New Buffalo is the project of Australian Sally Seltmann, who not only sings but also creates almost all of the music as well. This self-titled EP, featuring a few new songs as well as an alternate version and a remix of a track from her full-length The Last Beautiful Day, includes contributions from Jens Lekman and Broken Social Scene.
The jazz-inflected opener “Inside (The Corrections)” finds Seltmann singing in the role of a child while Lekman answers as the adult, overshadowing her with his confidence and pleasant voice. The inequality is more evenly balanced when she accompanies him, but he clearly steals the show on this one. Likewise, Broken Social Scene’s remix of “I’ve Got You and You’ve Got Me” is the highlight of the EP. After initially turning her voice robotic, the song becomes a surprisingly delicate, dreamy pop tune that transcends the original, which itself has the dubious distinction of appearing in a television commercial. Seltmann’s other version of this song also included here has a likeably weird intro and the music’s performed on distorted guitar, a genuinely different take that slowly disintegrates as the melody gets lost in the feedback. The other three songs are all respectable, if not terribly memorable.
The prettiest of these, “Trigger,” is an adaptation of a song by Rae Howell, who also plays the mellophone on this track. “The Beginning of the End” finds Seltmann strumming a guitar in her most chanteuse-like moment, singing what’s very nearly a lullaby. Although slightly marred by a few awkward phrases, the song’s redeemed by her earnest sincerity. On the other hand, the chamber pop of “Stay Here While You’re Gone” feels somewhat too earnest and goes on longer than necessary to get the point across. Seltmann’s child-like voice and light arrangements may not have won me over completely, but there are enough fine moments on this EP to keep me interested.
samples:
- Inside (The Corrections)
- I’ve Got You and You’ve Got Me (Broken Social Scene Remix)
- Stay Here While You’re Gone
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