08 May 2010

Narcissistic confession time

Sometimes I buy albums for all the wrong reasons. Instead of buying that album my friend enthusiastically and perpetually recommends or buying the EP from that stellar opening band, I buy the album that has that song that's titled after my name.

I'll admit that's what initially piqued my interest in Avi Buffalo's debut self-titled album. But it wasn't just the beautifully titled track 5 "Jessica". It's that it was sandwiched between track 4 "Five Little Sluts" and track 6 "Summer Cum". Oooh "DIRTY!" was my first reaction. I wondered how my name played into all the sexual sexiness of it all. And thus I plunked down ten bucks for one of the most deceptive listens I've found in a while.

First of all, I was expecting something loud, fast and downright filthy, but what I found was light, acoustic and lovely. Nearly downright dainty. I'm talking shimmering harmonies, mellow melodies, some Grizzly Bear-esque atmospherics and a dash of old-school Wilco twang. Of course this is sort of weird juxtaposition when the lyrics refer to the stains of bodily fluids and "shady deals regarding money and girls". Okay so maybe it's dirtier than I thought. Listen for yourself:

Summer Cum - Avi Buffalo
Jessica - Avi Buffalo

And here's the video for one of their best songs, "What's In It For?":

2 comments:

Julie said...

you know, i almost picked that one up too. i don't know if it was the cover, or the band name, or the label, but i was kind of put off by the vulgarity. i must be getting prudish in my old age ... ;)

the becca said...

in a weird but happy coincidence, daytrotter linked Avi Buffalo's session from last December on their front page today: http://bit.ly/cBi33J
(includes another version of "Jessica")