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.

Portugal. The Man - American Ghetto

Only a few months after the release of their last album, The Satanic Satanist, the experimental indie rock band Portugal. The Man has come out with a new LP equally as amazing as the last. The new album, American Ghetto, finds the Alaskan band moving slightly away from the psychedelic towards a more soulful, electronic indie sound. All the swirling guitar riffs and groovy bass lines found on Satanist are still here, but now paired with some great synthesized beats. PTM has found a good harmony between synthesized music and traditional instruments, proving why they are one of America's most unique and creative rock bands.

A true 'indie' rock band, PTM have mostly been self financing their own albums and tours since the release of their first EP back in 2006. Known for their ambitious out put of recordings, PTM have released a new album every year with several EPs in between creating a substantial discography for a band only 5 years old. Even with a massive amount of music behind them PTM continue to push the envelope and explore new ideas with each new album, constantly changing and never getting stale.

Almost immediately after recording the critically acclaimed Satanic Satanist, PTM's John Gourley returned to Boston's Camp Street Studios to begin recording "something a bit more beat driven and a bit more spontaneous," as he described in a letter to their fans. "The whole process of the American Ghetto recordings was basically a two week explosion of ideas followed by about 4 months of clean-up and focusing," Gourley continues, "This gave the songs space and time to breathe a bit before finding their true home in the album and in the finished piece."



Believe me when I say there are no filler songs on this album, every track is amazing in its own unique way. The LP starts off with the distorted guitar riff of "The Dead Dog," giving listeners their first taste of PTM's new synth-rock sound. "This track began with a break beat and a loose set of chords that I had put together in the morning before tracking," Gourley said in a press release, "Lyrically, this was the first album where I really went out and referenced the streets and places around where I grew up." The Dead Dog was a bar near the band's Alaskan hometown of Wasilla where "some pretty shady folks" spent their time. "[American Ghetto] is probably the most consistent album lyrically and the most true to some of the harder points of my friendships back home."

The euphoric distortion of "Break" serves as a great intro to "60 Years," an instant classic with its bluesy guitars and jazz feel. Frontman John Gourley is joined by recurring guest vocalist Zoe Manville, who is given a more prominent role on this album. Manville's ethereal vocals perfectly compliment Gourley's soft voice as the lyrics weave together with the catchy guitar riffs and drum beat. Manville shows up again on "All My People" and the beat heavy "1000 Years." Probably the catchiest songs on the album, I would be surprised if college radio stations don't throw them into heavy rotation soon. PTM move to the psychedelic on "Fantastic Pace," a slow burning track with a nice back beat, echoing vocals and some quiet piano in the background.

Motown meets hip-hop on the stripped down "The Pushers Party", one of the few synth-less tracks on the album. Along with Gourley and Manville, bassist Zach Carothers also lends his vocals the the track creating PTM's signature gang vocals. There is a lot of soul flowing through this song. "The pusher was the feet and the feet were the floor," Gourley sings, "when we got a little bit well we got a little more." The guitar work and lyrics of this track are superb and will stick with you long after the song is over. Of all the tracks on American Ghetto "The Pushers Party" is the closest to the 'classic' PTM sound found on Satanic Satanist.



Swirling electronic effects combine with high-pitched vocals on "Do What We Do," again pairing Gourley's familiar falsetto with Manville's angelic voice. The mellow "Just A Fool" works as a good interlude to the synth heavy "Some Men," another slow burning track featuring acoustic guitar mixed with ambient sounds and some profound lyrics. "As he grew into a bigger person, he stood above the people," Gourley sings, "all these little people, and everyone below, they were just little people." I personally could have done without the whale call effects but its a very small complaint on an otherwise amazing track.

The album ends on a high note with the upbeat "When The War Ends," showcasing some great guitar, keyboard and stabbing synth beats working together perfectly. There is even a hint of sitar mixed in with the great lyrics adding a nice touch to this multi-layered track. "When the war ends, yeah, we'll wonder what it was about," Gourley sings in his soaring falsetto, "When we grow old, yeah, we'll wonder how we missed out." This track is a musical feast for your ears there is so much going on. A perfect ending to a great album.

http://portugaltheman.com/
http://www.myspace.com/portugaltheman

Sarah Borges - The Stars Are Out

Walking the fine line between rock and country, Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles are a Boston-area quartet influenced by a wide range of artists from Hank Williams to Sid Vicious. I was able to catch the last show of their current tour and man do they put on one hell of a live show. Their fifth time performing in the Springfield area, this felt more like a celebration than a concert. After an introduction by the mayor the Broken Singles played for roughly two hours complete with witty audience banter and some scorching guitar solos in-between some great rockabilly music. Easily one of the best show I've seen in Springfield my metaphorical hat is off the the Broken Singles for their great taste in pop music history.

Sarah Borges (singer/songwriter/guitarist) leads this motley crew of rocking punk-cowboys made up of Lyle Brewer (guitar), Rob Dulaney (drums) and a fellow only refered to as 'Binky' (bass). The Stars Are Out is the Broken Singles second album for Sugar Hill Records following their critically acclaimed 2007 release, Diamonds In The Dark. While the last album could only be described as high energy country, the Broken Singles have veered more toward the indie rock persuasion on this outing. Although this seems to have angered many of their fans I for one love the new direction and can't wait to see where they go next.





Like the first album, The Stars Are Out is almost a 50/50 mix of originals and covers with influences ranging all over the place. The album starts with the great Joan Jett-esque "Do It For Free" pairing scorching guitars with smokey vocals. "I never forget what my mama said to me," Borges' howls, "when it's real love, you do it for free." This song is strait up 60's blues-rock, heavy with the chick-rock vibe of the Runaways. Country-rock is pared with some nice surf-rock riffs for "Me and Your Ghost", a nice track that showcases Borges' range as a singer/writer. Another gem is the dance grooves of "I'll Show You How", a great bar rock piece with some nice harmonica thrown in for good measure.

The later half of the album is made up of some very nice covers, including remakes of Smokey Robinson's "Being With You", NRBQ's "It Comes To Me Naturally" and the Lemonhead's "Ride With Me". I know some people out there might scoff at the word 'cover' but Borges does a great job making the songs truly her own, giving a different take on some classic tunes. In fact unless their really paying attention most listeners will be hard pressed to pick out which tracks are cover and which are the originals. My favorite song on the album is "No One Will Ever Love You", a very well done Magnetic Fields cover. Borges does a good job of holding on to the emotion of the original while adding some of the 'twang' the Broken Singles are known for.

http://www.sarahborges.com/
http://www.myspace.com/borgesrocks