Looking for the perfect track to play 10 times in a row while getting ready to go out with your friends? Joywave's new single, "In Clover," is it. Super saturated in electronica, major lazer tag vibes, and drums that are probably made out of giant Diet Coke cans, it's a hype-y, dance-y, shake ya ass (but watch yourself) track that I cannot stop listening to.

Before the Rochester-based band head west for SXSW, you should head to Bug Jar tonight for their last pre-tour show. Featuring KOPPS, FOWLS, and Hawker M. James, the $10/12 at the door show is worth every cent. Doors are at 8/music at 9 (BJT aka Bug Jar Time). Stay late as the band will be previewing "In Clover" as well as the rest of their new EP, How Do You Feel, following the night's performances

Buffalo friends and fans, make the short drive to the 585 and catch this show.

9) Skirts - "Death of the Author"
2013 was an interesting year for Skirts. First, a distinguished author claimed copyright infringement on their former band name, Meanagers, threatening legal action if they did not change it. Secondly, they were signed to upstart Rochester label, Dadstache Records. At some point they also went from a three to a five piece. Since then, the band has recorded and released a slew of songs, most notably the upbeat garage track, "Death of the Author." Skirts is fronted by Hayden Ford, whose vocals and song writing style is something worth your attention. We're definitely looking forward to more songs and perhaps even more members in 2014. - MJM 



8) Cottage Jefferson - "Follow Through"
I must admit, I was a little late on the Cottage Jefferson train. If it wasn't for my lack of an auxiliary input, a six state road trip, and 30 blank CD-Rs, I may have never given I Don't Believe Anything's ten songs the time or attention they deserve. "Follow Through" is a three minute even, self-reflective, bare bones mellowed out indie rock tune complete with jangly guitars, introspective lyrics, and a line that will drive your family mad for roughly 18 hours ("Michael, what do you mean all you need is a follow through?"). Fans of Spoon's accessibility with Dylan Baldi's (Cloud Nothings) delivery would love Cottage Jefferson.  - MJM

Listen to "Follow Through" here.
 
7) Crushes - "Love Is Lost"
2013 saw the debut of Crushes, a synth-pop duo comprised of Buffalo born vocalist Laura "LuLu" Robinson and producer David McGinnis aka David Lee Rad. The pair's single "Love is Lost" is a cut of tense, electro pop led by Robinson's sultry vocals, and a track that could easily have been placed onto the Drive soundtrack without thinking twice. The song's dark, late night vibe makes comparisons to Chromatics almost too easy. Fans of Niki & the Dove or the Italians Do It Better cast of synth driven acts would be best served to take note of Crushes. - MPM




6) Keeler - "Shoot The Jay"
Keeler's debut autumnal release, Too Old to Believe in Ghosts, is, pound for pound, one of the most impressive releases out of Rochester in 2013. TOTBIG's explosive first track, "Shoot The Jay," packs a punch with glory era emo composition coupled with lead singer, Sam LiButti's, manically gripping vocals. "Shoot The Jay" encompasses that fall feeling' everything is dying, 98% of things suck, and it's really cold out (comparatively to summer). There's probably some grim metaphor in there I am not reading enough into. Regardless, fans of Cap' n Jazz, Algernon Cadwallader, or Their They're There would love Keeler's lo-fi combo of grizzled innocence and visceral shout-singing. - MJM



5) High Drags - "The Bad Ones" (ft. Edgar Sandoval)
Brother/Sister duo, High Drags (James & Marissa Longstreet), is not a newcomer to the Rochester scene. Although now half of the project lives in LA, High Drags has found time to release a three song Valentine's Day EP titled The V-Mixtape. The song that resonated with us the most was the EP's second track, "The Bad Ones," which begins with some rambling about hitchhiking to University with mere pennies, and then proceeds to tell the fictitious (?) love story of Dylan and Francis. "The Bad Ones" features Marissa's whisperingly sweet vocals along with James' strolling electro-pop backing and making this track a definite for the Rochester top ten. Fans of a distortionless Sleigh Bells or even Lily Allen would dig this. - MJM



4) Seaplanes - "Lip Gloss"
We frequently refer to bandcamp as the blog's best friend as we find tons of the new regional music that makes up so much of our daily content via the music streaming site. "Lip Gloss," the first recorded song from the new wavy rock group Sea Planes, hit the site early last spring, and immediately left us longing for the summer vibes bursting from the sunny single. "Lip Gloss" employs laid back first wave British Invasion type vocals and a sugary melody filled with fuzzy riffs reminiscent of a Los Campesinos! that remembered to take their ritalin. Fans of Rouge Wave, Grandaddy, and the Weakerthans should keep an eye on the four piece as we expect big things in 2014. - MPM



