Music Blog covers Indie Music with a focus on the WNY area. Bands are encouraged to submit promo material for review. Listening to new music with an open mind is important. This blog is about exposing new music and promoting new bands that want a push. Music blog is sponsored by Buffalo Iron Works and Buffalo's best comic book shop Queen City Bookstore. (Blog is not about Joe Tell.) Go to https://www.youtube.com/@joetellsmusicblog3095
to see Joe Tells Music Blog Videos Youtube channel.
Hurricane, The Music of the Scorpions - Buffalo, NY
HURRICANE ROCKS is the premiere national rock band based in NY performing across the entire USA, playing exclusively the music of the rock powerhouse The SCORPIONS.
Little Liar is a Gloomy Hard Rock group from the outskirts of Buffalo NY, drawing influences from Tyler Bryant & the Shakedown, Alice In Chains, Velvet Revolver, Black Sabbath, The Black Keys and The Strokes bringing a modern twist to a 90s hard rock sound.
Vocals - Austin Reese
Lead Guitar - Matt Levulis
Bass Guitar - Nathan Dash
Percussion - Derek Langdon
Buffalo Iron Works is a proud sponsor of Joe Tells Music Blog
Relive the energy and magic of Fleetwood Mac in their prime, brought to life by the remarkable chemistry of five young artists in an award-winning tribute!
NEW Careless live video by GROSH from the Town Ballroom Start Again release party.
Grosh Summer Concert Schedule
Grosh New music video for I Will Never Leave Your Side from their new release Start Again
Grosh music video for Small Talk from their new release Start Again
Grosh Album Release Party! with special guest Uncle Ben's Remedy. March 7th, 7pm @ Town Ballroom, 681 Main St, Buffalo NY 14203
Grosh Album Release Party, Town Ballroom March 7th with Uncle Ben's Remedy
Grosh - Not Down For Long
Grosh is ahigh energy rock band from Buffalo, NY featuring Grace Lougen (guitar), Josh English (drums), Megan Brown (vocals), and Dylan Hund (bass). With influences from bands such as Led Zeppelin and Pearl Jam, the band writes music that is visceral, heavy, and inspiring. Not Down For Long is the band's second effort and includes performances by Harry Graser (Keys), Linnea Cremean (viola), Allison Collins (cello), Eric Wozniak (sax, flute, oboe), Tim Clarke (trumpet) and Alex McArthur, Harper Sinclair (vocals).
Grosh - Not Down For Long music review by Joe Tell.
The Fight is an outstanding and impressive opening volley from Grosh to start Not Down For Long. The brief intro is ethereal, a perfect start for the high energy groove that is about to explode. The band comes in at breakneck speed but remains in total control as Megan shouts out the chorus and powerful lyrics. Grosh proves why they are one of the leading bands on the local WNY scene. Josh English takes command as he marches through the adrenaline inducing ending. Step Outside is next. The meaningful lyrical content (seems to) provide a positive solution to any drama that can occur online or in person. The band grooves hard on a funky riff that dominates the song. Grace Lougen leads the band as she slows down the tempo and plays a fantastic solo. The feeling is bluesy but executed with tons of rock and roll aggression. The feeling on Seen but Not Heard is primal and aggressive. A heavy guitar riff dominates until the second verse which uplifts the feeling and tempo of the music before going back down into the main riff. A solid bass line from Dylan leads the band into the second part of the song. The lyrical content reflects the feeling of the music. The quick guitar intro for Mind Games brings a new energy back into the playlist. The tempo is quick and filled with some tasty drum fills. The key shift on the outro is a fantastic addition to an already great track. Megan Brown's heartfelt feelings are on full display as she sings the next song, On The Patio. You can hear and feel the sincere emotion come through during her performance. Along with Megan's vocals Grace Lougens beautiful guitar playing talent really shines on this track. The rhythm section really locks in tight allowing to Grace to perform a fantastic solo. On The Patio is one of my favorite songs and one of the best on Not Down For Long. "On the patio, swimming in cigarette smoke Plastic chairs, a locked-in stare I fell in love on the patio Looking in big blue eyes and brand new dreams And simple as it seems I fell in love and it was everything", a sample of the lyrics by Megan Brown. (Patio Lanterns by Kim Mitchell popped into my head as I listened.) Mr. Rogers is a lesson in funky soul. The horns and flute on this track add to the musical palette as well as some guest vocalists'. My favorite part of this track is the popping and slapping bass solo by Dylan Hund! Check out the video for Mr. Rogers below.
