Avi Buffalo - Self-titled

West coast indie/folk rockers Avi Buffalo are the perfect answer to anyone looking for some breezy summer tunes. On the surface the young group seems like a shallow Shins or Death Cab for Cutie clone, but if you dive below the surface of their 45 minute debut you might be surprised by the depth you find. This is not your typical 'teen angst' breakup record, but a heartfelt and endearing account of all the awkward moments and sexual frustration experienced by a guy in high school. It's a record that has an uncanny way of connecting with its audience on a very personal level, successfully capturing all the mixed emotions that churn up inside everyone at that point in their life.

Avi Buffalo's self-titled debut is a great collection of well written, performed and produced folk rock gems. A feat not easily achieved by seasoned musicians made even more impressive when you consider that most of the band is still in high school. Formed by the talented Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg (Avi for short) and a group of high school friends; Rebecca Coleman (keyboard/vocals), Sheridan Riley (drums) and Arin Fazio (bass). An eclectic band drawing inspiration from many sources including west-coast rock, experimental folk and 60s jazz, Avi Buffalo has a stripped down sound that can come off as almost surreal with jangling guitars, minimal drums and spacey reverb sprinkled over duel vocal harmonies.



Every track on the album is worth a listen with my personal favorites being the jazz flavored "Five Little Sluts" and the shimmering "What's It In For?" The playful folk duet "One Last" shows off the bands range as a group and is a definite must listen for fans of breezy indie rock. Keyboardist Rebecca Coleman's angelic voice does a great job of complimenting Isenberg's high-pitched falsetto creating a unique flavor to the record. The dual vocal approach works great for this group as they prove again with the stripped down album closer "Where's Your Dirty Mind."

The slow-burning ballad "Jessica" is another must hear track showcasing some of the most impressive songwriting I've seen this year. "Jessica, why do you always make it so hard," Isenberg sings with frustration, "You know I'm kidding but sometimes I feel like you're all I've got." The engaging lyrics about teenage love and loss hit an emotional depth rarely seen from modern indie rock musicians. "No one can make you lose your faith," he continues, "except for someone who you love." A very deep and personal track wrapped in a fuzzy pop package. Isenberg's wobbly, endearing lyrics and memorable melody could easily put this track into heavy rotation on college radio.


A great debut album with so much potential, this is a group of young but very talented individuals who have a very bright future ahead of them. The group is already touring around the world performing at music festivals such as NXNE and 80/53 as well as opening for Modest Mouse and Blitzen Trapper on several occasions. With every band being advertised as the 'next big thing' I'm glad small bands like Avi Buffalo are still getting the attention they deserve.

Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest

Thanks to an early leak of their new album and a pair of late-night television appearances, Veckatimest has become one of the best-reviewed indie rock albums of 2009. In fact the song "Two Weeks" had become one of the most downloaded songs on the net long before the actual album had even been released. Usually when an album is getting this much hype this fast it has more to do with clever marketing and less to do with the album actually being good. I have been smacked in the face with this grim reality one time too many in the past few years. However I must admit Grizzly Bear's new foray into psych-folk-pop is a solid album and most definitely worth the hype.

Originally a solo project of singer Edward Droste (Department of Eagles), Grizzly Bear officially became a bleep on the radar in 2006 with the release of their first full album Yellow House. Throwing into the mix Christopher Bear (drums/percussion), Daniel Rossen (vocals/guitar) and Chris Taylor (multi-instrumentalist/sound mixer), Grizzly Bear received universal praise for their dense arrangements and winding song structures. They've toured with TV on the Radio, Feist, Paul Simon an even had an opening slot on the second leg of Radiohead's In Rainbows tour. In Toronto, on their last show of the tour, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood praised Grizzly Bear on stage calling them his favorite band.



With the release of Veckatimest, Grizzly Bear has once again offered up an album of well crafted music full of sweeping melodies and lucid pop. They have honed their sound so well that it is amazing to think that this is only their 2nd full length album. All four members of the band sing, with Rossen and Droste trading lead vocals almost song for song. From the seductive guitar riffs of the albums first track "Southern Point" to the swirling psychedelic instrumentation of "I Live With You", there are plenty of stand out tracks to keep your attention.

If you haven't already figured it out, the best track on the album is the stunning "Two Weeks", a pure indie-pop masterpiece that will jump inside your head and refuse to leave for weeks. Starting with a simple repetitive piano note before Rossen and Droste jump in with their addictive vocal harmonies, singing about relationships over a plucky bass line. Keep an ear out for the swooning voice of Victoria Legrand (Beach House) who provides a wordless backing chorus that perfectly compliments Rossen and Droste voices. This is by far the most radio-friendly song on the album which explains it immense popularity.

Grizzly Bear are currently in the middle of a North American tour, which includes a stop at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO on October 1st. Tickets are $20 in advance/$22 the day of the show.

http://www.grizzly-bear.net
http://www.myspace.com/grizzlybear

Edward Sharpe - Up From Below

One of the more unusual music acts to come out of LA, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros is a retro folk-rock revival of psychedelic-tinged tunes that will rattle around your head for weeks. Having not been alive during the age of 'Peace & Love' I find the pounding rhythm and folksy arrangements a refreshing change of pace in todays indie-pop soaked airwaves.

Their debut album, Up From Below, is full of communal music mixed with interactive clapping and addictive sing-a-long lyrics. The big, open-hearted anthems radiate uplifting vibes and take the listener back in time to an era when people weren't soaked with cynicism and irony. The album is a great throwback to a time of love, peace and a sense of community whilst introducing an array of instruments including trumpets, xylophones, harmonicas, accordions, pianos and tons of procussions and whistles.



Sharpe is the alter ego of Alex Ebert, formerly of the new wave indie rockers Ima Robot, who seems to have regressed to the state of a flower-child. Along with his 10 or 12 other band members, The Magnetic Zeros seem to be more like a family of gypsy musicians than a band. Traveling around LA in an old panted bus, complete with a driver named Cornfed, the album was recorded as a group effort over the corse of a year on a analog 24-track tape machine from 1979. There are several gems on Up From Below, from the pop sing-a-long "Janglin" to the melancholy "Desert Song".

By far the standout track on the album is "Home", a Cash/Carter inspired duet between Ebert and girlfriend Jade Castrinos. A great song that is already getting praise on college radio station with lyrics such as, "Home, let me come home/Home is wherever I'm with you". The best part of the song is the story Ebert tells of the time Jade fell out the window and almost bled to death while smoking the cigarette she feared would be her last in the back seat on the way to the hospital.

The band is now working on a series of short films based on each of the albums 13 tracks. The first of these films, Desert Song, was released in early June and will soon be followed by the second installment, Kissed Over Babylon.

http://www.edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/
http://www.myspace.com/edwardsharpe