Touch if Buffalo Releases Bodhicitta

There’s so much music being released these days that it’s really hard to keep on top of it all. I start my day by opening my email to often see about twenty emails requesting coverage for a new release. The reality is, even some of the stuff I really enjoyed, I just don’t have time to write about. These days, something has to really hit on all fronts. 

Touch The Buffalo was a band I had never heard of before, but when I listened to some of their music, it had a certain type of indie rock nostalgia that is rearranged and presented with some novel ideas.

On their four-song EP entitled “Bodhicitta,” the band provides well-crafted songs that grow on you the more you listen. I happen to love it when music incrementally gets better every time you hear it. On the other hand, there are often cases where I will initially enjoy something but the magic seems to wear off. I’m not sure what kind of sorcery this is, but “Bodhicitta” certainly falls into the former category. 

This is, of course, contingent on a couple of factors, but in my opinion, an opening song should do a couple of things quickly. It should capture your attention, showcase what the general sound is, and highlight what is unique. 

https://open.spotify.com/album/0mT6VfwAcgFQvLQd9Rfksq?si=rM992KooRDGLEZjF420UGw

The opener “This City’s Burning” accomplishes all these things. There are a couple of different guitars on these tracks, and I really liked the way they were able to play off each other. In fact, the interplay between all the instruments was fantastic, demonstrating the band’s ability to let the song breathe and also push when needed. The vocals are great – I loved that there were two distinct sessions. 

There’s also some strategic use of samples. It’s not over the top though, and there’s also an awesome guitar solo that rips. The opener had my number, but I have to say there are even better songs on this EP. “In Six Heads About It” utilizes ukulele synergies with a rock structure. I normally don’t think of ukulele being used in this way, but oh man, the band really made it work. The song is both intimate and vast. It’s ambitious and never feels forced. The vocals are very well executed. As I mentioned, this EP and this song honestly need about two or three listens for it to sink in.

 “The Carpenter and The Nurse” utilizes space in an advantageous way. The distant echo of the guitar sounds like it’s being played down the hall from the up-close piano. It’s another song where the vocals shine, and I love the more melancholy feeling to the inflection in the voice. “Hope’s Song” contains an amalgamation of different rock genres. There’s this 60s psychedelic rock feeling that came with that lead guitar. I loved how delicate and dreamy the chorus is. In fact, I would say this is the most defined hook on the EP. 

This is a well rounded and original sounding EP. Each song brings something different while playing into a sound they can claim as all their own.

Zachary Rush