It's A King Thing

Yes, the band and album names are truly stupid. But if you like Superchunk, old (good) Weezer or all the times when the Promise Ring were kind of power pop and not just wimpy emo, you will want to snag this record; it's a free download, after all, so there's no excuse. Lush power pop that leans in the direction of classic proto-punk (like Elvis Costello, but with wilder keyboard sounds), Buffalo's 12 songs are a varied collection of sounds and influences, ranging from calculated, clever rockers like "Vegetarian" to intimate, Rivers Cuomo-ready acoustic numbers like "Kira." The vocals can get a little too nasal, at times, and a few songs show there's definitely room for the band to grow, but Buffalo is a more-than-promising slab of enjoyable, tongue-in-cheek power pop.