King Buffalo - Acheron (CD)

Recorded in Howe Caverns, NY (which naturally has its own subterranean river snaking its way through), opener ‘Acheron’ eases the listener in with the sound of that very trickling water, clearing a path for the band to follow. Clocking in at ten minutes, as with the rest of the album’s cuts, it seems like it should be massive but instead relies on subtlety to make an impression. The melodies are gradual and insistent, not the kind to aggressively stick in the head but rather the ones that eclipse the outside world while they’re in motion, and the steady motorik rhythms always pull back at the right moment, the explosions of distortion brief yet occasionally obtrusive. At their worst, they interrupt the mesmeric flow that ‘Acheron’ excels at but used correctly, as in the song’s latter half, they provide welcome bursts of energy and colour.