I hate to start out with this, but its kind of important when you consider what Avi Buffalo has put together here: The kid is basically a high schooler. And this hasn't gotten in the way of a long residency at LA's The Echo or the (not-so-quiet clamor) of label interest. These songs have the maturity of at least, like, a twenty five year old.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It all starts with his voice. Taking cues from Bon Iver, Avi Buffalo has a vulnerable falsetto. While emotional, it never explodes with youthful exuberance. Things stay stately. He plays off organs or lo-fi drums and Wilco-era guitars as if he's is chained to them; pull too hard in one direction and he would trip.

Take “Summer Cum;” Buffalo sings a winding melody about un-reciprocated love—and as he begins to realize how fultile his affection is, the song comes apart. The piano starts playing fist-on-the-keyboard dissonance and the guitars slowly detune into an unraveled heap. He sings, “I think you're over this but I'm not done with your kisses”

If the guitar flourishes don't jump out at you right away it's because they have been arranged with set design precision: The point is you don't notice it's a stage. But when you delve in, the intricacies reveal themselves, the faint jazzy drums rising at an unexpected moment or an organ splash draped in just the right place.

Avi Buffalo plays at Chop Suey on June 18th
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