When a band or artist becomes so prominent, it becomes strange to think that there was a time when their music wasn’t around in the first place. Can you imagine a time without the Beatles? Without Taylor Swift? Without Buffalo Traffic Jam?
Okay, maybe Buffalo Traffic Jam hasn’t reached Beatles or Taylor Swift-status just yet, but they are getting there. The folk duo of Frankie Cassidy and Nathan Ross just wrapped the EU portion of their sold-out debut headline world tour, are currently on tour in the UK, and will head out on the US portion of their world tour in the fall. They are also about to surpass 300M worldwide catalog streams to date, and their fan-favorite single “Fool’s Gold” reached #37 on the US Alternative Radio charts. A debut album is also due for release next month, making this a summer to remember for Buffalo Traffic Jam.
In May, Buffalo Traffic Jam released “Pictures of You,” the title track from their upcoming album. It was a reflective single that sifted through the complexities of time and various memories. The duo’s signature storytelling came through, as it does on the duo’s follow-up, “Too Young to Die.” Here, listeners are brought into a contemplative space, with lyrics that focus on the aftermath of a panic attack. The acoustic guitar builds throughout, with strums that get stronger and give way to more instruments and textures. All the while, we hear, “Don’t help me / Just watch me bleed / ‘Cause I am stronger / Than you know,” serving as a reminder that life can put up a fight, but so can you.
Elaborating on the upcoming album, Frankie shares,
“When I lost my grandma this past fall, I went back home to my parents’ farm for a couple of days. Together, we sat down and sifted through old photos to display at her funeral and it felt like living my whole life over again. Every image, old and recent, was a chapter in our family’s story.
“I began writing our first album shortly after, and slowly realized these songs were doing the same thing. Each one captures a short, specific moment that shaped who I am. They aren’t just songs. They’re polaroids—snapshots of exactly what I felt at that time. I hope you listen to this and laugh, cry, smile, and drift back to your own moments—the ones that made you who you are. This is ‘Pictures of You.’”
Pre-save Pictures of You, out July 31, here.
Listen to “Too Young to Die” here.
Catch Buffalo Traffic Jam on tour here.
Keep up with Buffalo Traffic Jam: Instagram // TikTok // YouTube // Website
