Album Review : King Buffalo - Regenerator (2022)
A band like King Buffalo shouldn’t technically exist in 2022. Their anachronistic brand of epic concept rock is not particularly streaming friendly and in a world that vomits torrents of content everyday, showing long term ambition is counterintuitive. But they did it anyway. They started a trilogy of albums in 2021 with The Burden of Restlessness, followed by the masterful Acheron six months later, which challenged modern music economy. The closing chapter Regenerator seals their triumph with panache.
King Buffalo has beaten the game.
If The Burden of Restlessness had more of a radio-friendly format with three to seven minutes songs and Acheron completely eschewed structure in favour of texture and vibe, Regenerator takes elements from both approaches. The six songs (and one instrumental interlude) on the record are catchy, groovy, but they all eventually collapse into King Buffalo’s majestic, aerial brand of psychedelic chaos. Ranging from two to nine minutes long, they each offer elements of what the band does best.
Picking up where Acheron left off, the title song (which is also the opener) starts with ominous synths before transitioning into an oddly clean, almost classic rock guitar riff. Frontman Sean McVay croons peacefully about the sun and the morning sky. There’s an almost Western twang to it that makes you want to speed down a desert highway in a muscle car. It’s probably the most Acheron-like song on the record, which is great. It is mostly McVay going crazy on guitar while bassist Dan Reynolds repeats the opening riff.
Remember when I told you Regenerator was the most Acheron-like song on the record? I have good news for you: it is merely an appetizer for what’s about to hit you. Ironically enough, it is followed by the least memorable song on the record Mercury. It isn’t bad by any means, but it’s more subdued. It is structures around Dan Reynolds’ bass riffs, which gives it a moody aura but it doesn’t come close to hitting the highs Regenerator is about to hit you with.
The pulse pounding Hours ups the ante, but feels oddly out of place on such a joyous and contemplative record. There’s a great intergalactic synth transition about two thirds into it that adds a new thematic layer to the song, but it has a frantic quality that is absent from the rest of Regenerator. There’s three minutes droning, but warm interlude that separates the album in half that sets you up for the biggest, most King Buffalo-esque King Buffalo songs you’ve ever heard.
…and let me tell you: you’re not ready.
Part of what makes Regenerator so unique and powerful is how smooth and benevolent it feels. It REALLY is music to regenerate yourself to. The appropriately colossal Mammoth where Sean McVay narrates waking dreams about walking through a meadow dressed in white and riding a mammoth through the snow. It’s minimalistic and playful while McVay sings and explodes into this bombastic mid-tempo space rock anthem end credits could roll out to.
While Mammoth is already one of my favorite King Buffalo song, it transitions right into Avalon… which might be my favorite King Buffalo song to date. Holy shit, this song slaps so hard. It’s about transcendence too. I have CHILLS whenever McVay sings: An elegant breeze will guide the way, I can make it alone. It’s not the most complex or layered King Buffalo song you’ve ever heard, but it’s so graceful and zen without sacrificing any raw power.
The closer Firmament is also great, but it’s not QUITE up to par with these two absolute monsters that throw the entire evaluation of this record off. It might’ve hit me harder anywhere else on Regenerator, but its lengthy, loosely structure charmed hit me a little less AFTER I GOT UP TO THE FUCKING GATES OF AVALON, MAN! King Buffalo are getting better and better. With each release, they're focusing more and more on their strengths.
*
This is another fucking awesome record by King Buffalo. Perhaps the one that gave me the greatest emotional moments with Mammoth and Avalon, but maybe it didn’t have the overall consistency of Acheron? I don’t know. It’s damned close between the two guys. I’m going to see them live on October 15 and I would be disappointed if they don’t play Regenerator, Mammoth and Avalon. This is as good as healing music can be, guys. Blast it on a bad day and you will get better. Trust me
