Four years ago Cincinnati-natives Buffalo Killers were living the life most bands would kill for: having been personally invited to open for the Black Crowes on their U.S. tour, proprietary songwriters Zachary and Andy Gabbard channelled the free-spiritedness of life on the road for their sophomore album Let It Ride, recorded by fellow Ohioan Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. So why did it take more than three years for them to release another record? “Life just happened,” says bassist/vocalist Zachary Gabbard, “I had two kids, my brother Andy got married, everyone needed a little break, some normalcy.” Despite temporarily falling off the radar, this midwestern rock trio has reemerged a stronger, more polished version of their former selves with 3, released this past Tuesday via Alive Records. Right from the onset 3 commands your full attention with the insatiably catchy ‘Huma Bird,’ a walloping dose of americana that feels as invigorating as walking barefoot through the grass of an early summer morning. But what’s always raised Buffalo Killers well above their counterparts has been their introspective lyricism, touching on subjects much more profound than one would expect from a traditional ‘rock band.’ As the huma bird traditionally symbolizes good fortune and even kingship if touched, Gabbard ponders: “huma bird resting on my head… I have one foot out the door / I want more / where’s my crown?” For such an uplifting opener the mood is undercut by the restless feeling of hanging in limbo, yearning for something well-deserved yet still so far out of reach. As a whole 3 seems to revolve around this sort of discourse, tackling much more complex issues than those that arise while on tour. ”For a certain period of my life everything was on hold,” says Gabbard, “life was about living on the road, partying – and that’s what you hear [in Let It Ride], longing for home. Eventually you get a perspective on things, to what really matters, and to me it’s family.” It’s no wonder 3 isn’t the ballsy rock record that was Let it Ride. “At some point we realized this wasn’t a live recording. Instead of trying to mask things with loud guitars we wanted to step outside of our comfort zones, saying things we normally felt uncomfortable saying, just letting things hang out.” The result? Their most impressive release to date, rekindling the promise of their 2006 debut while bolstering their creative output with an array of keyboards, horns and lapsteel, instruments previously foreign to a band that prided itself on raw, stripped down arrangements.
Fans of Buffalo Killers will notice a drastic change of pace on 3 which, after jumping out of the gate with the sort of raucous blues rock found on Let It Ride, strays well into unknown territory for the band. “We weren’t afraid to do what we wanted to do [with this record]” admits Gabbard, “a lot of the songs happened to come out more mellow. As a band you get your sound, and people expect you to stick to that. With Let It Ride there was a little more pressure, all eyes were on us, I’ve been through that before and it ends up getting rushed… with this record we weren’t answering to anyone.” This approach becomes much more apparent as 3 progresses, especially with the album’s spotlight track ‘Lily of the Valley.” From measure one a melancholy flute line, faintly reminiscent of ‘Fool On The Hill,’ sings sorrowfully as Gabbard’s vocals emerge smoother and less aggressive than on Let It Ride. “[With 3] I had to come to terms that I wasn’t playing live, so we focused on the vocals and how they were performed. I don’t have to yell out to an audience, this record is a different sound for us [and we] tried to perform and sing our best.” With much more attention paid to construction value rather than raw expression, 3 boasts a purer, more poignant emotional quality. The melodies flow freely, the lyrics delve deeper, but as is the case with ‘Lily of the Valley,’ the tidal wave of stoned-out vintage rock that Buffalo Killers fans are used to never completely dissipates. Rather, it is toned down to fuel certain aspects of each song, resulting in dynamics that pack a heavier punch and crisper transitions at the turn of every verse, bridge and chorus. ‘Could Never Be,’ 3′s anthemic closing track (which also features guest vocals from Kelley Deal of The Breeders) is the perfect compliment to ‘Huma Bird,’ collectively bookending a record that is as honest as it is ambitious. Fans of My Morning Jacket’s Z will have 3 on repeat for weeks to come, while Buffalo Killers loyalists will appreciate the trio’s evolved approach to songwriting that does not sacrifice the crux of their musical identity. As the Buffalo Killers family has grown over the past three years, so has their opinion of themselves – they were that ‘buzz’ band, were rewarded with the accolades of an up-and-comer who fell upon the right ears, but ultimately they stuck to the path that they refused to let anyone else clear for them. As Gabbard admits, “there are all these pitfalls with being a younger band or what you would call an ‘indie label band.’ In the beginning you want to try to please everyone, I did feel that way on the second record and I’m glad we stepped out of that. I’m proud of it.”
3 is out now on Alive Records, which you can pick up online or at any of the band’s upcoming shows. To get a better idea of where 3 came from, stream a b-side to the album, ‘Love Is Gold,’ exclusively via Knuckle Rumbler’s Soundlcoud.
Buffalo Killers – Love is Gold (’3′ B-side) by knucklerumbler
Fans of My Morning Jacket are going to freak over 3 by Buffalo Killers, stream an exclusive b-side via @Knuckle_Rumbler http://t.co/FE2ByLt
Fans of My Morning Jacket are going to freak over 3 by Buffalo Killers, stream an exclusive b-side via @Knuckle_Rumbler http://t.co/FE2ByLt
Fans of My Morning Jacket are going to freak over 3 by Buffalo Killers, stream an exclusive b-side via @Knuckle_Rumbler http://t.co/FE2ByLt
Fans of My Morning Jacket are going to freak over 3 by Buffalo Killers, stream an exclusive b-side via @Knuckle_Rumbler http://t.co/FE2ByLt
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′: A dynamic record from a band not afraid to clear their own path http://bit.ly/quLDeF
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′:
Four years ago Cincinnati-natives Buffalo Killers were livi… http://bit.ly/qUvHQf via @Knuckle_Rumbler
Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′:
Four years ago Cincinnati-natives Buffalo Killers were livi… http://bit.ly/qUvHQf via @Knuckle_Rumbler
via @Knuckle_Rumbler Review: Buffalo Killers – ’3′:
Four years ago Cincinnati-natives Buffalo Killers were livi… http://bit.ly/p4vJGs
Knuckle Rumbler review of Buffalo Killers '3' http://t.co/U0qknWd