LEAH CREARY

New York-based band Porches makes ambient, atmospheric music with an emotive edge. Similar to bands like Beach House, Animal Collective, and Wild Nothing, Porches embraces an ethereal, dreamy sound that hides the serious, dark nature of the majority of its lyrics. Porches released a full-length album, “Slow Dance in the Cosmos,” full of relaxed, murky […]

The Blind Owl Band is a bluegrass act that embraces a wide variety of influences and sounds. Although the band’s sound and overall presentation may initially present itself as standard bluegrass, it is apparent through deeper listening that the band strives for a unique, multidimensional approach toward music-making. In fact, the band itself expresses that […]

The Fakers is a band that has been present in the Rochester scene for 15 years, and over that time has gone through many musical stages. It presents its listeners with a blend of genres including Americana, the blues, and rock-and-roll, so The Fakers ultimately appeals to a broad audience. In addition, the band provides […]

James Oddy is a local singer-songwriter with a gentle, emotive-folk sound reminiscent of nufolk artists like Fleet Foxes, Noah and the Whale, and Grizzly Bear.  Oddy writes and performs reflective tunes, nostalgic ballads, as well as energetic and pathos-driven up-tunes. According to the artist himself, Oddy does not perform for “for the desire of being […]

  Hailing all the way from England, singer-songwriter Beans on Toast presents his listeners with a quirky, anti-folk sound. Similar to artists like Kimya Dawson and Paul Baribeau, Beans on Toast writes upbeat-sounding songs with casual, conversational lyrics. Beans delivers his brand of anti-folk in a rough-around-the-edges baritone, and his melodies are often more speech-based […]

Brooklyn-based band Caveman creates atmospheric, synth-based indie-pop that calls to mind prominent contemporary bands like The Shins, Fleet Foxes, and Bon Iver. Since the release of the 2011 album “Coco Beware,” Caveman has garnered much positive attention from the press, in addition to performing alongside some major indie-pop acts. In 2013, Caveman released its latest, […]

Ithaca-based singer-songwriter Joe Crookston writes heartfelt story-songs that transport his listeners to a variety of different worlds. The topics of his stories range from personal to fictional to historical, all of which are delivered in a pleasing folk-music setting. His music is reminiscent of the folk revival of the 60’s, calling to mind artists such […]

Local band Black Ribbon makes its own brand of pop punk, drawing influences from bands like Descendents, Green Day, and Alkaline Trio. Black Ribbon’s music encompasses all the important qualities of pop punk — including a knack for melody, palpable energy, and a rebellious attitude. The band refers to its genre as “90’s punk rock,” […]

Boston-based Air Traffic Controller began when singer/songwriter Dave Munro, a real life air traffic controller in the Navy, released a four-track demo during his service. Since the release of that demo, the band has grown to be an indie tour de force, garnering an incredible amount of media attention and critical praise over the past […]

Local band Ivy’s Panic Room presents its own brand of alternative rock, inspired by artists such as Blink 182, Franz Ferdinand, and The Front Bottoms. The band explores a slowed-down pop-punk sound the majority of the time, presenting its listeners with noteworthy melodies that just beg for a group sing-along. At times, however, the band […]

Massachusetts-based trio Rusty Belle makes music that fits loosely under the category of folk-rock, but tends to defy genre. A number of different elements come into play in Rusty Belle’s music, from the blues to 60’s folk to old-time country, and it’s apparent that this band has combined a wide range of influences to create […]

Jason Isbell is well known for being part of the popular country band Drive-By Truckers, where he was the lead singer and guitarist for six years. Not long after leaving the band, Isbell released his first solo album, “Sirens of the Ditch,” on which he explored a more blues-infused country sound. After the release of his […]