This came out in 2002 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Back in 1997, the indie charts couldn’t get enough of freaky Japanese pop — Cibo Matto, Butter 08, Pizzicato Five, Buffalo Daughter and others were more popular than a sushi buffet.
Nowadays, many are musically MIA, with only the odd sighting like this new release from art-pop trio Buffalo Daughter. As you might expect, it’s a bizarre little document. Setting sail on Ivory, a gentle current of chanting angelic voices and luxuriant pop, I quickly set sail for uncharted waters, with the group breezing past arty sonic constructs (I Know), Led Zep guitar-rawk swagger (Earth Punk Rockers), Breeders-style indie-rock (28 Nuts) and slinky electronica come-ons (Five Minutes). And those are just the first six songs. The rest of this 50-minute disc is no less quirky, with track after track of left-turn arrangements, icy-cool grooves and alienated sing-speak vocals. Whether it’s endearingly oddball or irritatingly so may depend on your level of musical adventurousness. Either way, Buffalo Daughter obviously aren’t scared to fly their freak flag high.
