Buellton - Avenue Of The Flags

by Benjamin Howarth

published: 17 / 12 / 2001

Label: Filmguerrero
Format: CD

The first release from the Californian group Buellton is also the latest from the label Film Guerrero, who will provide a label interview in next month’s magazine. Buellton are a reasonably new outf

Review

The first release from the Californian group Buellton is also the latest from the label Film Guerrero, who will provide a label interview in next month’s magazine. Buellton are a reasonably new outfit who originated out of singer/guitarist and songwriter John Nygren’s previous band Brown. Nygren is joined from Brown by Cliff Hayes (bass) and Andrew Glacumakis (guitars). New to Buellton is drummer Eric Herzog, previously a member of Tracker and Alto, and also adding assistance is recording expert and guitarist Tad Wagner. Since 1998 the band have been playing up and down the South California coast and this has included shows with Acetone, The Radar Bros and Earlimart. The band are continuing to tour the same area in support of this release. Buellton recorded this record in their warehouse Boonapasta on an AKAI analog 12-track and an 8-track. As a result it sounds professional but not too polished. I think that this may appeal to fans of Slint. Buellton are not a post rock band but the guitar playing is similar at times in the way it stops and starts while being charmingly melodic. The drums, like those on Slint's 'Spiderland' album are allowed near to the top of the mix. Nygren’s vocal style has been compared to The Flaming Lips but often it reminds me of Sebadoh’s Lou Barlow. On ‘What Do You Suppose’ the band sound especially like the Sebadoh that recorded ‘Love Is Stronger’. I’m well aware that I’ve namedropped three of the trendiest groups from the American alt-rock scene but I do genuinely believe that one could place Buellton in this kind of heritage. I’m a huge fan of the guitar playing – it is played in a chiming, almost poppy way but is always inventive and tuneful. The songs are of a consistent high quality, although they require a few plays to seep in to your head. The album’s real strength is its diversity. Buellton shift from acoustic strums on ‘Angel Feet’ to near country on ‘Dark’ to full out rock on‘Sellblocks’. The latter ends with a burst of trumpet that sounds like the new Radiohead song ‘In A Glasshouse. ‘Avenue Of The Flags’ has only one big flaw and that is the sleeve. It has flags that fit with the title, but frustratingly there are two much better photos on the inside sleeve, while the cover is rather boring. The music on the other hand, heavily influenced by alt-rock but always offering a twist to the listener, is very good indeed.