3) People Can Be More Awesome - "Cleaner Than Before"
Rochester’s People Can Be More Awesome really impressed us with “Cleaner than Before.”  The song has infectious layering highlighting the band’s knack for both genuineness and descriptors. “Cleaner than Before” is a drum machine backed indie tune (think Front Bottoms meets Motion City Soundtrack) that, on the surface, seems to focus mostly on partying and having a good time. But, this six-piece is hiding a secret romanticism and are actually more enamored with the potential of falling in love than the party itself. Recorded at Redbooth Recordings with Brian Moore, the sextet only has a couple of songs to date, but with “Cleaner than Before,” the band has proven to have a talent for writing songs that linger in your ears. - MJM



2) Taking Meds - "Jim Jones"
Originating as the side project for 3/5ths of Rochester punkers, Such Gold, Taking Meds made their internet debut last January with a three-song sampler aptly titled Demo. Taking Meds is not as aggressive as Such Gold, sounding more reminiscent of late 90s/early 2000s acts like Hey Mercedes, Hot Rod Circuit, and other earnest sounding indie-leaning, early emo acts. “Jim Jones” is a curt 1 minute and 50 second angular guitar laden jam that has all the things we love in a song: a title about a cult leader, killer hooks, punchy vocals, and the ability to somehow find itself played 42 times on iTUNES. - MJM



1) JOYWAVE - "Tongues" (ft. Patricia Petrone of KOPPS)
Without a doubt the best song in both catchiness and popularity is “Tongues,” by Rochester’s JOYWAVE. “Tongues” dominated Hype Machine’s top internet countdown multiple times, was remixed by electro-Midas’ RCA and was even featured on Sirius XMU. This alone is a remarkable feat that I’m almost positive, based on zero research, no other Western NY band has accomplished this year. The track starts out with KOPPS’ Patricia Petrone sampled “Boo Da Dum Dum Bah OOMP” quickly going into lead singer Daniel Armbruster’s falsetto narrative about his whirlwind weekends with Rochester artists, musicians, and mostly dreamers. With word on the street JOYWAVE has new material in 2014, could it be possible that the band dominates next years’ top ten for the third time? - MJM

Fresh off playing a barn burner set at our third birthday party at the end of last month, Rochester's Joywave is readying the release of it's latest mixtape, titled 88888. The first leaked track, "Tongues," which features frequent Joywave collaborators and fellow Rochester residents KOPPS, may be the group's most infectious dance tune to date. Kicking off with jittery vocal contributions from KOPPS' siren Patricia Petrone, star-in-the-making Daniel Armbruster gives the track a touch of soul as a tense beat leads to the anthemic chorus. The song is bookended by percussion that ranges from marching band to even afro beat, resulting in a pop music gem.  88888 will be released on April 15th.

After months to terrorizing the stages of Western New York, the sex crazed drunkards of Well Worn Boot will take the stage tonight at Nietzsche's to celebrate the release of their debut comic and EP, both called Fully Torqued.  If you ever wondered how the band came to be, the comic will surely answer your most pressing of questions, including how it was just so easy for the Plainsman to learn to play the flute.  Joining them this evening is a full bill of the Boot's besties, including Rochester's equally sex fueled KOPPS, some solo Andrew Reimers, Space Cubs, and more.  The entire lineup and schedule can be found here.  The music will kick off just after 10pm this evening.  The $5 that will cost you to get through the door will be well worth it.

P.S.  If you happened to miss the Boot's interview on the WBNY Local Show last night, give it a listen here.
 

9. The Gifted Children - "Our 'Hobby' is a Bust"
Rochester indie rock veterans, The Gifted Children's "Our 'Hobby' is a Bust," is the most upbeat track off the recently released EP No One Will Know We Were Ever Hear. This track is a half- kidding lament for a self-aware, aging indie rock band.  For a band to still have it after close to 17 years as a project is an impressive accomplishment in itself. An easy way to describe it, this track would be the upbeat works of Pedro the Lion meets Broken Social Scene. 

They're XXX, dancing under technicolor lights, and eccentrically electronic. They are KOPPS and they'll be performing at our holiday party this Saturday, Dec. 15. The first time I heard of KOPPS, I was impressed. Not only was it a video of them performing one of my favorite Eurodance songs live, but they gave Alice DeeJay's "Better Off Alone" the justice it deserved in a way that left me desiring to jump through the computer screen, transporting myself back through Time and Space to be on The Bug Jar's dancefloor in Rochester. Luckily for you, if you watch and feel the same all you'll need is patience until Saturday at Duke's Bohemian Grove Bar.   

KOPPS, self-proclaimed to be "CrazySexyCreepy," definitely has a seductively unusual sound. It draws you in with its moments of experimentation, dance and soaring vocals.  My favorite tune "Mourning Sex (feat. Joywave)" is strange and entrancing, with chopped vocals, heavy percussion and perfectly timed peaks and breaks. Their current EP Fuck Jams has sexy panting and well orchestrated electronic instrumentals provided by writers of the album Patricia Petrone, Kyle O'Hara, and Daniel Armbruster.

Also if sexual innuendos (or blatant references) are your jam, you'll enjoy their websites. A disclaimer on their Bandcamp page for their EP reads, "for erections lasting longer than 4 hours, please seek immediate medical attention."

Here's the whole EP, give em' a listen.