Where The Buffalo Roam

If you enjoyed the music of the late 60s, but are totally sick of listening to “classic rock, “here’s a group you may find refreshing. Avi Buffalo was founded by Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg (small wonder he uses the moniker Avi Buffalo, eh?) when he was in high school in Long Beach. He put a band together with fellow classmates and eventually got signed by the renowned label Sub Pop. They released their first album this spring. Their music smacks of Buffalo Springfield (coincidence?) and a bit of the Byrds. It’s low-fi psychedelica with catchy melodies. I have to admit, Avi’s voice gets on my nerve at times, but overall, I find this group charming. Think 60s folk-rock with excellent guitar work. I just missed the opportunity to see them live and I could kick myself. I doubt they’ll become a household name, but I think they’ll develop a loyal following. Count me among those numbers.





P.S. This band is so new, I couldn't find any really good live performances of them. Search youtube in a couple months.

Third Time’s The Charm

For a tiny island with a small population, Iceland sure has produced some remarkable groups/musicians. Bjork, Sigur Ros, and now Olafur Arnalds. “Olu who?” you might be inclined to say. Well, he’s a very young composer, who’s released two remarkable CDs. This twenty-something's music is hard to describe. Imagine that on my blog! It blends a bit of Eric Satie, jazz, George Winston, and you can sense he's definitely influenced by fellow countrymen Sigur Ros. It’s very meditative and introspective. He also engages the help of the Icelandic string quartet, Amiina. Give a listen to the future of classical music.

P.S. My apologies to all my Scandinavian fans out about the lack of correct accent marks—I’m just not sure how to wrangle that.