Just in...Young Buffalo: Young Buffalo (EP)

    It seems like something good is dropping just about every week since I picked up writing again after the summer lull. Just yesterday, up and coming Oxford, Mississippi, band Young Buffalo released an eponymous EP--one I have been looking forward to for a while. I always think it is weird when anyone releases a self-titled album after they have already released other material (take Sondre Lerche's self-titled album released after 3-4 previous ones as a prime example). They may have their reasons, however. Previous to Young Buffalo (EP) was their debut Young von Prettylips (EP) in July of 2011 on Cantora Records, which I previously wrote up on The Music Binge here. This new album is out on the Votiv label, which to me seems like a pretty new venture, with only a few bands to its name, but I'm definitely interested in checking out what other stuff they are representing.
    Some changes have definitely taken place with Young Buffalo since Young von Prettylips (EP). For one, the third original member (the other two being Ben Yardbrough and Jim Barrett), Alex Hardberger, left the band in October of 2011 for personal reasons. Shortly after, Jim Barrett released a demo of a new song from Young Buffalo, "Baby Demons", which he describes in an interview on BestNewBands.com, entire transcript here, as such: "the lyrics are definitely about how we all have personal/emotional baggage and shit and how our friends closest to us normally know have a better idea as to what we really need to get through it". Maybe telling? Also, on Votiv's website they have this to say about Young Buffalo's name: "To your average Vietnamese citizen, the mention of this noble beast calls to mind the qualities of being hardworking, dedicated and of making the best of every situation that you are faced with". I guess they will be alright, and maybe as a sign of a new beginning they decided to make their newest release eponymous. Finally, Jim Barrett started a side project, ILLLS, which is an ambient noise rock shoegaze venture of sorts. He has a Dark Paradise (EP) out, on London, U.K., indie label The Sounds of Sweet Nothing, since June of 2012 and is available for listening here on Bandcamp or here on SoundCloud. You can for the most part hear similarities to Young Buffalo, but that may be just the laid back style, melodies and vocals. ILLLS is made up of Jim Barrett and Steven Ross, but Ben Yardbrough plays drums in the group. 
    Anyway, we'ere here to talk about Young Buffalo right? So, a closer look at the five song Young Buffalo (EP) is as follows:
(1) "Baby Demons" - kind of a garage rock sort of song, rough cut perhaps, with smooth vocals and nice harmonies throughout. A very nice bridge loaded with synth that is just screaming to be 10x louder and more electric, too. Regardless, just the right kind of tension was employed, and I admire them for holding back.
(2) "Hold Me Back" - Very clean and fresh sounding to start before filling out with some distortion and cymbals. Excellent guitar riffs, sounds very Afrobeat at parts and very Rock-ish at others.
(3) "Upstairs" - Afrobeat throughout, kind of lo-fi, and reverby. Pretty straight forward, not the best song on the album, but not unlikeable.
(4) "Nature Boy" - Love the synths at the beginning, great intro with the vocals and the vibe they establish! Makes you want to dance, afrobeat for sure, with the chorus being more smooth and filled out. Nice differentiation. The whole song is just so laid back and fun.
(5) "Prize" - Has more of that driving guitar drum rhythm, but still maintains its smoothness, doesn't end up being another dance track or evolving into New Wave. Contains some subtle elements of Dream Pop with all the synths.
    So, I hope you found this post informational and interesting. You can listen to the entire Young Buffalo (EP) on MSN Listening Booth (scroll to the bottom), here, or on amazingtunes.com, here. Also, check out Votiv's bio for Young Buffalo, news, other things, here. I've embeded "Nature Boy" up under the 'Monthly Sample Tracks' through their Bandcamp. Enjoy!