Showing posts with label Strange Acres. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strange Acres. Show all posts
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buffaBLOG's Favorite Buffalo Tracks of 2013: 20 - 11


This past year, we at buffaBLOG carefully combed through hundreds bandcamp pages, e-mails, soundclouds, and even facebook music pages to pick out the 20 best tracks from the year of 2013. Yesterday we reviewed our five close call tracks. Today begins the first half of our official top 20 countdown. 


20) The Traditional - "Retribution"
It's not really a secret that Buffalo's indie/punk scene has a lot of talent. So with so many great songs and bands to choose from, it's definitely saying something that one of the best songs in the genre this year came from the Traditional. Recorded at Buffalo's own GCR with Jay Zubricky, "Retribution" is a painfully honest kiss-off to an ex. The song exemplifies precisely what makes emo so great - taking singer Anthony Musior's sincere, twenty-something angst and encapsulating it into a no-nonsense burst of energy and anger. There is nothing about this song that isn't catchy - even the instrumentals are flawless (Hint: Mike Bienias' blistering lead guitar lines). "Retribution" isn't overblown or over produced, and that's precisely what makes its so poignant. "All I wanted was some retribution for the things that you said, don't want to make it work - I want to make it hurt worse than it ever did." - NAS



19) Victory for Poland - "Save Yourself From Me"
V4P might be the youngest band on the top 20, but "Save Yourself From Me" shows an astounding amount of songwriting skill from a group of high school age musicians. Featuring a slew of horns, fiddles, and a guest appearance from Brimstone Blondes frontman Matthew Danger Lippman, "Save Yourself From Me" is saturated with all sorts of genres, including psych rock, ska, and even some folk, all with a "can't-quite-put-your-finger-on-it" flavor of  "that could only be from the UK." We buffaBLOGGERS have been mourning the loss of many of our favorite high school aged bands this year but luckily, Victory for Poland is still around. - NAS



18) Strange Acres - "Faith"
Strange Acres’ crawling “Faith” was arguably the most gripping track off of the band’s impressive debut self titled full length. A Harvest Sum super group of sorts, Strange Acres (featuring former members of Sleeping Kings of Iona and current members of Orphans) began as the score to an imaginary film, but the band eventually evolved beyond their original “cinematica” concept. The album's first track, “Faith,” accentuates the sultry songstress Molly Grace’s, chillingly dreary delivery as well as highlights her personal struggle with religion. Fans of chilled out electro (Fever Ray, Portishead), will dig this. - MJM



17) Andy Vaeth  - "Never Make a Sound"
As a member of Johnny Nobody, the Old Sweethearts, On Beta, and the Backpeddlers, Andy Vaeth has been entrenched in the Buffalo music scene for over a decade. For someone involved in so many projects, it was a welcome surprise when he released his solo EP, Sad Synthetic Sounds, via Steak & Cake Records. Vaeth, whose voice has long been one of Buffalo's secret weapons, sounds as fragile as ever on the gorgeous, alt-country tinged "Never Make a Sound." The track is a bare bones tune featuring the singer and his trusty acoustic guitar. Little touches like the layered vocals during the chorus, subtle electronic melody, and the digital drum beat remind you that this is a Steak & Cake release after all, but Vaeth, as always, manages to convey emotions through three and a half minutes better than almost anyone in Buffalo. - MPM



16) Cross Stitch - "Worst Dancer in the Room"
I have a confession. I get a lot of music sent to me via the internet and as a “music journalist” I would be bankrupt if I bought every digital release I liked. I am the guy that types “0” in the pay what you want option on bandcamp. Now that I got that off my chest, I enjoyed Cross Stitch’s debut six-song EP, The Early Years (Drug Party Tapes), so much that I bought it. Cross Stitch is an all-girl feminist punk band that sounds like a punkier Marnie Stern in a basement with Sleater-Kinney undertones. “Worst Dancer in the Room,” is the fifth track on their EP, a slow-to-start crescendo-ing diddy about the fear of being alone. - MJM



15) Space Wolves - "Too Short"
You would think that the lo-fi surf rock that comes from Space Wolves would be happy-go-lucky or at the very least, irreverent. Sometimes it is – some of their best songs are about buying cigarettes on the Res or driving out of state. That’s not quite the case with “Too Short”… not even close actually. After a burst of pipeline guitar, Nick Reynolds and Chris Scamurra launch into an intelligent, albeit self-deprecating song about being, well, just not quite good enough. “Too Short” is about that little voice in all of us that reminds us of all the insecurities  we secretly hope no one else notices.But at the end of the day, this is why buffaBLOG loves Space Wolves so much - we can count on them for both genuine emotion or a song about buying cheap cigarettes. Now that’s a balance I can relate to. - NAS



14) Mallwalkers - "Going Downtown"
If I were to make a video compilation of memories from summer 2013, Mallwalkers’ “Going Downtown” would be the soundtrack provided my memories were summed up in roughly three minutes. For those unaware, Mallwalkers is a super-group of sorts, featuring a few Buffalo’s major players in the rock and roll scene (Biff, Dan Carosa, Stephen Floyd, Tony Flaminio). They could best be described as an 11-piece punchy funk-punk band, complete with a horn section and interpretive dancer. “Going Downtown,” was the first single off the band’s August release, Shake Off The Rust, where singers Carosa and Jaime Rowitsch sing of gathering the masses in downtown Buffalo like punk rock pied pipers. - MJM



13) Lancer - "Elephant in the Corner"
Rarely does an album make me want to cuff my arm around my buddy’s neck and scream lyrics from a band, let alone a local band, in their face. Lancer’s Don is Rich EP is full of such moments, with “Elephant in the Corner” being the most outstanding on an already very strong EP. Lead singer Victor Castillo gravely vocals and delivery of “Elephant in the Corner's” chorus make me excited to see how this band will grow in 2014. Lancer does not make songs, they make pop-punk anthems. - MJM
 

