Music Review: Young Buffalo, House

By Melissa Bratcher

Though they’ve been kicking around for ages (since 2009), Oxford, Mississippi’s Young Buffalo is only now releasing their debut album. It’s a good thing they waited, because House is the kind of debut bands dream of. Full of shimmering synths and pleasing harmonies, the songs are hooky, well-written treats.

One thing I must say about Young Buffalo up front: the lead singer sounds so much like Sloan’s Chris Murphy it is disconcerting. It’s uncanny, right down to the pronunciation of specific words and vocal resonance. This is not a bad thing, not by a long shot.

Another thing is: it’s weird when the music you grew up with is an obvious influence on a current band. The forefathers of power pop and new wave wave their blessing hands over House. The guitar stylings of Haircut 100 and REM are both represented here, as well as synth in line with the Human League or Heaven 17. The result is an album that is both current and timeless.

If the fine guitar work or the synths don’t get you (or the Murphy-like vocals), the harmonies should. Young Buffalo’s harmonies are hair-on-the-back-of-the-neck-raisingly great. Tight. The kind of tight where you can hear overtones. The harmonies are amazing, and used just enough. They’re so good, it would be totally understandable if Young Buffalo wanted to barbershop quartet all of their songs.

Despite most of the songs being sunny and upbeat, there’s a darker current running through lyrically. Songwriter Jim Barrett’s lyrics reflect a painful breakup, but the songs, couched in satisfying melodies, have a level of ambiguity to them that keep things from being morose.

The Haircut 100-like guitar in “Man In Your Dreams” is a pleasant surprise. The bright power pop song (with the great line that he’s “not the man of your dreams/but a man in your dreams”) is buffeted up by crackerjack harmonies. The guitar goes all jangly on the sonically satisfying “No Idea.” A song about getting out of your hometown to pursue dreams, it has a rather retro ‘80s feel, but it isn’t kitschy. It’s natural. It works.

There’s a delicate ping pong of a guitar line in “My Place.” The spaces between the notes are embraced, and the easy lope of the beat is enhanced by shiny, pretty harmonies. The harmony, again, is delicious and constant on “Black Eye.” The bass line judders alongside some inventive guitar work. The closer, “Best Back” is gorgeous and hopeful, with tinkling keyboard that sounds like a sophisticated child’s toy playing in infinite space along with swooning guitars. It’s a warm, relaxed send off, and a smart choice for a last song.

With House, Young Buffalo makes a gratifying debut. The album reminded me of summer: the heat shimmering on pavement, an intangible yearning, the feeling that days last forever and are full of possibility. It’s a timeless, likeable, infectious record that makes you want to burrow down in it to live.

House was released by Votiv on March 3.

Tour Dates:
March 6 at Savannah Stopover in Savannah, GA
March 17 – 20 at SXSW in Austin, TX
March 22 at VOV Fest in Hot Springs, AR
April 7 at The Sinclair in Boston, MA
April 8 at Ballroom at the Outer Space in Hamden, CT
April 9 at Ottobar in Baltimore, MD
April 10 at Kings in Raleigh, NC
April 11 at Vinyl in Atlanta, GA
April 13 at The Social in Orlando, FL
April 14 at Local 662 in Tampa, FL
April 15 at Club Downunder in Tallahassee, FL
April 17 at Club Dada in Dallas, TX
April 18 at Korova in San Antonio, TX
April 19 at Stubb’s in Austin, TX
April 21 at Club Congress in Tucson, AZ
April 22 at Crescent Ballroom in Phoenix, AZ
April 23 at Troubadour in Los Angeles, CA
April 24 at The Casbah in San Diego, CA
April 26 at The Independent in San Francisco, CA
April 30 at The Tractor in Seattle, WA
May 1 at VENUE in Vancouver, BC
May 2 at Mississippi Studios in Portland, OR
May 4 at Velour Live Music Gallery in Provo, UT
May 5 at Marquis Theatre in Denver, CO
May 7 at Revery Lounge in Omaha, NE
May 8 at Duck Room at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis, MO
May 9 at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, IL
May 11 at Lee’s Palace in Toronto, ON
May 12 at Grog Shop in Cleveland, OH
May 13 at Club Café in Pittsburgh, PA
May 14 at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, PA
May 15 at Bowery Ballroom in New York, NY