Upon first hearing Avi Buffalo’s self-titled debut it is easy to write them off as Shins rip-offs. But, despite also releasing their first album on indie giant Sub Pop, despite their high-pitched vocals, their jangly guitars, their spacey reverb and slapback echo, and their fluency in the ways of pop craft, Avi Buffalo are definitely not The Shins. To be fair, their comparisons will range further than that. Band leader and main songwriter Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg possesses a shakily honest voice that rarely stoops lower than a falsetto, as well as the coolest hyphenated name since Omar Rodriguez-López. Though it’s neat to think of him as James Mercer’s weirdo younger cousin twice-removed, his vocals are more reminiscent of Radical Face or Loney, Dear. Keyboardist Rebecca Coleman has a pretty voice, too, and she does much to break up the vocal sequencing (especially in “One Last”), 
taking the lead here and there, adding an interesting dynamic to Avi Buffalo’s prettiest songs. Drummer Sheridan Riley and bassist Arin Fazio hold down the rhythm section with a delicate clarity not often seen in a band this young. Most of the members are still in high school. Read full Avi Buffalo Rewiew at inyourspeakers.com
Avi Buffalo – Whats In It For?
