One of the cool things about being part of a music blog is that you get free music in your inbox — a big win for us as music devourers. The guys of Little Radar sent us over a track off their recent EP Kill A Buffalo and after the first play, I knew it was something I wanted to feature here.
With their Kill A Buffalo EP, Little Radar spans multiple genres and weaves in garage rock licks, folk rock banjo and math rock complexity. This EP is one of the best I’ve heard all year and I’m very excited to share it with you. I feel a brief review of each song will hopefully cue you guys in to what this band and this EP really have to offer. But to get the full experience, I encourage you to drop a few bucks at Little Radar’s Bandcamp page for the full EP.
“Birds” was my introduction to Little Radar and it’s a song that explodes with energy and demonstrates how easily they can transition between loud and soft dynamics and different time signatures. Throughout the song, the high melodic guitar lines puncture the fuzzed out guitar chord growl. “Birds” ends in a heavily-reverbed melodic exploration that closes out the song quite well. Though this song is great, the songs only get better as you progress through the EP.
For the first full minute of second track “Wake Up,” Little Radar starts the song with a slowed-down and banjo-heavy folk intro. After this, the band picks up the pace and weaves in more distorted guitar riffs and drum swells into the mix before breaking the song down again to a danceable folk jam. Although the band explores a few different sounds in the song it’s not disjointed and maintained my interest.
Each one of the songs on the Kill A Buffalo EP are completely distinct. In my opinion, Little Radar bring the EP to an ultimate crescendo in the last minute of “Lights Out” which provides a fitting close to their breakout EP. Layers of vocals and floating guitar melodies break out into a resounding chorus in which the singer yells “Which way’s up? Which way’s down?” and then the song abruptly ends. Leaving me wanting more.
Little Radar will be playing with Wild Child, and Auroravore at the Beauty Bar tomorrow. Doors at 9pm $5 entry. Come check it out to get a taste of Little Radar’s eclectic sound and to dance along to Wild Child’s folk rock gems.