Buffseeds

After Picture Show, Devinshire’s Buffseeds will probably spend the next couple of records distancing themselves from the barrage of Coldplay references that are sure to plague them in coming months. Are there grounds for these? Absolutely. From an instrumental standpoint, the Buffseeds’ sound just skirts being actionable when placed next to Coldplay’s early work. What really sets the band apart is singer/guitarist Kieran Scragg. Where Chris Martin and even Thom Yorke attempt to sing out of their respective registers and come out with an "emotive” yelp, Scragg sings high and true in a register and tonality that should be impossible for someone with a Y chromosome. Like Yorke and Martin however, Scragg’s strong suit is writing beautiful, thought-provoking lyrics that are catchy enough to find their way into shower stalls all over the world. Whether talking about personal turmoil ("Coward”), corruption ("Casino”) or material consumption ("A Guide To Happiness”), Scragg attacks all of his subjects with equal amounts of disgust and empathy that makes every song on The Picture Show a unique listen in its divided emotions. Each of the songs on the record are rooms to inhabit, pound against the walls and get your shit together. The combination of soaring instrumentation and intimate vocals make for a warm and inviting space that you’d want to come to. Like going to your favourite coffee shop, upon leaving The Picture Show you feel a little lighter; with a weight taken off your shoulders.