This week’s new releases and videos

By Chloe Kowalyk

(Above: Ookla the Mok cover illustration by Adam English. Color and text design by Rob Dumo | http://www.robdumoart.com | @robdumo)

Welcome to The Music Box, a place where contributors of The Buffalo Hive discuss new releases from local musicians. This week, we’ve got fresh new music from Ookla the Mok, local jazz legends Trigger Gaston & Co and Havana Syndrome.

Ookla the Mok

Ookla the Mok are a quirky Buffalo duo of Rand Bellavia and Adam English.

The band shares a name with sidekick character Ookla the Mok from 1980s sci-fi cartoon “Thundarr the Barbarian,” which represents the band’s personality well. The duo typically plays gigs at local conventions and festivals.

Next Friday, Aug. 1, Ookla the Mok is set to release a new album titled “Folk Song Army Men” with six new tracks.

The first track on the new album, “Folk Song Army” is a tribute to an original piece, “The Folk Song Army” by Tom Lehrer, and has already been released on Bandcamp.

Other tracks on the album that have yet to release include “Rock a Bye” and “Invader Zim.”

You can preorder the digital album on Bandcamp here.

And here’s a sample of it:

And the inspiration? That’s here (with the classic lyric about the Spanish Civil War: He (Franco) may have won all the battles, but we had all the good songs):

Trigger & the Sermon

Buffalo jazz legends Trigger & the Sermon performed live at Food Truck Tuesdays at Larkinville on July 15.

Below is a video of the band’s live performance by Linda Appleby.

It’s no secret why audience members dance and groove in front of the stage as Trigger & the Sermon continuously play smooth tunes.

This local organ jazz quartet led by Douglas “Trigger” Gaston, an artist with an impressive resume – being featured with musicians such as Frank Foster, Clifford Jordan, Delfayo Marsalis and more.

Havana Syndrome

Havana Syndrome is a local hardcore punk group self-described on their Bandcamp as “an experimental Psychogenic Direct Energy Weapon designed to remotely interface with and electromagnetically harass a Target’s auditory cortex.”

Havana Syndrome is a part of Swimming Faith Records, a local independent punk record label that shares membership with group Science Man.

Havana Syndrome’s recent release “Demo 25” consists of five new songs.

The entire release is spunky and electric. With fast-paced instrumental backings and piercing vocals, the album’s sound pre-recorded is enough to make any hardcore punk enthusiast dream of hearing the songs live – and joining in on the mosh pit.

While the limited edition cassette is currently sold out, you can get the digital album on Bandcamp here.

If you’re a Western New York performer or band and you have a new release or video, drop us a line at editor@thebuffalohive.com and we’ll help you let the world know about it … with a side helping of opinion, of course.