by Tylor Colby | Mar 30, 2015 | Album of the Week
The melodic dissonance of JOHNS’ new album, Grift Marks (released this past Saturday via Peterwalkee Records), comes from a dark, post-industrialized corner of the world. Imagine Joy Division’s Ian Curtis growing up in the rust belt. Still, every track, every note on...
by Tylor Colby | Aug 11, 2014 | Album of the Week
When I first heard of Rochester garage post-punk band Buffalo Sex Change and their self-titled, debut album, my initial reaction was mostly just trying to figure out their highly specific and provocative name. Fairly early into the album, however, I was having a hard...
by Tylor Colby | Aug 6, 2014 | Preview
Get your dancing shoes ready for some weirdly awesome punk rock. Tonight at 6pm, a smattering of bands will take the stage at Spiral Scratch Records, ranging from surf-jam to hardcore, in support of Pennsylvania’s Ghost Dads. Hailing from Kutztown, Ghost Dads...
by Tylor Colby | Jul 24, 2014 | Album of the Week
Under the tag of “punk” on bandcamp, but self-described as a “cohesive and undefinable act,” Buffalo-based Cages exists outside of any typical structure or classification. The group consists of vocalist Nola Ranallo, guitarist David Bailey, and now bassist Patrick...
by Tylor Colby | Jul 22, 2014 | Buffalo
It’s difficult to pin down the sound of Teenage Satan’s self-titled EP, which places dissonant vocal melodies over a mixed bag of distorted guitars and synths, but the sound is hauntingly dreamy. Daniel Bauer, the sole player behind the release, bares his raw...
by Tylor Colby | Jul 15, 2014 | Preview
This evening, Spiral Scratch will be home to an explosion of garage rock and good vibes. The ever-charming Fat Creeps (Boston) will be headlining, with supporting acts The Lentils (Vermont), as well as Buffalo groups Space Wolves and JOHNS. Space Wolves will be...
by Tylor Colby | Jul 8, 2014 | Album Review
Australian-born singer/songwriter Sia Furler is probably one of the most popular and influential artists in pop music today, although you’ve probably never heard of her name, nor even seen her face. But with pipes like Mariah Carey and a collaborative resume that...
by Tylor Colby | Jun 30, 2014 | Preview
After nearly 30 years, art-rock/jazz noir connoisseur Lydia Lunch will be performing in Buffalo’s Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center tonight at 8pm. She will be joined by opening acts equally experimental, Weasel Walter, Bob Bert, and Tim Dahl. Lunch was originally a...
by Mac McGuire | Jun 27, 2014 | Best of 2014
Today’s brings you round 2 of our staff picks for favorite songs and albums at 2014’s half way point. If you missed yesterday’s part 1 of submissions, you may read it here. Sarah Machajewski Album: Neil Young – A Letter Home We should all be...
by Tylor Colby | Jun 24, 2014 | Album Review
Just when the world thought it had enough modern 80’s synth-rock reincarnations to sort through, Australia’s Total Control releases Typical System, an album that churns out all the goth-rock nuances in all the right places. But with any genre-replicating album, it...
by Tylor Colby | Jun 19, 2014 | Buffalo
Jacob Smolinski is one busy man. In addition to leading the charming yet now disbanded group, The Cascos, he is involved with numerous bands, side projects and his own independent record label, Lips Records. Unlike his other bands, however, which seem to exist from...
by Tylor Colby | Jun 10, 2014 | Album Review
In their new release, Glass Boys, Canadian hardcore punk outfit Fucked Up demonstrates their knack for tasteful anthemic punk rock, albeit in a more modest way than usual. This time around, the band looked to more self-reflective and moody elements to join their usual...
by Tylor Colby | Jun 3, 2014 | Album Review
With his new album, A U R O R A, electronic musician/composer Ben Frost sheds a new light on the genre, merging experimental minimalism with a modern rock sensibility. Finding a middle ground between artificial sound and live instrumentation, the record stands alone...
by Tylor Colby | May 27, 2014 | Album Review
For a legendary hip-hop band with nearly three decades of legendary albums, it is only natural for The Roots to eventually hit a wall in terms of creative output. With mostly underwhelming production style, their new record …And Then You Shoot Your Cousin is not...