Spencer LaJoye & Buffalo Rose – Someday You’ll Wake Up Okay

Self-Released

There is a robust scene of rising folk and Americana acts currently grinding their way across the continent. Not only are they hard working in their touring ethic, but they are well-versed musicians playing physically demanding music that is so pleasant to listen to, you almost miss how complex many of the songs are. 

One of these bands I’ve been fortunate to discover in the last couple of years is Buffalo Rose, a Pittsburgh sextet that combines the swagger of ‘70s pop music with the roots and composition of traditional folk. In January, the band released their covers record, All You Can Eat, featuring fresh, layered acoustic renditions of songs like “Birdhouse In Your Soul” by They Might Be Giants and “Short Skirt / Long Jacket” by Cake. Buffalo Rose’s original tracks are equally as creative, with sticky-sweet singles like “Rocketship,” “Runaway,” and “Solid Ground.”

Last Friday, they released their collaboration with Grand Rapids singer/songwriter Spencer LaJoye, whose discography dates back all the way to 2014. Their emotional take on baroque-folk on tracks like “Looks Like We’re Alive” and “Happy” recall cornerstone indie acts like First Aid Kit, Iron & Wine, and Tegan and Sara. Their original version of “Someday You’ll Wake Up Okay” appeared on the 2024 album Shadow Puppets, and now LaJoye has recruited Buffalo Rose to round it out with extra layers of instrumentation and harmonies.

The song and accompanying video were recorded in Montréal, stripped down, with LaJoye and Buffalo Rose crammed in the band’s hotel room while on tour, but nobody seems uncomfortable. In fact, the close quarters only enhance the intimacy of the performance; the connection between the two artists is clearly strong, as if the song were always meant to be sung by everybody. It’s a song of hope, as the title suggests, and the addition of Buffalo Rose, especially on the chorus, makes the message swirl and soar more than the original solo version. It’s an absolute knockout of a collab that showcases both artists’ strengths, and I hope they continue to work together more after this.