice to say that’s what the band was going for. Singer Ella Mosco delivers lyrics with an[...]

The Decemberists w/ Alvvays @ UB’s Center for the Arts (4/1/15)

April 2, 2015

I had seen The Decemberists once before. The Portland, OR natives played an outdoor, midday set on a sweltering day at Bonnaroo 2011, and I was excited to be able to cross one of the “bucket list bands” off of my list, despite the heat. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t show up hours early for a good spot in front of the stage, and the sun was entirely unforgiving—curse my fair skin—making the experience distant, hot, and less than magical. Luckily for me, the indie-folk storytellers made their most welcome return (and second sell out) to UB’s Center for the Arts this past Wednesday evening, and this time the magic prevailed. Toronto-based girl-pop group Alvvays opened the show promptly at 8pm (the CFA doesn’t mess around when it comes to start times), kicking things off with “Adult Diversion,” the opening track off of the group’s excellent 2014 self-titled debut. For[...]

Sufjan Stevens – Carrie & Lowell

April 1, 2015

Loss can alter a person. Whether it’s reinvention, recollection, or flat-out despair that hits the hardest, the death of a loved one often times has a profound effect on an individual. In the case of Sufjan Stevens, the feelings resulting from his mother’s death in 2012 became the creative fuel for Carrie & Lowell, his most masterfully put-together musical release to date. However, this claim does not come without its irony. The album, an emotionally-baring open-book chapter of Sufjan’s personal life, is also the artist at his most torn-apart. Detailing childhood feelings and the difficult relationship he had with his late mother, Sufjan lays out his experiences without expectation, covering a wide spectrum of human emotion. Struggling with alcoholism and bipolar disorder before her untimely death to stomach cancer in 2012, Sufjan’s mother Carrie (along with his stepfather Lowell, who now works at the label that put out this very[...]

Comfy

March 26, 2015

What would a birthday party be without some out-of-town charm? Well in the case of our fifth birthday party, it would be without Comfy, Utica’s buzzing indie-rock (and roll) sweethearts. We’ve had our ears on Comfy for a while now; their early 2014 debut Pillowhugger, an endearing collection of garage pop confessionals smothered in slacky indie-rock charm, is one of our favorites from last year. Think Rochester’s Cottage Jefferson (another one of our 2014 favorites) meets Krill and you’ve got a pretty good start. (If you can’t conjure that up, just scroll down right now and hit play.) The band is definitely worth your attention before they hit the back stage of Nietzsche’s this Saturday night. The Utica natives look to have a big year in the works. Comfy is rumored to be finishing up a fresh release for your patient ears and have begun plans for a summer tour (according to their[...]

Five Year Rewind: Staff Picks – Part 1

March 23, 2015

Since the blog debuted on March 28th, 2010, with a truly horrible post about a Passion Pit show (sorry Bill), our ever revolving staff of writers and contributors have spun hundreds of albums and songs, and attended more shows in and out of Buffalo than I dare to count. To commemorate our upcoming five year anniversary this Saturday night. we have assembled a cast blog writers from past and present, each discussing their favorite albums, songs, shows, and even some memories since the blog’s inception. Today is Part 1. – Mac McGuire Steven Gordon (Staff Writer) Favorite Album: Thee Oh Sees – Castlemania (2011) There are so many good things about Thee Oh Sees: an insane rate of musical output, notorious live performances, profoundly debauched aesthetics, and a propensity for gradual innovation despite inherent stylistic simplicity. The group started a decade or two ago as the artistic vehicle for guitarist/vocalist/flutist John Dwyer.[...]

Ben Walsh of Tigers Jaw

March 17, 2015

Since it’s inception in 2005, Tigers Jaw has become a mainstay in the punk/indie scene. After an armful of full-lengths, EPs, and splits, the band is still powering right through. This rings true to this day, despite the unexpected departure of three of the five band members in 2013. After an event that would normally crumble the foundation of any band, Tigers Jaw (now a duo feat. Ben Walsh and Brianna Collins) has adapted and proved to be one of the most resilient bands in the industry. A full US spring tour, featuring the buzzing melodic punk act Somos and Buffalo indie royalty Lemuria, is set to roll through the Studio at Waiting Room on April 6th. buffaBLOG caught up with Ben Walsh, founding member and now half of the momentous Tigers Jaw, for an in-depth Q&A covering a handful of topics, including: adaptability, future plans for the band, touring essentials,[...]

The Slums Drop New Track, “Plain Pine Box”

March 13, 2015

This Friday the 13th is shaping up to be a pretty lucky day for punk / hardcore fans. Following news of JOHNS’ fresh music video, we’re graced with another golden nugget in the form of a spankin’ new track from Buffalo post-hardcore quarter, The Slums. The track, titled “Plain Pine Box,” capitalizes on that nervous, raw energy that the band has earned their keep with; guitars-a-blaring, chunky bass blasts, and vocalist Steven Floyd’s signature panther-esque growl. Harnessing the grit effectively is no easy feat, but The Slums’ consideration for both tone and tension is evident in this one; the combination makes for an uneasiness that satisfies. Keep ’em coming, boys. With the band now going into “writing hibernation mode,” we’ll have to wait a little while for more of that Slumsy goodness.” We’ll have plenty more to feast on come summertime.” cites the latest post on the band’s Facebook page. “Plain[...]