12) Camp Counselors - "Charyou"
Haunting. OK, I got that word out of the way mostly because its the easiest/laziest description one could give to "Charyou," the standout track from Huntress, Cemeteries mastermind Kyle J. Reigle's side project Camp Counselors. "Charyou" leads off with an unnerving, throbbing beat that gives way to Reigle's airy vocals. Out of nowhere, (well specifically the 2:05 mark) "Charyou" transforms into a cut of atmospheric witchhouse. The sense of dread that Reigle loves to deliver lingers over the entire tune, never allowing you to get too comfortable. Fans of The xx, Atoms for Peace, Timber Timbre, and modern Radiohead, this is for you. - MPM

11) Applennium - "Island"
Applennium might be one of Buffalo’s most understated and underrated bands. If you think this is a point worth arguing, you should first listen to the dreamy groove of “Island.” Singer Stacey Stoll’s hushed delivery is flawless, reminiscent of Still Corners or even Karen O if she took a Xanax or something. On top of this, they’ve filled the background of “Island” with distant vocals that range from a haunting moan to a “tribal” howl. I can really appreciate when a band takes the time to fill out the background of a song. So, yes, this song isn’t quite a face-melting barnburner, but it is the perfect song to put on when you want to chill out and melt into your bed. - NAS




 Check out songs 10 - 1 here.
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Tonight: Strange Acres Record Release Halloween Party



Start your Halloween early at one of Buffalo's hottest joints tonight when Strange Acres celebrates the release of their eponymous debut and All Hallow's Eve at The Gypsy Parlor on resurgent Grant Street at Potomac. Mark Nosowicz gets things started at 10 and DJ Manny Sike Lewis will be handling after party honors, while Strange Acres gets you properly warmed up for the holiday with their dark, spare, haunting, and sexy sound and chilled out songs off their celebrated debut. Fans of The XX will definitely want to check out Strange Acres and hit up The Gypsy Parlor tonight in their Halloween best. The dark fun starts at 10 PM.


Cliff Parks
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Album of the Week: Strange Acres - Strange Acres


After the past week of listening to their debut self-titled album, Strange Acres has tellingly found a strange place in my heart. Falling along the lines of other female-fronted dark pop bands like Now, Now (one of my personal favorite bands) or Still Corners, Strange Acres is perfectly crafted, and is close, at least in my mind, to being an archetypal definition of music one would describe as "chill." 

 For those Buffalonians familiar with the Harvestsum crew, band members Molly Grace and Jason Mazzariello are alumni, coming from Sleeping Kings of Iona and Vera Lena respectively. Strange Acres' unique approach to songwriting has resulted in a record full of what could have just been bare-bones acoustic songs, developed solely with an acoustic guitar and Grace's vocals. Instead, these songs are gentle and haunting, and are at times so reserved that they are almost emotionally crushing. These songs could easily stand on their own without the electronics, but these songs have been masterfully orchestrated, and it is essentially what makes the band so profound.

 Album opener "Faith" immediately caught my ear and ended up being one of my favorite moments on Strange Acres. The instrumentation is simple and the electronic orchestration is minimal, but Grace's voice is strong, albeit hushed. Her lyrics paint an extremely blunt picture of her faith. The music is droning and stark... But something about these songs is so striking. It's moving enough to give me a sinking feeling in the pit of my heart.  And that's saying something.

 First single "Black Smoke" is another cold, shiver-inducing track.  If you dissect Strange Acres' music, you can see how simply the songs were structured when they were first written. But their strength lies in the ever-swelling orchestrations in their songs. "Black Smoke" is beautiful, but doesn't hit its apex until about 1:15. This song could have been a simple dirge, but it explodes into a myriad of haunting tones and ghostly oohs. You would think music like this leaves little room for a drummer to show off, but the simple drum fill at 1:58 is one of the most jarring and exciting moments on the CD. I'm not sure how else to praise Strange Acres without coming right out and saying it - Strange Acres nailed it.  They know exactly what they are doing.

 Most of Strange Acres sounds a lot like "Black Smoke," which is a good thing. "What's My Name?" could have easily been a great Phantogram song in another life, and songs like "Fatal Sons" keep Strange Acres' penchant for slow-burning alive while somehow introducing a hint of Bjork influence. But album outlier "Fire of 66" stands out as a highlight for simply being an outlier on the rest of the album. Riding heavily on a rolling tom beat and vintage, fuzzy organ tones, this song is Strange Acres at their most upbeat... Not to mention, Grace really seals the deal with her soaring ending note.

 Like one of our previous chill-wave Albums of the Week, Huntress from Camp Counselors, Strange Acres is bound to make our best-of list at the end of the year. Until then, check out the music video for "Black Smoke" below.


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Strange Acres Presents Debut Single "Black Smoke"


A sultry, western tune is what you get when you take the former members of a Buffalo-based trip-hop band, Vera Lena, along with an Orphan, out of the city and drop them into the country. Molly Grace, Ryan Besch, and Jason Mazzariello make up Strange Acres. Their hauntingly sexy debut single “Black Smoke” is worthy of repetition, as a new element is discovered with every play.

The layered track employs ghost after moaning ghost of instrumentation behind the Grace's beautiful and delicate voice. A meditated picking guitar starts the song off and leads the way for an emotional build made of an air organ, deliberate drumming, and a shaking bass line.

Strange Acres is off to an excellent beginning and should expect their unassuming audience to soon be impatient to hear more after stumbling upon "Black Smoke."




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