No One Knows You keeps things funky and upbeat. The positive lyrical message sounds like believe in yourself. The band really sounds tight on this track as they all play accents on the downbeat. A couple of starts and stops kept me listening intently and interested in how the band was going to take the song out.
The lyrics for This Isn't Over (can) offer inspiration to keep going for when things may look bleak. The quick tempo provides a great backdrop for fantastic performances by Megan and Grace. Check out the youtube video below.
Reckless Road is a powerful, full-speed ahead rocking tune. Perfect for when you're travelling to and fro, turned up loud in your motor car. Features Grace Lougen on slide guitar.
Don't Forget Me is an emotional and soulful ballad. Grosh conveys and creates real feeling with the music. The song is further enhanced by a brilliant orchestration track by Richie English. I heard influences by Joan Baez/Joni Mitchell/Jewel/Ani DiFranco thru the guitar and vocals. One of my favorites for sure. Tread The Wave brings the power back in and features a crashing, percussion track much like the waves of a turbulent ocean.
Not Down For Long is another brilliant and impressive release from one of Buffalo's best original rock bands, Grosh.
Grosh is a high energy rock band from Buffalo, NY featuring Grace Lougen (guitar), Josh English (drums), Megan Brown (vocals), and Dylan Hund (bass).
Grosh Whether Or Not You Know cover art.
Grosh, Whether Or Not You Know music review by Joe Tell. Whether Or Not You Know blasts' off with More To Life. After repeatedly playing the song I heard something extraordinary right away. Separating the speakers revealed some interesting sounds and a cool stereo mix during the intro of More To Life. I was also struck by the unique sound of Grace Lougen's guitar. Grace plays the guitar with her fingers which results in an organic and very natural sound. Her finger style playing highlights her dynamic style and reveals a lot of natural harmonics and overtones you wouldn't hear from a flatpicking guitarist. The drum build up by Josh English brings in the high energy that defines More To Life. Megan Brown comes in on top of the fast pace accenting and accompanying the music with a singing style that is inherently appealing and intuitive in nature. Megan's spirited and passionate voice packs plenty of emotional punch. The lyrics are powerful and grab the listener's ear without taking away from the groove the band is putting down. After establishing the driving tempo the band slows down letting the music breathe. Thus allowing Dylan Hund to throw in some tasty fills on the bass and Megan to add some sweet vocal harmonies. The quality continues with Every Time. Every Time features a brilliant drum track executed by Josh English. The drum sound is tight and punchy, Josh's frantically fantastic playing weaves in and out of the musical pocket in creative waves. A duo of rhythm and lead guitar parts come in, each part complimenting the other. Megan's melodic and breathy vocals sound sincere and as soon as she sings the word broken the band busts' into a powerful, heavy groove that accents the lyric. Rising Tide is up next. Rising Tide features Grace Lougen on a lead guitar tour de force. The song structure leaves plenty of room for some soulful lead guitar. The guitar solo builds up with a slow burn. A tasty slide guitar begins the solo in a bluesy fashion Grace then starts up with a few lead notes slowly getting faster, bringing up the energy along with the band. The solo bleeds in to the next verse of the song and continues on bringing the song to a close. Whether or Not You Know rolls on with Roads Remember. Needless to say the lyrics tell a story about travelling and the memories we connect with the road. The guitar solo signals a transition as the band kicks the song into overdrive for the outro. Lil' Crazy, Refuse and I Bet You Did play out in an energy inducing order. Lil' Crazy is funky and tight. The rhythm section of Josh English and Dylan Hund jam on an infectious groove that is expertly punctuated by some great bass pops and slaps. Refuse is a straight up hard rock song, from the aggressive guitar to the soaring vocals Grosh shows off yet another side of the band. The fast tempo is sure to get your blood flowing and your fists' pumpin'. A spacy guitar solo with some awesome keyboards by Harry Graser contrasts' perfectly with the quick verse music. The previous two songs set up I Bet You Did perfectly. I Bet You Did would fit in nicely on any FM rock radio playlist. The first time I watched the music video for this song I became a fan of Grosh. I Bet You Did is a great, well composed rock song, the verse music and lyrics are strong and the chorus is catchy. Grosh really raises the bar and sets a new standard for all local musicians to follow with I Bet You Did. Below is the video for I Bet You Did.