Tonight: Posture & The Grizzly

March 5, 2015

Our friends over at at Black Dots are hosting a raging good bill  at their Lafayette Avenue record shop tonight. Emo punks Posture & The Grizzly (East Haven, CT) will be headlining the shop’s basement back room tonight, slinging their gravelly melodic punk ragers. Touring support comes at us from the likes of indie-pop craftsmen Brightside (Pittsburgh) with local support from our hometown punk heroes Del Paxton. It’s notable that just this morning, both touring bands had their van break down and are awaiting repairs. Unfortunately, their attendance is up in the air tonight, so keep your ears to the ground and your eyes on the Facebook event page, here, for updates. Music set to start around 8, could be slightly later depending on the situation. Damn punk shows. $5 – $8 sliding donation for entry.

M.A.G.S. – Cellophane

February 23, 2015

“Tonight was beautiful.” posts Elliott Douglas, the musical fulcrum behind Buffalo’s hottest new indie rock outfit, M.A.G.S. The three-word post hits Facebook at 3:11 a.m., shortly after (and undeniably in reference to) the band’s highly successful EP release party at Mohawk Place. The show was destined for success from the day it was announced; M.A.G.S. has picked up a noteworthy amount of buzz around Buffalo since self-releasing a handful of demos late last year, and the bill—rounded out with other big Buffalo acts such as Bryan Johnson & Family, The Slums, and Kharlos—was solid gold. Armed with their riot-of-a-good-time Cellophane EP and a fresh spot on the roster of Admirable Traits Records, M.A.G.S. is here to stay. Cellophane, as a whole, is the purest representation of Douglas’ ability to write hook after hook… after hook. Each of the expertly-arranged tracks brims with personality, whether it’s rhythm guitar played with the perfect amount of upstroke pep or a bass shred[...]

Red Heat Shares Follow Up EP, Poisoning the Grand High Witch

February 17, 2015

Valentine’s Day is a time of love and passion (and mindless consumerism, but I digress), so it seems almost poetic–ironic, even–that Red Heat put out a fresh slew of political punk songs to digest this February 14th. The EP, titled Poisoning the Grand High Witch, is red hot (heh) and dirty, channeling the emotional rawness of an early Cursive or Desaparacidos and the discordant dance vibes of Death From Above 1979. The new release is currently streaming over on Steak and Cake’s bandcamp page and is available as a pay-what-you-want download. Check out “CHOMSKY” below and follow the link for more of this biting goodness.

Sufjan Stevens – “No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross”

February 16, 2015

Sufjan Stevens fans rejoice! Earlier this morning, we were given a taste of the prolific songwriter’s new album, Carrie & Lowell, in the form of the deliciously dark folk morsel “No Shade In The Shadow Of The Cross.” It’s been a while since we’ve heard Steven’s folksier side, and this first single returns to those roots, paralleling the romantic aspirations of his earlier material, namely Seven Swans. The angelic harmonies and delicately cascading acoustic melodies lay a nice foundation that contrasts the darker subject matter this time around. Have a listen below; Carrie & Lowell drops 3/31 on Asthmatic Kitty. [soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/190647487″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”160″ iframe=”true” /]

Tonight: Busman’s Holiday

February 16, 2015

What better way to escape the subzeroes than to warm up with Busman’s Holiday? The brotherly duo of Bloomington, Indiana craft wonderfully charming chamber pop ballads, and will bring that craft to Buffalo tonight. The show takes place at Ocean Garden Oriental Foods, next to Sugar City and across from Resurgence Brewing Co, for those of you who have yet to have the pleasure of seeing a good ol’ rock show there before. Local support on the bill includes a solo performance from Nick Gordon of JOHNS; his solo stuff channeling a slacker-y Lou Reed vibe, and CCDS (Death Squad), a drum duo (yes, drum duo) that is best witnessed with your own eyes and ears. Doors open at 7pm with a $6 cover

the gifted children – my museum pieces

February 9, 2015

For a band that’s been around for almost 20 years, it’s commendable that the gifted children are still on their A-game. The Rochester art-rock collective is fresh off the release of my museum pieces, a genre-spanning full length that channels the likes of The Decemberists and self-referential influences Guided By Voices. Highlighted by swirling instrumentation, rich harmonies, and the eclectic  songwriting style the band is known for, my museum pieces is not only a noteworthy collection of songs, but a captivating story record that has more than earned buffaBLOG’s Album of the Week. Taking a look at the roster/credits for the album on the band’s bandcamp page is dizzying to say the least; an impressive seventeen musicians contributed in some way to the album’s eleven diverse tracks. Much in the spirit of Broken Social Scene, the gifted children have a perpetually rotating cast of musicians that varies from record to[...]

Cookie Drops Debut EP, Tell it to the fudge

February 3, 2015

In the essence of Spring newness (we’re getting there) and spontaneity, Cookie, the fresh punk project of Jordan Nittoli (Newish Star, Dream Journal) and Dave Dluga (Softlines, White Whale, Mapmaker) has dropped its debut EP, Tell it to the Fudge. The three tracks listen like a Japandroids / Built to Spill combo– sometimes fast, sometimes brash, but always on point. “Recording these songs was a pleasant surprise” notes Nittoli when asked about the project. “We had messed around with the riff for ‘Research and Development’ a few weeks earlier… thought it would be cool to write a couple more songs, and here we are.” While you shouldn’t expect to catch Cookie live any time soon, new songs may still be on the horizon. “It may continue to be a recording project,” adds Nittoli. “More or less to solidify some floating ideas.” I particularly enjoy the hearty stroll of  “Rule the Universe,” definitely[...]