LAST AMERICAN BUFFALO “Marquis For The Debutante”
LAST AMERICAN BUFFALO are one of the few genuinely good bands that I have heard this year. On Marquis For The Debutante, they do a tremendous job of showing off the diversity of their skills. A majority of the tunes here are based in basic indie rock, although the pulsating rhythms and twinkling guitars bring to mind more groove-or-dance-oriented bands like MINUS THE BEAR and PAULSON. In fact, vocalist Kevin Compton seems to have found a nice middle ground between the vocalists of those bands as well. The MINUS THE BEAR influence never completely seeps into band’s music, with the one exception being in the straight-out-of-Menos El Oso chorus found in “Fon.” Instead, the ‘BUFFALO are able to keep things fairly original and even a bit addicting (“Monster,” “Dance Class For A Madame,” and “Breaking Up Mine”). When not performing mid-to-up-tempo songs, they are able to transition well into a more folk-based foundation. This is primarily heard in “Sunshine” and “Privateer,” the latter of which has an incredible vibe that (to use a comparison already made by someone wiser) brings to mind THE SNAKE THE CROSS THE CROWN’s Cotton Teeth. Songs like these show that LAST AMERICAN BUFFALO are not only a band worthy of “getting down to,” but also one that can tackle contemplative country with the best of them. I can think of no better word to describe this band than wildly impressive.
Self-Released
