For The Able Bodies, this is a grand pop cut full of epic atmosphere and joy.
Indie Pop
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Album review: ‘Flow’
Tart Vandelay “Flow” Self-released tartvandelay.com Simple beauty just pours out of this EP like a bloodless, self-inflicted wound. In order for someone to take beauty, somebody has to give it. And Rochester’s Tart Vandelay just gives and gives on its new, four-song salvo, “Flow.” What catches the ear right out of the gate is the […]
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Mikaela Davis takes on her next psychedelic lullaby
Mikaela Davis carves out her sound, awash in color, on a big sky canvas and in the heads of her fans. Her gentle voice delivers the particulars while her harp paints the theme. It’s an indie rock twilight scene — or a psychedelic lullaby that puts you awake and allows you to dream. Addressing the […]
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Album review: ‘Mostly Blankets’
Candy Isle “Mostly Blankets” Self-released candyisle.bandcamp.com This is an awesome album of deceptive simplicity. Candy Isle is a dynamic duo made up of Kat Bakrania and Lydia Dake — and not much else. This, their first EP, sparkles like a pristine smile with a dusting of harmonious quirk. Assorted instruments are sprinkled about so sparsely […]
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Album review: ‘Exquisite Corpse’
Jon Lewis Band “Exquisite Corpse” Self-released jonlewis.bandcamp.com Rochester singer-songwriter Jon Lewis has mastered the art of catchiness. Drenched in sunshine, “Exquisite Corpse” is an enjoyable set of smooth, mid-tempo rock and pop that defies you to keep your toes from tapping. Lewis’s laid-back voice is easy on the ears, characterized by the kind of heart-on-the-sleeve, […]
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Rubblebucket keeps its rowdy resilience
Rubblebucket is no stranger to upstate New York, and on Saturday, January 2, at Water Street Music Hall, the popular indie pop band makes yet another return to Rochester. The band’s trumpet player, Alex Toth, cites numerous sonic influences as critical to Rubblebucket’s sound — from Fela Kuti and Afro-Cuban jazz to James Brown and […]
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North Highlands
Brooklyn’s North Highlands crafts dreamy indie pop that rivals its home borough’s better-known act, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. This five-piece isn’t as reverb friendly as its contemporaries, but its 2011 release, “Wild One,” does showcase the band’s knack for infectious songwriting and sing-along melodies. Lead vocalist Brenda Malvani anchors the band’s sound […]
