Reviews

Last American Buffalo

Marquis for Debutante

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Review Date: 2008-02-09

Last American Buffalo, a band with which I have no prior knowledge of whatsoever managed to do something with Marquis for the Debutante  that a seldom few of my favourites do at all anymore; capture my attention. Ten seconds after I hit play, I had fallen in love and I don’t mean the love I tend to affiliate nicotine and alcohol with either.  Nope, I’m talking about the straight up, “Dear God, please marry me Last American Buffalo!” kind of love. The feeling lingered long and hard after each song, and when all was said and done, I craved more, oh so much more of this amazing LA based indie fest.

There’s just something about the chugging rhythm and simply elegant lyrics that make me drool in hindsight.  The opening track, “Breaking Up Mine” speaks to you on a primal level. Reminiscent of a dirtier Belle and Sebastian prototype that is also rich with the full on assault I associate with the likes of !Forward Russia!, that at times I feel guilty that I’m not up and moving around. I really have to give “mad props” to Kevin Compton though on account of sounding so close to Elliot Smith at times on this album it made me want to check to see if it wasn’t really dubbed re-recordings of the aforementioned cynical genius.

 I was really starting to be sceptical by the time the first song was drawing to a close. So many times I find that a band puts all of their time and effort into one song and end up letting the rest of their project just ride on its coattails. Have absolutely no fear as that would only be a grossly unwarranted and false accusation, the masterpiece of this album, the second song, “Dance class for a Madame” hurts my brain it’s so well done. Capturing the moment is the rhythmic drum ensemble courtesy of the ultra talented Jesse Carmichael with the harmony of Compton and Jesse Taylor’s twin guitars to boot.  It is a song that is sure to take roots with a vast array of audiences.

Another highlight comes on the fourth track “For London Again” kicks off with a sadly unapologetic break-up song. The whole band manages to merge their sound into a much more mature Pilate and Coldplay rendition that is sure to keep you sitting tight for the whole thing to just unfold at its relaxed melancholic pace.  There is absolutely no low point on this album though the middle portion seems to ebb and flow just below the surface of the pool of talent that the band manages to dive deeply into with the opening couple songs.

“Sunshine” is a spaghetti western inspired song that brings the band’s creativity and ability to play different styles to the forefront.  Singing about smoking pipes and drinking rum with what I believe to be a banjo in the background alongside some other well placed effects lets the song just sort of carry you off for Compton’s messages to get across crisp, clean and desperate. The tune is set to some brutally honest moments in what may simply be past experiences. “If Jesus could save me now as I walk down the road to Virginia, it’s the cocaine that grips my soul and the pain from a life of sin” a line of both compromise and misery, Compton gives us a small glimpse of what may have been some of the inspiration for such a beautiful album.  They close with a track that slides along just under the radar. They play quietly, foreshadowing the conclusion of this artfully done record.  “Sunshine” may not be the best song on Marquis for the Debutante, but you wouldn’t know it if it was the only song from it you’d heard.

Score: 8.5

- Kade Davies