2016’s ‘Bovonic Empire’ was a great release from Buffalo Crows, but turning this one over in the hands from the artwork you’d be pushed to realise that ‘Picnic at Buffalo Rock’ is by that same band – only the title of the album appears on the cover, the spine reveals nothing and it’s only when flipping open the digipack you read “All Songs By Buffalo Crows.”
Marketing aside this one is a corker! Dark, dirty, unnerving and riotously overblown this kicks you in the stomach from the off with the twisted ‘Devil’s On Fire (Otis and the Buffalo)’ coming at you all insistent and unhinged. A few years back there are a spate of great releases by bands that touted a sort of Horror Rock ethic, but this is something a little more Tom Waits and a little more mysterious and esoteric (where the ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock reference comes in?) and it works a treat.
Whilst at times ‘Bovonic Empire’ strayed and shot off at tangents I’m happy that this one does the same and it’s that wanton schizophrenia that so rarely works but here it does. Imagine a melting pot of the best of Aussie Rock with classic and even Punky overtones, hell ‘Rope ‘N’ Ride’ even reminds me of a devilish take on The Dogs D’Amour.
Add to those the deranged swagger of ‘Deuteronomy’ replete with harmonica, animal noises and Tom Waits growl; the wonderfully overblown Anvil meets Steel Panther of ‘Birth, School, Metal, Death’ and the Nick Cave polish of the Horror Folk closer ‘Cobwebs Above Dust’ and you have an even more complete album than ‘Empire’.
Love it.
