UNITED MUTATION • Dark Self Image LP

BUFFET • All American LP

BUFFET • All American LP

Knw-Yr-Own, All You Can Eat, Resurrection

When I first looked at the cover to this record I thought it was going to be some crummy pop punk band, or “folk punk.” Well, dear reader, the Buffet cover is very misleading. Instead of vapid pop punk, or “folk punk,” what these guys are cranking out reminds me of 7 Seconds (the vocals and some of the speedy parts), Clit Boys (strictly in the vocal delivery at times), and mid to late 1980s hardcore when bands started to experiment with structure changes and slowing tempos down to accentuate the faster parts. I hear traces of the later 80s Dischord sound in this too. Lyrically, they tend to be goofy with songs about pizza, shopping, material items, and things of that nature. But scratch just below the surface and these songs are observations on pressing issues of today, it’s just that they’re not bashing you over the head with the message. Clever tactic.

This is pretty good for a debut, and I wonder if there will be more to come. (MA)

___________________________________________________________________

Justin Dratson: JD   Nate Wilson: NW   Matt Average: MA