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Apr 27, 2010 Avi Buffalo By Laura Studarus

Behold: proof youth is not wasted on the young. While you were whittling away your high school years on high-schoolish things, Long Beach four-piece Avi Buffalo was busy crafting breezy pop anthems that would land them a deal with Sub Pop before any member could legally drink. Executed with a style and grace that renders that previous point moot, it’s difficult to believe Garden State 2 isn’t being written around their self-titled debut. Somewhere, what’s left of The Shins feels a disturbance in the force.

As though blown in on a Southern Californian breeze, Avi Buffalo manages to toe the “slacker pop” line without ever giving us the sense they’re phoning it in. Their songs are bolstered by off-kilter male/female harmonies (keyboardist Rebecca Coleman’s vocals sound eerily like Joanna Newsom), 1950s pop arrangements, and prominent guitar solos. So instant is the album’s appeal; it may take several listens to realize its complexities. “What’s In It For?” slowly grows to a sing-along chorus that would make Brian Wilson proud, “Jessica” is a polished pop gem embellished with quirky vocals, while “Remember Last Time” is a multi-movement wonder that any band would be pleased to have as part of their repertoire. For those concerned that they might have only one sound, album closer “Where’s Your Dirty Mind” features a stripped down duet that hints at untapped gravity. Stick around-today graduation, tomorrow the world. (www.avibuffalomusic.com)

Author rating: 7/10