Send "Buxton " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Popmatters |
 Buxton have been kicking around Houston for several years, but with Nothing Here Seems Strange, their first album for alt-country stalwart New West (and third overall), they seem poised to become a national act. At least, that’s how the copy will probably read from the local music press here in Houston, who are always happy to promote any local band that gets a whiff of outside attention. It’s a good story, but with one caveat: Nothing Here Seems Strange might not be distinctive or strongly written enough to make waves.The album starts off well enough, with what sounds like a wash of backwards-recorded sound that coalesces into an echo-y solo banjo riff. The song, “Wolves and Owls”, remains stark and low-key throughout, even when the rest of the band joins in. Crashing guitar chords occasionally accentuate the simple harmony vocals, but there’s a sense of wide-open space to the song that makes it a good opener. Next up, the strolling, piano-heavy ballad “Fingertips” provides a nice sense of contrast, and it’s tough to fault the band for the extended, classic country-style outro that gives the band a chance to jam out a little. But really, nothing much happens in that outro beyond a couple of really nice fills from drummer Justin Terrell that are buried in the mix anyway. It’s 70 seconds of solid musicianship that nevertheless fails to be distinctive. It’s at this point that Nothing Here Seems Strange starts to become background music. Third track “Blown a Fuse” takes its time getting going, with an intro that lasts over a minute before blossoming into a pretty capable pop-rock song with a nice chorus. But it’s not a great pop-rock song. It doesn’t make the listener sit up and pay attention, and the rest of the album suffers from the same issue. Everything on this disc is competently written and capably played. Buxton is a strong band from top to bottom, and they know just when to throw in, say, an organ part, some strings, or female backing vocals courtesy of part-time member Haley Barnes....full text |
| Allmusic |
| On Nothing Here Seems Strange, Houston-based quintet Buxton's debut for the nationally distributed indie New West after two self-released efforts, the group comes off as a country-rock outfit in more of a south-of-Los Angeles than Southwest tradition, recalling the sound of such predecessors as Crazy Horse and Gram Parsons. Singer/guitarist Sergio Trevino may refer to the "Lynchburg Ferry" in his whiny, high-and-lonesome voice, and the instrumentation may include lead guitarist Jason Willis' occasional forays into mandolin playing, but this is not a band that would be likely to sound at home in either Nashville or Austin. On the other hand, Topanga Canyon or Marin County might be more welcoming. "Am I making sense?," asks Trevino in "Riverbed," "Do you see the relevance?" His concern comes from his musings on matters spiritual, philosophic, and romantic, and it is echoed in the arrangements, which tend to grow out of noisy backgrounds in which the guitar strings are scraped and the effects pedals employed. Band associate Hayley Barnes also adds to the eerie, murky mood with keyboards on tracks such as the moody closer "Body Count." Meanwhile, the Marin connection seems most pointed on that song's predecessor, "Oh My Boy," which finds Willis taking psychedelic solos. The result is a musical hybrid, marking the members of Buxton as lonely space cowboys looking for meaning in a universe of country-tinged rock roots....full text |
| Hearya |
| I’m really looking forward to music in 2012. We’ve got releases coming out from Lucero, Damien Jurado, The Shins, Delta Spirit and a bunch more. But in all the excitement, let’s not overlook the up and comers in 2012. One such band is a five-piece folk-rock band from Houston that goes by the name Buxton. The band is celebrating the soon-to-be released New West Records debut album “Nothing Here Seems Strange.” And they do have reason to celebrate. Not just because they landed a record deal with a label touting bands like Old 97′s, Steve Earle, Tim Easton and Drive-By Truckers on it’s roster, but also because Nothing Here Seems Strange is a surprisingly sophisticated (and really good) album from such a young band. The album starts with the ominous “Wolves and Owls.” The song is sparse and loose in the beginning, featuring echoing vocals over a repeating banjo lick. After a minute, you’ll hear piano, soft percussion, light backing vocals and I’m fairly sure an accordion layered in. But it’s at about 2:15 when the song opens up and shines with a stunning little guitar solo. A piano ballad called “Fingertips” follows and shows the band’s soulful side and tender underbelly. Then “Blown a Fuse” moves into more accessible, dare I say Pop, territory with a catchy melody, punchy guitar solos and even some “ooooh OOHH OOOHH oooohhh” in the chorus. Catchy as hell indeed....full text |
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