Astronaut is as titled, as a song about all things space. The mid tempo pace allows plenty of room for Megan Brown to fill up the heady groove with drifting harmonies. The keyboard track by Harry Graser serves to further the spacy track onward and upward. Grosh shows off some impressive hard rock/metal chops with Something New. This track is similar to track 6 Refuse, but Something New is even more aggressive and metallic in style and performance. Josh English uplifts the energy and power even more with his drum pounding outro. What Have I Done is a hard-driving rock song. Megan's vocals are outstanding and Grace's guitar playing is screaming with emotion. The ending is a classic bombastic rock and roll bang up.
Piece of Mind closes out Whether Or Not You Know in style complete with a hidden track. The feeling conveyed is melancholy and the drum track drives the song with a quickness that defies the ballad like sound. Megan's vocals are breathy, beautiful and emotional. The violin track arranged by drummer Richie English and performed by Linnea Cremean and Allison Collins closes out Piece of Mind...but wait there's more! A bonus track called Sweet Mama is great dose of rock n roll that serves the listener well as a going away present and a positive parting musical shot. The quality production and the mix on Whether Or Not You Know is top notch and a pleasure to listen to. All of the songs on Whether Or Not You Know are very well orchestrated. The transitions between the melodies are seamless, emphasizing the lyrical content. The songs highlight the creative talent and energy each member of the band possesses as they perform together as a cohesive unit. Brilliant Buffalo Band!
Welks Mice, Buffalo’s premier vibraphone and vocal DIY pop duo, is back with their long awaited sophomore effort “BLUB BLUB”. Released 10/19/24 on Peterwalkee Records, songwriter Max Weiss (he/him) and vibraphonist Andre Welks-Fabretti (they/them) deliver an 8-song EP exploring themes of openness, positivity, and hope. The anxious and incessant edges of the duo’s debut album “Songs in C” give way to softer song forms while maintaining their signature stark and minimalist pop aesthetic that keeps Max’s lyrics central for the listener.
Aiding the band this time around is engineer/producer/patient-angel Derick Evans (he/him) who meticulously captured and refined the duo’s first ever digital recordings. Alongside a sprinkling of cello by Katie Wiessman (she/her), Derick also contributes the electric guitar and bass heard here and there.
After nearly 6 years since beginning this effort, an interim filled with pandemic and lockdown, babies and marriage, growth, turmoil, equipment malfunction, enduring friendship, and some brutal self-editing that left several fully recorded songs on the cutting room floor, Welks Mice proudly and lovingly present “BLUB BLUB”. Enjoy!
Helmet Lady Records is an independent boutique record label based in Buffalo that specializes in high quality, limited release vinyl, t-shirts and CDs.
Bands on the Helmet Lady Records roster include Stone Priest, Nine Layers Deep, Hawkeyes, 1886, Brothers Of The Nod, Saturndust and Shepherd Demonstration 2. Stone Priest - Pallor Mortis album art. Pallor Mortis is available on blue vinyl.
Nine Layers Deep - Sludge Life: I album art. Sludge Life: I is available on red vinyl and CD.
Hawkeyes - Last Light Of Future Failure album art. Last Light Of Future Failure is available on yellow and blue vinyl.
1886 - Before The Fog Covers The Mount album art. Before The Fog Cover The Mount is available in red/orange/white-smoke psych starburst vinyl.
Brothers Of The Nod - album art. Album is available on opaque tundra grey vinyl.
Saturndust - debut album artwork. Album is available in grey/black smoke, copper/black smoke and purple/black smoke vinyl.
Ruination Series #1- Shepherd Demonstration 2 album art.
