New Rock

by Heather Phares Buffalo Daughter's 1998 album, New Rock, finds the group balancing their talents for sample-friendly pastiche pop with a simpler, more direct sound. The title track introduces this concept, opening the album with a straightforward guitar-and-drum foundation topped with spacy, distorted vocals. "Super Blooper," "Sky High" and the lovely "Jellyfish Blues" continue the trend, pairing stripped-down, guitar-prominent arrangements with the group's innovative production techniques. But Buffalo Daughter's too-much-is-never-enough sonic approach resurfaces on songs like "Rhythm and Basement," "Great Five Lakes" and "Autobacs," which feature the funky synths and samples the group is so fond of, and sound collages like "No Tokyo" and "Airport Rock" showcase BD 's kitchen sink recording style. With as much simple as there is sample, New Rock shows progression and restraint.