Admirable Traits Records, an upstart record label with roots in Buffalo and Brooklyn (and Iowa) has today announced its latest signing, Brooklyn's Half Day. The rollicking In Public is a collection of ten call-to-arms cuts of indie punk with shout along, pissed off vocals that recall Titus Andronicus, Cloud Nothings, Swearin', and even Cap'n Jazz. You can stream/purchase the entire In Public LP at Half Day's bandcamp page. In the mean time, listen to the album's lead single, "Madison," below.
Admiral Traits, a Brooklyn and Buffalo rooted label who released the debut EP from Buffalo's Merchants back in March, has just dropped the latest single from Brooklyn's surf influenced garage act The Denzels. The single's A-side, "Blow," is as close as the Bushwick rockers will get to dream pop as an echoing surf rock lick backs lead singer Tommy Hinga crooning over his favorite vice. B-Side "Self Talk," the band's rousing set closer, is a slow burner, whose intro touched with an air of ambiance, that builds until the outro just bursts from the building tension. You can download both songs at the label's bandcamp page here. In the mean time, stream "Self Talk" below.
Late last summer, we were all about East Tiger, the debut EP from Brooklyn band The Denzels. The five track collection of jangle garage pop was one of those releases that made you want to hold tight to those fading summer days. Since the album dropped via the Buffalo/Brooklyn rooted Admirable Traits Records, the band has garnered some impressive accolades, including being listed as a profiled on NYC show list site, Oh My Rockness, as well as being named one of the "8 Bands You Need To Hear" in 2013 by The L Magazine. With summer finally arriving, it only seems fair that the band has dropped a new single on us. On the darker "222," those laid back melodies have been replaced by a much more aggressive and straightforward approach, sounding like the Soft Pack with a shot of adrenaline. The song is to be featured on Converse's Rubber Tracks campaign, sure to be a big boost for the band and the upstart label all summer long. If you like what you hear, you can purchase "222" at Admirable Traits' bandcamp page. In the mean time, you can stream the single and watch the Converse "Song of the Week" clip below
If there are any saviors of grunge left in Buffalo, they're the men in Merchants. The four piece, Benjamin Maries (guitar, vocals), Gabriel Nasca (bass), Steven Gordon (guitar, synth), and Yoav Ehrenhalt (drums), have been carving out their niche in the Buffalo area since 2010 and even used to use the now defunct Mohawk Place as their practice space. Brooklyn/Buffalo-based record label Admirable Traits took notice of Merchants' penchant for self-depreciative grunge - they will be releasing Merchants' new four-song EP, The Red Room, on March 5th. The EP may be purchased on the band's bandcamp page, iTunes, and Amazon, among many other outlets. On Saturday, March 2nd, the Vault will host the release show for The Red Room. Sleepy Hahas and JOHNS will open the show. Doors are at 8:30, cover is $8 bucks. Added bonus: $1 beers will be available all night and every paying guest receives a copy of the EP. In the meantime, give a listen to "Moth," the first single off The Red Room.
The Denzels are a five-piece band from Brooklyn, NY. Their newest offering is the impressive Easy Tiger, which just so happens to be the inaugural release from Brooklyn upstart label Admirable Traits. Easy Tiger needs no drawn out introduction - it is a five-song EP full of jangly garage pop that is short, sweet and, perhaps most importantly, accessible.
Easy Tiger kicks off with the upbeat "Black Girls," a track that quickly set the feel for the rest of the album. Although nothing is quite as fast as "Black Girls," the rest of Easy Tiger is soaked in reverb and surprisingly easy to enjoy. Track 2, "Rae Rae," finds the band singing "I like you, I want to keep it that way." I can't help but say the same thing about The Denzels.
The Denzels have ultimately written an EP that blends a number of influences without digging themselves into the confines of any specific one. What we get is a band that could have come from either California or New York. West coast surf rock with a brooding, East Coast-transplant frontman... or even a bunch of Brooklyn-based musicians who decided to challenge the cold, precise indie rock their city is known for. "Shaking" and "Waterfront" are both telling examples of this theory - they owe just as much to Surfer Blood as they do to Turn on the Bright Lights-era Interpol, and perhaps even more to The Smiths. Either way, there is a bit of everything here, and nothing sounds phoned in.
"Cure," Easy Tiger's closing track, is an incredible build up to a fitting finale. Somewhere around 3:00, a mark where half of their other songs had already ended, the band coalesces into a wave of perfect, shimmering pop. Just as soon as it came, the wave is gone; this is a craft the Denzels have perfected. Nothing on Easy Tiger is ever more than it needs to be, and that is very refreshing.
With every song clocking in at around 3:00 (with the exception of, "Cure"), Easy Tiger comes and goes pretty quickly at under 20 minutes. This is very much a good thing - nothing here is overdone and everything is accessible and relevant. If nothing else, Easy Tiger is a very promising release from both the Denzels and Admirable Traits.
All media shared on this website is intended for listening and viewing purposes only. If you would like to own the music file, we encourage you to purchase the music at a local record store or online. If we shared your intellectual property and would like it removed please email us, we will remove it immediately. Thanks.
.jpg)
