Wounded Buffalo Theory

D. Scott’s band is down here mingling with some awesome rockers from Brooklyn, Wounded Buffalo Theory.

Wounded Buffalo Theory

These four bad boys combine alt-rock with some psychedelic progressive rock and electronica that swings from sweetness to pure metal, fringing on hardcore. Though they can growl and shout—and do, they can deliver a mainstream pop vocal, but with a distinct twinkle, because their lyrics are often personal and social satires. Wounded Buffalo Theory just released its fifth studio album and continues to offer free music downloads at their website www.woundedbuffalotheory.net They also organized CabinFest, a festival in Andes, NY, that allowed them and 20 other bands to play long sets over multiple nights, instead of the 45 minute sets usually slotted to performers. This was a festival innovation. - Skope Magazine

Wounded Buffalo Theory – El Brome
2008, Wounded Buffalo Theory

Wounded Buffalo Theory is an experimental rock band from Brooklyn, NY. Using big guitar sounds, jam band tendencies and quirky pop hooks, Wounded Buffalo Theory crafts a sound that is unique and wonderfully ambiguous. Their latest EP, El Brome (to be released in the near future), captures an underlying pop sensibility that would seem to run at odds to their jam band/guitar rock sound.

El Brome opens with Neckface, a progressive rock monster with big guitar work and heavy solos. The six-and-a-half minute jam moves through Malmsteem style rock progressions with a care and ease that can only be captured live. Wounded Buffalo Theory is mostly together here, although the seams do get a little dicey at times. Bodies has a very relaxed, fuzzy opening that turns into a pop-centric Prog tune. Didn’t Go Outside has a heavy garage sound full of fuzz and buzz with a great pop theme running through it. This song is almost radio ready and a top-notch producer would have a field day turning this rough cut into a diamond. The Under Over (live at Southpaw) is 7 ½ minutes of pure progressive jam with some Pink Floyd ambience thrown in for good measure. The Pledge (live at Southpaw) shows that finicky, pop-centric streak that runs through Wounded Buffalo Theory’s progressive, jam-band tendencies. Coming in at over eleven minutes, The Pledge does become derivative after a bit, but the basic core of the song is pop gold.

Wounded Buffalo Theory are diamonds in the rough. The potential here is staggering: Buried deep inside the muddle harry crossbreed of Prog and jam band styles beats the heart of a slick pop outfit. El Brome is a great introduction to both sides of the band (often simultaneously). If Wounded Buffalo Theory ever manages to truly harness that pop sensibility and melodic talent they possess they might just rule popular music. Until then they’re a pretty affecting listen. El Brome is very much worth your time.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Wounded Buffalo Theory at www.woundedbuffalotheory.net or www.myspace.com.wbt. El Brome is not yet available, and I could not locate a release date on any of their web outlets. I would recommend interested readers contact Wounded Buffalo Theory through their MySpace page for more info.
Posted by Wildy at 5:05 AM - wildysworld.blogspot.com

STUFF WE LIKE: WOUNDED BUFFALO THEORY
Friday, November 20th, 2009

sup guys,

just found out about this local band in the NY/NJ area called “Wounded Buffalo Theory”….and they are definitely a hidden gem in the mess of shitty local music.

Wounded Buffalo Theory

we wanted to give them a shout here, and make sure you guys give them a listen because they are really doing some awesome things musically. interesting mix of progressive rock, indie and pop…addicting guitar riffs and vocal melodies….its magic!

literally just hit up their website and start listening. their music player is at the bottom right of their page: Click Here

they also have some free live show downloads and you can buy all their albums through their website. do it! they are cool and junk. - asbpkmusic.com

While the influence of bands such as King Crimson, Tool and the Disco Biscuits are evident in the music of The Wounded Buffalo Theory, the Brooklyn trio has managed to produce an album that is as refreshingly unique as it is intriguing. Green, the band’s third release, showcases the experimental approach that has come to characterize founding members Jay Cowit (drums/vocals), Rob Malko (bass/keyboards/vocals) and John Blanton (guitar/vocals) since the band’s inception in 2002. From the industrial sounds of “White Lies� to the airy feel of “Station� to the danceable rhythm of “Elements,� the band has crafted an album that befittingly shifts tempos from one track to the next much to the delight of the listener. “Revolution Mine� is among the album’s most inviting songs, with its bouncy beats and catchy refrain. “Rodeo� stands out for the driving bass and drum lines, layered background harmonies and overdubbed guitar solos. Yet Green’s musical accomplishments may also lead to its commercial struggle. It strikes out with heavy ambient noise and innovative electronic sounds that have you repeatedly pressing rewind for a closer listen. It’s not an album for the meek. And it’s certainly not your passive background soundtrack. Wounded Buffalo Theory’s final release with the original three members is its most complete and cohesive body of work. (Blanton amicably parted ways with the band in 2007.) It expands on the impressive songwriting that first emerged on the album Red and offers a more refined recording than the band’s live album, Blue. It will be interesting to see where the latest incarnation of the band takes its loyal audience. - Diana Costello

Wounded Buffalo Theory

By Clovis

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Without sounding too much like some B-movie drug-dealer I can confide that this is, my friends, very good shit. While music thrives on innovation, your average music-reviewer - myself included - has a tendency to grimace when, reading a press release (and yes, it's sad but true that we generally read the press release first), we stumble across the word 'experimental'. Usually rather than indicating imagination it flags a band unable to finsih a song, or in the worst case scenarios those that can't use a guitar tuner! We can forgive Wounded Buffalo Theory (what a great name!) for using the terms 'eclectic' and 'experimental' because in this case they're simply true.

Working from a decidedly heavy rock template, the band play around with everything. The key to it all though is capacity - there are those bands that are 'experimental' because they don't have the dexterity or skill to play it straight, just as there are plenty of bands that keep it straight because they have no imagination. You can hear from the outset with Wounded Buffalo Theory that they play the way they do out of intention, not through limitations (not that limitations are such a bad thing - think of the sex pistols or nirvana).

Atlas dropped the planets had me from the title, and thankfully the song lived up perfectly to my expectations. Complex, and rythmic, its opening sounds not a million miles away from Biffy Clyro (a damn good thing) or a band of their ilk - something fairly astonishing given that we're talking about an independent unsigned band.

Guttenburg I despite its haunting and anachronistic vocal chant at the start, is one of the most 'standard' songs on display, but it makes up for it by its momentum and the way the vocals and instruments fire off each other. For the most part playing off an upbeat funky groove, it smashes half-way through into a guitar/bass riff that would make Iron Maiden proud, and just to be clear that is a compliment - strip away the pantomime image and operatic shenanigans from Maiden and you have some serious musicianship.

Bottom of the world ignores all the rules, and works on its own merits. It takes an age to start up, gentle sounds setting the stage before launching into a beautiful and melodic tune. Bands that rock hard often find it hard to shift down a gear, but for these guys it seems completely natural and organic. Just as organic is the shift upwards that lifts the song towards the end into a furious end. Brilliant.

Changing into another gear the band find an electronic tinged menace in Invisible Man which works primarily off the various vocals (the band is made up of a number of singers and multi-instrumenatlists). This is a slow burner that wrings out every last drop of atmosphere in a charged setting.

This is an extremely impressive collection of songs from a band that seem to take D.I.Y to new levels, having organised their own annual festival Cabinfest (allowing them to play sets of up to three hours and more!), recorded and released various e.p's and albums off their own bat. I'm delighted to have stumbled across them - you should too. - threemonkeysonline.com