Music > Album Reviews
The Phoenix Foundation // Buffalo
13/05/13
Rejoice bovine lovers apparently while wild buffalos have been known to brutally maim around 200 humans a year this beast is a cuddly little creature for you to love safe in the knowledge your spleen is not going to end up draped around your neck…yaaayy!! It’s possible you may have already come into contact with The Phoenix Foundation as they lent their skills to the score for Taika Waititi’s films ‘Eagle vs Shark’ and ‘Boy’ with much critical success. Indeed this sextet of Kiwis provide Wellington their biggest export since Peter Jackson and sheep, making serious waves in their homeland in the process, honours include winning ‘Best Group’ at last years NZ Music Awards. The band’s sound is reminiscent of Badly Drawn Boy’s vibe; chilled, focused on simple solid song-writing and cuter than Jonah Lomu in a tutu. Formed waaay back in 1997 the group’s warm, psychedelic, summery sound was bottled up in a shed, songs like ‘Orange and Mango’ bounding along like smacked-up leprechauns that can’t help but slap a smile on your face. The way the music ebbs and flows is intoxicating, although sometimes the pace can lull too much. You won’t hear this banging out as the backdrop to a slag-scrap down Prince of Wales but wang it on when you’re mincing down to the beach and you won’t go far wrong.
8/10 Mike Jarvis
Rejoice bovine lovers apparently while wild buffalos have been known to brutally maim around 200 humans a year this beast is a cuddly little creature for you to love safe in the knowledge your spleen is not going to end up draped around your neck…yaaayy!! It’s possible you may have already come into contact with The Phoenix Foundation as they lent their skills to the score for Taika Waititi’s films ‘Eagle vs Shark’ and ‘Boy’ with much critical success. Indeed this sextet of Kiwis provide Wellington their biggest export since Peter Jackson and sheep, making serious waves in their homeland in the process, honours include winning ‘Best Group’ at last years NZ Music Awards. The band’s sound is reminiscent of Badly Drawn Boy’s vibe; chilled, focused on simple solid song-writing and cuter than Jonah Lomu in a tutu. Formed waaay back in 1997 the group’s warm, psychedelic, summery sound was bottled up in a shed, songs like ‘Orange and Mango’ bounding along like smacked-up leprechauns that can’t help but slap a smile on your face. The way the music ebbs and flows is intoxicating, although sometimes the pace can lull too much. You won’t hear this banging out as the backdrop to a slag-scrap down Prince of Wales but wang it on when you’re mincing down to the beach and you won’t go far wrong.
8/10 Mike Jarvis